Review: Starbucks Caramel Coffee Jelly Frappuccino

Starbucks has introduced two new Frappuccinos for summer; the intriguing Caramel Coffee Jelly Frappuccino and the lemon meringue pie inspired Lemon Vanilla Frappuccino. As a fan of bubble teas I  was most curious to try the Caramel Coffee Jelly Frappuccino. 

It's a combination of three layers - new coffee jelly, creamy caramel Frappuccino and a topping of whipped cream and caramel drizzle. I asked for mine without the cream as I really don't like the stuff. The coffee jelly is made from brewed Starbucks Premium roast coffee and adds a unique texture to the drink.

I really loved everything about the flavour and texture of the Caramel Coffee Frappuccino. The base of the drink is the creamy and sweet caramel Frappuccino which just so happens to be my favourite Frappuccino anyway. The jelly pieces are quite soft and are easily sucked up through the straw, providing a burst of mild coffee flavour alongside it's jelly consistency. This isn't really one for anyone who is texture-phobic and who doesn't like the thought of lumps in their drinks! The additional jelly means the drink is not quite as heavy as a regular Frappuccino but I found it much more refreshing as a result. It won't appeal to everyone but it's certainly one that I'll be buying again this summer.

If you've tried the Starbucks Caramel Coffee Jelly Frappuccino or the new Lemon Vanilla Frappuccino then I'd love to know your thoughts in the comments below.

Grocery Gems Review: Starbucks Caramel Coffee Jelly Frappuccino

GROCERY GEMS RATING: 9 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.

Price: £3.75p (medium size).

Review: Starbucks Frappuccino Fan Flavours - Cinnamon Swirl & Cupcake

Starbucks have introduced four limited edition Frappuccino Fan Flavours which have apparently been inspired by the fans. Well done to the "fans" - they've come up with some brilliant varieties! According to the Starbucks website, the four flavours are now available instore and are part of a social media vote with one flavour ultimately being announced as the winner by the end of this week. The flavours available are: Cinnamon Swirl, Cupcake, Summer Pie, and Cookie Dough.

Image: Starbucks

The strange thing about these new Frappuccinos is that, apart from a couple of tweets and the awesome reviews on Creamy Steaks, I haven't seen these drinks promoted or advertised by Starbucks. This means that asking for one of these drinks instore, more often than not, resulted in the Starbucks barista looking at me as if I'm crazy or just plain denying all knowledge of their existence. I've had both scenarios. And I'm not complaining about this happening in my local-outskirts-of-London-Starbucks, I'm talking about several Central London Starbucks not having the faintest idea about these drinks when I asked at the weekend.

Anyway, I did finally manage to get the Cinnamon Swirl Frappuccino and the Cupcake Frappuccino, both came without the toppings they're supposed to have, but I wasn't about to push my luck and ask about that.  

Being a cinnamon fan, I was most excited about the Cinnamon Swirl Frappuccino and it's appealing description of cinnamon syrup blended with coffee, white chocolate mocha sauce and vanilla, topped with cream and a cinnamon sprinkle (well, just skip the last part). It's a delicious Frappuccino, although the cinnamon flavour could have been more spiced for me, it's a little flowery tasting. Despite that, I did enjoy the balance of the sweet mocha sauce, coffee base and cinnamon syrup and I would still order this again.

The Cupcake Frappuccino is a simple combination of a Vanilla Créme Frappuccino base with added almond syrup. This would look so cute if it was decorated with sprinkles on top! The flavour here was more interesting than I was expecting it to be. The pairing of vanilla with almond really does create a cake-y flavour that was just delicious. I don't usually get non-coffee based Frappuccinos (I always need a caffeine boost!) but I certainly enjoyed the successful recreation of a cupcake flavour in this drink. 

Overall, both these flavours are worth a try - especially as they will not be around for very long at all. If you've tried either of these Fan Flavours Frappuccinos (or the other two!) then I'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

Review: Starbucks Origin Espresso Perú

I was recently invited to try out the new Starbucks Perú - a singly origin espresso available this spring at Starbucks, between the 10th March - 11th May. Starbucks offers various single origin espresso choices throughout the year, but I have to admit I usually stick with the standard coffee blend rather then asking for anything different.

The Origin Espreso Peru Cusco is also available to buy in selected stores in whole bean, freshly ground for free, to enjoy at home (£4.25p) - worth keeping in mind for a last minute Mother's Day gift!

As soon as I stepped into my local Starbucks I could see posters for the new Perú (along with the new Maple Macchiato). The Origin Espresso Perú is described as a balanced coffee with low acidity and hints of almond - perfect in a flat white or latte.

I decided to try out it in the new Maple Macchiato and also as an Americano (the next day!). The Maple Macchiato is a multi layered drink with steamed milk, foam and espresso, topped with a generous crisscross pattern of maple syrup (the syrup has mainly sunk by the time I could take my photo). It's a deliciously sweet coffee and I enjoyed the warming maple flavour combined with the base espresso. Trying out the Americano,  I really could taste the smooth notes of the Origin Espresso Perú Cusco, compared to the regular Starbucks Americano I usually get. The overall flavour is less bitter, with softer, mellow notes and a smooth finish.

It was interesting to change the base espresso used in my Starbucks order and it's definitely something I look forward to doing again!

PR Samples - I received a Starbucks voucher.

New Starbucks Oats and Nutella Cookie & Create Your Own Nutella Coffee!

Starbucks recently launched a Nutella Cookie just ahead of Nutella Day a few weeks ago. It's described as a chewy and perfectly balanced oat cookie, delicately spiced with cinnamon and filled with a generous dollop of smooth, delicious Nutella chocolate & hazelnut spread.

Excitingly, the press release also included a recipe for how to create your own Nutella Coffee at Starbucks! If you've heard of the "secret Starbucks menu", then you'll know that there are plenty of drinks to order that aren't available on the standard menu. Keep reading below for exactly what to ask for in Starbucks to create a Nutella inspired coffee!

I couldn't wait to try out the new Oats & Nutella Cookie for myself and I was pleased to find just how generously sized the cookie is, and also how much Nutella filling there is inside! The outer oat cookie itself is absolutely delicious, it reminds me of a home baked cinnamon oat cookie, with a slightly soft and chewy texture. The inner Nutella filling is essentially a thick amount of chocolate hazelnut goodness within the cookie, and it adds an extra indulgence to the traditional oaty base. It's a winning combination especially when paired with a lovely hot drink too. 

The photo above is actually of the new Starbucks Triple Hot Chocolate, which I couldn't help trying out at the same time (especially as the Junior Grocery Gems members were with me). For myself, I ordered a stronger coffee, which I always prefer when I'm having a sweet treat too.

Next time I'll definitely be taking the instructions below to my nearest Starbucks and asking the barista to make a Nutella coffee!

How to create your very own Nutella coffee at Starbucks:

With 80,000 different flavours to personalise your Starbucks, why not try a Nutella coffee on your next visit? Simply pop into your nearest store and ask for the following:

·        Tall Cafe Misto (filter coffee with plenty of hot milk)

·        Add Mocha Syrup (1/2 pump tall)

·        Add Hazelnut Syrup (1/2 pump tall)

·        Add a few drops of caramel drizzle

·        Sit back and enjoy!

Let me know if you've enjoyed the new Starbucks Oats and Nutella Cookie or if you try out the Nutella inspired coffee above!

Grocery Gems Review: Starbucks Oats & Nutella Cookie

RATING: 9 out of 10.
Buy them again?: Yes.
Purchased: Starbucks.
Price: £1.89p (instore) or £1.59p (take away).

I received a voucher to try the Starbucks Oats & Nutella Cookie for an honest review.

New Starbucks Mocha Coconut Frappuccino (UK)

I was ridiculously excited when I heard about this new Mocha Coconut Frappuccino for Summer 2014. Not only is it coconut flavoured (already a winner with me!) but I don't think any of the major coffee shops can rival Starbucks for their Frappuccino blended ice drinks - they're just so good on a hot day. The Mocha Coconut Frappuccino is a blend of mocha sauce, coconut syrup and ice which is topped with cream (although mine is without), chocolate drizzle and coconut flakes. 

Here's the official photo with cream, as mine looks a bit flat! Even without the cream my Frappuccino was still generously topped with lots of toasted coconut and chocolate sauce. The flavour was absolutely delicious, with both the coconut and chocolate blending together to create a sweet coconut heaven. I had high hopes for this drink and it more than matched my expectations. In fact, since first trying the Mocha Coconut Frappuccino I have already been back twice more to get another refreshing coconut hit. This is quite something considering last year I probably had three Frappccinos in total during the whole summer. It's safe to say I'm now hooked! 

Grocery Gems Rating: 9 out of 10.

There are also a few new cakes and pastries for summer including this new Raspberry Croissant, which I can't resist just mentioning here. It's a croissant with a raspberry jam filling, decorated with icing and dried raspberries - and it's lovely too!