Review: Mars Milkshakes & Galaxy Hot Chcoolates

Everyone in the Grocery Gems household wanted to try out the new look range of Thick Shakes that we were recently sent. There were three varieties in our parcel, all based on famous chocolates; Galaxy Caramel, Maltesers, and Mars. The latter two were especially popular amongst all the testers. Each Thick Shake contains 300ml. Nutritional information: Galaxy - 213 calories, Maltesers - 241 calories, and Mars - 221 calories per bottle. 

Galaxy Caramel - At first I was surprised by just how pale this milkshake was in appearance. I had expected this to be a chocolate based milkshake, but taking a closer look at the bottle it's simply described as a "caramel flavoured milk drink". It doesn't have any chocolate so it's essentially a caramel milkshake! It's quite milky with a strong caramel flavour, but also a background hint of vanilla. 7 out of 10. 

Maltesers - We all loved this one, it's a well blended combination of chocolate and strong malt flavours. Neither flavour the strongest, they both work well together to create a pure Maltesers treat in a bottle. I love chocolate flavoured Ovaltine and this is a bit like a milkshake version of that! 9 out of 10.

Mars - This milkshake is described as a "chocolate and caramel flavour milk drink" so it's quite different from the above Galaxy Caramel. It's much darker in colour and has a sweet chocolately flavour from the outset. There's a subtle edge of caramel but it doesn't overshadow the chocolate. Definitely a hit with my boys! 8 out of 10.

I've been really getting into hot chocolate in the past few months so I was pleased to see these Galaxy Instant Hot Chocolate and Frothy Top Hot Chocolate included in the parcel. Even though I've tried and reviewed a fair few hot chocolates, somehow the Galaxy range managed to pass me by. 

I tried the Galaxy Instant Hot Chocolate first and I was surprised by just how rich and smooth the chocolate tasted. I'm used to instant hot chocolates being very sweet but Galaxy have clearly focused on the chocolate experience with this drink. It's creamy and rich tasting - exactly what you would want from a Galaxy Hot Chocolate. It also has a fairly decent frothy layer on the top so I was interested to see how the Galaxy Frothy Top would be able to out-froth it! As you can see from the photo above it is very frothy indeed! The same rich chocolately flavour is present here with an extra creamy feel. I will definitely be buying from the Galaxy Hot Chocolate range in future. (9 out of 10). 

Products provided for review.

Review: teapigs spiced winter red tea

What a  lovely way to get ready for the festive days ahead then trying out the Christmas-in-a-cup that is the teapigs spiced winter red tea - a rooibos (redbush) tea base combined with the inviting Christmas flavours of cinnamon, cloves, and orange blossom. This spicy mix has been added to the distinctive teapigs tea temple giving it a familiar wintery aroma. It really is an amazing scent, so incredibly warming and Christmassy! It's available, along with lots of other great winter teas, at the newly launched teapigs Christmas Shop.

The earthy base of the rooibos tea here is ideal for the strong Christmas spices in this blend. (For those who have never tried a rooibos tea before, I'd recommend giving it a try, especially if you're not usually a fan of herbal teas. It's not flowery like other herbal varieties and tastes delicious when made with milk). Making a cup of the spiced winter red, is like having a cheeky tea version of mulled wine, filling the house with it's warming scent. The cinnamon and hint of orange are particularly delicious and flavourful. It might be quite strong for some tastes (I find it a bit too strong but Mr. Grocery Gems thinks it's just right), but adding a splash of milk helps to mellow the flavours out. Teapigs tea blends are always extra special, and this spiced winter red tea is no exception. It's a gorgeous tea to warm up the cold winter chills. 

Take a look at the teapigs Christmas Shop online, they have lots of gift ideas for the tea lover in your life: http://www.teapigs.co.uk/christmas_gift_shop

Sample provided for review by teapigs. 

Around The World: Macedonia: The Pelagonia Range - Aivar

Another great find at the BBC Good Food Show a couple of weeks ago was the award winning Pelagonia Range - The Macedonian Kitchen. This range encompasses jars of traditional meze, stuffed red peppers, and vegetable jams. It was hard to choose which gorgeous looking jar to get (I was very tempted by the Pumpkin Jam!) but I finally decided on the Aivar - a traditional combination of sweet roasted red peppers, roasted aubergines, and spices. I'm including this in my Around the World Challenge (well over the halfway point now!), and am very pleased to have found a product to represent the Republic of Macedonia. 

I looked to The Pelagonia Range recipe blog for ideas on using my jar of Aivar. As a fan of falafels I quickly settled on this recipe HERE - Baked Falafel Wrap With Aivar. I used the recipe as the inspiration to put together some delicious wraps using ready made falafels. Unfortunately home made ones are currently beyond me as we're in the middle of building works and I have no kitchen - I'm definitely missing my oven the most! 

My finished wrap was simply heavenly. I started with a base layer of Aivar, added a few sprigs of watercress and rocket, three small falafels, and finally an extra helping of Aivar (couldn't resist!). The picture above shows the magnificent colour of the Aivar, it's nothing like the sad jars of sauces and condiments that I usually see. The Aivar is vibrant and flavourful, tasting of the delicious red peppers with the added creaminess from the roasted aubergines. The whole family enjoyed the flavours, and they've all requested that I make these wraps again soon!

The Pelagonia Range is available online and at Waitrose. http://www.pelagonia.co.uk/

Grocery Gems Verdict: Pelagonia Aivar

RATING: 10 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Price: £3.59 (Waitrose)

Christmas Recipes from the Happy Egg Co - Including a Simple Cinnamon Christmas Cake

A few inspiring Christmas themed recipes courtesy of the Happy Egg Co. and Masterchef  winner Mat Follas. This Simple Cinnamon Christmas Cake is one I'll be trying for sure!

Simple Cinnamon Christmas Cake

Ingredients:

 180g sugar

75g butter

2 happy eggs

200ml milk

Two cups sifted flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp powdered cinnamon

1 tsp mace

1 tsp mixed sugar and cinnamon

Method: 

• Whip sugar and butter until no grains of sugar are left and it is a pale yellow colour. Beat eggs into the mix then add gradually milk, sifted flour, baking powder, cinnamon and mace, folding ingredients together.
• Bake in a buttered, non-stick 20cm round dish for 40 minutes at 180ºC, until the sides just begin to pull away from the tin. Sprinkle the top of the cake with the cinnamon and sugar mix and replace in oven for 5 minutes to glaze.

Christmas Reindeer Biscuits

Ingredients:

For the biscuits

100g butter

175g caster sugar

2 happy eggs

2 happy egg yolks

50g ground almonds

240g plain flour

For the icing

120g butter

250g icing sugar

1-2 tbsp milk

Food colouring to suit

Method: 

Biscuits

• In a bowl, mix the butter and sugar together with an electric blender, until they form a creamy paste. Add the happy eggs and happy egg yolks and mix, then fold in the almonds and flour with a wooden spoon or spatula until fully combined.
•  Press the mixture into a greased tray to a thickness of about ¼” (6mm). Place in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4 for 10-12 minutes.
•  The biscuit mixture is ready when it has just started to colour. Carefully turn out onto a sheet of baking parchment on a flat cool surface.
•  While still warm to touch, use a cookie cutter to press out the shapes but don’t try to lift them out until completely cooled, or they’ll break.

Icing

• Mix the butter and icing sugar together in a bowl, adding the milk as needed to make a smooth paste.
• Mat’s top tip: It’s much easier if you warm the butter.
• First, ice the biscuits all over with the plain icing, adding some edible glitter for a festive feel. Then add a little red food colouring to the remaining icing, spoon it into a piping bag and draw on his shiny red nose.

Mince Pies with Crumble Topping

Ingredients:

For the pie:

150g butter

250g plain flour

50g ground almonds

50g caster sugar

1 orange

pinch of salt

1 happy egg

1-2 tsp cold water

280g/10oz good quality mincemeat

For the topping:

100g butter

75g plain flour

100g caster sugar

1tsp cinnamon powder

1 nutmeg

Method: 

• Place butter in freezer overnight.
• Preheat oven to 180°C.
• Put the flour into a mixing bowl. Using a cheese grater, grate the butter into the flour and add caster sugar, almonds, and salt; zest the orange and add, then gently stir with a wooden spoon to combine.
• In a food processor, add the mixture, happy egg yolks and 1-2 teaspoons of water. Use a pulse action until it forms a soft dough, then place it in the fridge for 30 minutes, to chill.
• Roll out the pastry to a thickness of a pound coin and with a round cookie cutter, cut out about 20 rounds.
• In a non-stick tartlet baking tray, press the rounds into the tray and spoon the mincemeat evenly into the pies.
• Make a crumble topping by quickly mixing the butter, flour, cinnamon and caster sugar in your food processor until it forms a crumble. Sprinkle the crumble over the pies, grate some nutmeg over the top and bake in the oven for 12 - 15 minutes until golden.
• Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Review: New Galaxy Iced Coffees! Single & Double Shot Mocha Latte

It's always lovely receiving new products in the post to review, and I was especially excited about a gorgeous parcel of goodies sent from the PR Agency for Mars. In amongst the items were these two new Iced Coffee Mocha Lattes from Galaxy, which I also spotted today for the first time in my local Tesco (next to the new Jelly Belly Milkshakes!).

I have to admit it's not quite the perfect time of year to be drinking iced coffee, but as a self-confessed coffee addict, a bit of cold weather is not enough to stop me from enjoying these! The Galaxy Iced Chocolate Coffee comes in two varieties, Single Shot and Double Shot Mocha Latte - the only difference being the strength of the coffee. They both have the satisfyingly creamy chocolate attribute that you would expect from Galaxy, which blends perfectly with the smooth coffee taste. The two flavours work together extremely well to create that classic mocha combination, without being overly sweet. The Double Shot of course, provides that extra burst of coffee flavour, but even the Single Shot will hit the mark with coffee fans.

My pretty-in-pink parcel also contained the new Milky Bar and Galaxy Chocolate Spreads which I have reviewed HERE, and also some Galaxy Hot Chocolates and milkshakes that I will be reviewing soon.

Grocery Gems Verdict: Galaxy Iced Coffee

RATING: 8 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Nutrition: Single Shot:168 calories, Double Shot: 181 calories.
Price: 2 for £2.00 (Tesco and Asda).

New Duke of Delhi Chocolate Bars

I recently attended the BBC Good Food Show, and one of my highlights was trying out the new Duke of Delhi chocolate Delhi Mix bars. Duke of Delhi are already known for their handmade Dellhi Mix snacks (available online and at Fortnum & Mason's), which gave the traditional flavours of a Bombay mix a quirky modern update. Since they've already successfully added chocolate pieces to a Bombay mix, they've now decided to take the next step and add the Bombay Mix into chocolate - creating these new Delhi Mix bars.

It's a gorgeously colourful selection featuring six flavours; Dark Chocolate, Dark Chocolate & Orange, Dark Chocolate & Toasted Coconut, Dark Chocolate & Lime, Milk Chocolate & Indian Cinnamon, and Milk Chocolate, Cardamom & Vanilla. Thanks to the lovely people at Duke of Delhi we've been very happily savouring the last four in that list!

The chocolate bars all have the same beautiful shape, which I think is perfectly fitting for the Indian theme. Each bar also features the same Bombay Mix within, consisting of crispy puffed rice, gram flour, salt, chilli and tumeric. It adds a wonderful texture to each chocolate, not too crunchy, but enough to add interest. The flavour is also quite light and does not overpower the chocolate, but it does provide plenty of background spice and warmth.  

Dark Chocolate & Lime - This variety was instantly my favourite when I first tried the range, although I have a new favourite now - see below! The dark chocolate (60% cocoa solids minimum) is glossy and rich, whilst the zingy lime flavour immediately grabs your attention. It works together so well with the hint of spice from the Bombay mix too. 

Dark Chocolate & Toasted Coconut - The coconut flavour here has a very natural taste and is not too sweet. Even though the initial coconut scent is quite strong, the actual flavour is at first dominated by the dark chocolate. However, the coconut flavour really does intensify and build towards the end of each bite. The rich, dark flavours of this bar make it perfect for enjoying a few chunks with a good cup of coffee.

The two milk chocolate bars in the range, made with 32% minimum cocoa solids, are much sweeter and obviously creamier, which seems to especially suit the background Indian spices.

Milk Chocolate & Indian Cinnamon - This chocolate is completely outstanding - if you're a cinnamon fan you MUST try it. The cinnamon flavour here is without a doubt the most delicious I've tried in any chocolate bar so far, it's sweet but with a spicy edge. The fact that it's combined with a superbly creamy milk chocolate and a hint of Indian flavours just makes the combination even more sensational. This is my absolute favourite of the bunch.

Milk Chocolate, Cardamom & Vanilla - If you enjoy tradional Masala Chai (Indian spiced tea) then this is the perfect chocolate bar. The heady cardamom and milk chocolate combination instantly evokes the familiar warming, milky flavours. The added vanilla makes this the sweetest of all the Duke of Delhi chocolate bars, making it extremely satisfying and moreish. My husband loved all of these chocolate bars, but I think this one just sneaked ahead as his overall favourite.

I  loved trying out this range and it's impressive array of flavours. There is truly something for every taste bud in this selection. The range will be available on the Duke of Delhi website very soon - I will update here as soon as they are online. 

Follow Duke of Delhi on Twitter for all their latest updates https://twitter.com/dukeofdelhi

New Jelly Belly Milkshakes (UK)

Jelly Belly have recently launched three flavours of milkshake in the UK, and I picked up two varieties from my local Tesco this weekend. I was pleasantly surprised to find that these milkshakes contain no artificial flavours, colours or sweeteners and that the ingredients list on the back is quite short - semi-skimmed milk, sugar, natural flavourings and colours, and stabilisers. The three flavours currently in the range are; Top Banana, French Vanilla and Dark Chocolate. According to The Grocer there are also plans for Buttered Popcorn and Cotton Candy flavours too! 

The milkshakes were both very tasty indeed. The Top Banana, especially  was very enjoyable. It's quite creamy and I loved the natural (and very sweet!) banana flavour in it. The French Vanilla is also delicious, with a richly sweet vanilla edge. It's not too different from other vanilla milkshakes I've tried in the past, but I like the fact that it's not overly thick or cloying. I'll definitely be buying these Jelly Belly milkshakes again and I look forward to trying out more of their flavours.

Also coming soon to the Jelly Belly range are ready-to-eat jelly pots (such a great idea) - I can't wait to give these a try too!

 Grocery Gems Verdict: Jelly Belly Milkshakes

RATING: 8.5 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Nutrition (per 100ml): 66 calories.
Vegetarian: Suitable for Vegetarians.
Purchased: Tesco. 
Price: 2 for £2.00 (330ml bottles).

The Canada Shop: Maple Syrup Products & Cadbury Pep!

The Canada Shop recently sent me a lovely selection of Canadian goodies to review. They have a great online shop with a full range of Canadian groceries, chocolates and candies - along with an array of maple syrup products!

I genuinely had no idea that maple syrup could come in such different guises, so I'm very thankful to The Canada Shop for giving me the opportunity to try some of these out. Firstly this gorgeous trio of mini Brien jars featuring; Maple Jelly, Maple Butter and Maple Sugar. These are so adorable! All three are 100% natural and have an intense maple syrup flavour, giving them a dark, rich taste, with a deliciously burnt caramelised edge.

Maple Sugar - This crunchy granulated sugar is great for baking or general cooking, but can also be used in hot drinks and as an ice cream topping. 

Maple Butter - This "butter" is actually made of pure maple syrup that has been boiled and then whipped for at least 30 minutes to give it a smooth and creamy texture. There are countless uses for Maple Butter but I'm thinking it would be great as a replacement for straight-up maple syrup on pancakes - then I wouldn't even need to add any real butter.

Maple Jelly - Usually I get confused by the whole jelly/jam issue but this one is definitely more of a soft wobbly jelly (in the English sense). It has a lighter flavour than the previous two maple products, meaning it works well simply on toast or scones.

I was also sent these gorgeous Maple candies, again made by Brien and containing 100% natural ingredients. There are two types of Maple candy available, which are both appropriately maple leaf shaped; the rich amber coloured hard candies, and the larger soft candies. 

The hard candies have an intense maple syrup flavour which is obviously sweet, but this is balanced nicely by a dark, slightly bitter edge. The larger pale coloured candies are robust at first but quickly give way to a crumbly melt in the mouth texture. I loved the appearance of both of these candies, and their deliciously different flavour.

I was also sent these two Canadian chocolates, both of which are new to me; The Cadbury Pep, and the Hershey's Cherry Blossom (both £0.95p).

The Cadbury Pep is a large circular chocolate disc with a milk chocolate coating and a peppermint cream filling. The appearance reminded me of a massive After Eight! I cut this one up to share it around and I have to say it disappeared in seconds - everyone enjoyed it immensely. The filling here is more solid than an After Eight, and less sticky, but not as hard as a Fry's Mint Cream. The mint layer is very sweet but has a creaminess to the minty flavour that makes it very moreish. 

I'll be reviewing the Cherry Blossom in a separate post soon - it's an epic combination of cherry, coconut & roasted peanuts so be sure to watch this space!

Check out The Canada Shop full selection here: http://www.thecanadashop.co.uk/

Next on my wishlist is the Cinnamon Spread - I'd love to hear from anyone who's tried it! 

http://www.thecanadashop.co.uk/unilever--imperial-cinnamon-spread-250g-270-p.asp 

Review: Peanut Hottie - a Peanut Butter Hot Drink!

Peanut butter as a flavour has become something of a phenomenon in the UK in recent times, there's not many food products that it hasn't been added to from biscuits to ice cream. But one version of peanut butter I hadn't expected to see, is a peanut butter hot drink! Still, it sounds like a brilliant idea to me and luckily the lovely people at Peanut Hottie sent me a jar to try. 

This instant hot beverage is made in the UK using American peanuts, and contains no artificial additives or colours, is caffeine free, and is suitable for vegetarians - plus it has only 83 calories per cup.

As soon as I opened up the jar I knew I was in for a real peanut buttery treat! The scent is immediately of a rich peanut butter, and I couldn't wait to experience how this would taste as a hot beverage.

The instructions suggest using 4-5 lovingly heaped teaspoons per mug - or even more depending on the peanut butter craving - and then simply adding boiled water. I added four teaspoons at first, but then added a couple more for extra intensity. I wasn't sure what to expect from the Peanut Hottie, but I really did enjoy this drink. It's very sweet, with an almost caramel flavour at first, which then builds to a smooth peanut flavour. Even though I made mine with water it still has a creamy and satisfying taste. I've been mostly enjoying Peanut Hottie as an evening drink, but the sweetness means it also works perfectly as an afternoon pick-me-up.

The jar states, "you'll wonder how you ever managed without me", and I would completely agree with that sentiment - I'm hooked!

UPDATE - Just made this drink using half hot chocolate powder and half Peanut Hottie = heaven!

Grocery Gems Verdict: Peanut Hottie

RATING: 10 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes
Nutrition per pot: 83 calories per cup.
Purchased: Available at Sainsbury's. 
Price: £2.99.

Review: Turner's Chocolate Assortment

I was recently contacted by a reader who asked whether I could review this Turner's Chocolate Assortment, which is available in discount stores such as Poundland, 99p Stores and also Iceland. Funnily enough I had tried these chocolates earlier in the year but I hadn't taken any decent photos to be able to review them. If you've never seen these before, they're an interesting concept, promising an "assortment of high quality branded mis-shape chocolates". 

From  memory my first purchase of these had not actually been that successful. I remember lots of solid chocolates that were too hard to eat - almost as if the filling had been missed out and replaced by the outer chocolate, which is never the best quality. The bag I tried this week, however, was completely different.

There are lots of chocolates in the bag, which all have that bashed together look that is often the case with these types of bagged chocolates. There were only three different chocolates in my bag; a barrel shaped chocolate (pictured twice above ooops!), squares with an orange design, and larger curved segments. 

From their appearance I suspect these are the types of chocolates that usually come in big tins and gift boxes. Since I don't buy tinned chocolates (such as Quality Street, Roses etc.) much anymore, I'll need my readers help to identify what these three are! The first large segment chocolate is filled with a soft caramel centre and a large hazelnut. I would guess that it's the Purple One from Quality Street but I don't remember it having this type of pattern on top (see photo above). Perhaps that's why it's in this bag? The flavour however, is perfectly fine - thick sweet chocolate with an even sweeter caramel centre and slightly soft nut.

The squared chocolate has an orange design etched into the top (hard to photograph due to the damage to the chocolates) and is unsurprisingly filled with an orange cream. I would guess this is from a Cadbury Roses type selection as it is covered with milk chocolate. I actually enjoyed this one too (although I did only eat half of one chocolate), and even though it's VERY sweet it has a pleasant enough orange flavour. 

Then there are lots of caramel filled barrels - which I'm thinking are also from Cadbury Roses? They certainly taste like Cadbury caramels - very nice and my favourite of the bunch.

It's difficult to give these a rating because I can imagine each bag will have a different selection and could be a bit hit or miss. My bag had a good selection that were all to my tastes so I would say, on this occasion, it was reasonable value for £1. However, I think your enjoyment of these would depend on whether the knocked about appareance would bother you, and also the particualar selection in question. In terms of flavour there was nothing really to complain about with this bag, especially for those that are already fans of chocolate selection boxes.

I'd love to hear from anyone who's tried this Turners Chocolate Assortment, especially to find out which chocolates you had in the bag!

Grocery Gems Verdict: Turners Chocolate Assortment

RATING: 6 out of 10
Buy them again?: Possibly.
Purchased: Poundland.

Review: Mr Bounce Vanilla Yogurts with Chocolate Footballs

There's nothing quite like the Mr Men books for reading together with children, and it's a series that we've long enjoyed as a family. No surprise then that I've reviewed most of the Mr Men products, from yogurt drinks to chocolate, that are exclusive to Tesco. A new addition to the range (in my local Tesco at least) are these Mr. Bounce Vanilla Yogurts with Chocolate Footballs.

There are four 125g split pot yogurts in each pack, and as always I love the bright classic Mr Men design of the packaging. The vanilla yogurt itself, is nicely creamy with just the right amount of natural tangy yogurt flavour - it's not overly sweet like a lot of kids yogurts. On the side is a serving of cereal pieces shaped to look like chocolate footballs, providing the crunch (and fun!) factor. Needless to say my boys both enjoyed these yogurts. The flavours are all quite simple but create an enjoyable sweet treat.

It has to be said that this yogurt is quite similar, in concept at least, to the Müller Kids Corner Football Yogurts which were released last year. In taste terms the flavours are quite different, even though they sound very similar. The Muller version has a much sweeter vanilla yogurt and the football chocolates are also sweeter, with their white chocolate coating.

There is also a Little Miss Chatterbox Vanilla Yogurt with Pink Butterflies available too, although I haven't seen these instore yet.

Grocery Gems Verdict: Mr Bounce Vanilla Yogurts with Chocolate Footballs

RATING: 7 out of 10
Buy them again?: Probably.
Nutrition per pot: 215 calories.
Purchased: Tesco (exclusive).
Price: £1.50 for a 4 pack.

Review: The Co-Operative Chocolate & Coconut Cheesecakes

I'm not quite sure how the existence of a coconut flavoured chocolate cheesecake managed to pass me by... surely there should be some sort of "Coconut Hotline" to alert me to such products immediately? Anyway, I didn't hesitate to pick up a pack of these Truly Irresistible Chocolate & Coconut Cheesecakes in my local Co-Operative supermarket once I spotted them. The cheesecakes come in a pack of two, individual sized portions, and are described as having a chocolate and coconut biscuit base topped with Belgian chocolate and coconut cheesecake, finished with a Belgian chocolate ganache and a sprinkling of desiccated coconut.

Firstly I just have to say that these cheesecakes are heavenly! The rich chocolate and coconut flavours are present throughout the whole dessert and compliment each other perfectly. Starting at the bottom, the biscuit layer is very crumbly for a cheesecake, probably due to all the dessicated coconut mixed within. However, it still has a lovely buttery biscuit base and lots of sweet coconut flavour too. The middle chocolate cheesecake layer is made with full-fat soft cheese, making it quite heavy and indulgent (and tasty!). Topping the whole thing off is a thin layer of chocolate ganache which provides that extra hit of rich chocolate. Altogether this is a divine dessert, perfect for any coconut fans.

Grocery Gems Verdict: The Co-Operative Chocolate & Coconut Cheesecakes

RATING:  9 out of 10.
Nutrition (per cheesecake): 420 calories.
Vegetarian: Suitable for Vegetarians,.
Purchased: The Co-Operative. 
Price: £2.59.

Review: Fox's Biscuits Tastes of America

Fox's have been bringing out some fantastic new biscuits recently, including this appealing Vinnie's Tastes of America range. There are four varieties in this range, which give an American twist to classic Fox's biscuits; Blueberry Muffin Party Rings, Key Lime Pie Crunch Creams, Mississippi Mud Pie Melts, and Cherry Cheesecake Jam n' Cream biscuits. I think the American dessert theme is a brilliant concept, and I couldn't wait to try out the first two on the list (I haven't seen the other two varieties instore yet).

The kids classic iced ring biscuit, Party Rings, have been given a fun American makeover with this new Blueberry Muffin flavour.

As soon as I opened the packet I could tell these were blueberry flavoured, the fruity aroma was immediately apparent. The biscuits are very crunchy in texture, with a vanilla cookie base, and an equally crunchy layer of purple icing on top. The flavour here is just delicious, it's a very sweet and enjoyable blueberry flavour, and tastes so good combined with the buttery biscuit base. I felt like a big kid eating these - and of course my actual kids loved them too! They're also a fab treat for only 28 calories each.

My husband really enjoys lime as a flavour so he was most looking forward to these Key Lime Pie Crunch Creams.

Once again the fruity flavour here did not disappoint. It's a gorgeously full on sweet and zesty lime taste which combines brilliantly with the creamy flavour of the inner filling, successfully reproducing the Key Lime Pie theme. The outer biscuit itself is very crunchy, as you would expect from the name, but also golden and oaty at the same time. Perfect biscuits for dunking :)

We all thorougly enjoyed both of these American themed biscuits, and I can't wait to try the rest of the biscuits in this range, especially the Mississippi Mud Pie Melts which are based on my favourite Fox's biscuits - Viennese Melts! 

Grocery Gems Verdict: Fox's Biscuits Key Lime Pie Crunch Creams & Blueberry Muffin Party Rings

RATING:  8.5 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Nutrition (per biscuit): Crunch Creams - 78 calories, Party Rings - 28 calories.
Vegetarian: Crunch Creams - Suitable for Vegetarians, Party Rings - NOT Suitable.
Purchased: Co-Op. 
Price: £1.39 each.