Product Review- Easter Themed

Easter Treats

The shops have outdone themselves, there is such a beautiful array and selection of food, craft and floral/plant items to celebrate Easter.  I have succeeded in managing to visit each of the major supermarkets available in my area over the past month (Tesco, Asda, Lidl, Aldi and Morrison's- phew!).  Not purposefully, a couple of the times were on request of certain items by others.  I was disappointed and rather surprised to hear that M&S are not running a dine in roast.  Treated Mum to their deal for Mothers Day.  Family enjoyed it and as Dad is cooking, he was hoping to take advantage.  From what I have seen there are a number of offers running over the weekend on meat roasting joints.  It is very much the sweet tastes that arethe main focus at Easter time in terms of products available.  I have not seen but heard about a Hot Cross Bun flavoured beer being available, don't like the sound of that!

Morrisons Chili Hot Cross Bun

 

This flavour is clearly keen to emphasise the hot aspect of  the traditional Easter treat!  There are a multitude of hot cross buns to pick from, diverse in flavors and ingredients.  Out and about have spotted Apricot, White Chocolate & Raspberry (Asda), Belgian Chocolate ( M&S) and Apple & Cinnamon, Cranberry & Orange (Tesco).

Back to the chili offering from Morrisons.  Picked these up, hoping for a more savoury tasting bun.  The buns were generous in size, filled with raisins and currants, you could see the flecks of dried chilli running through.  The red flecks were clear to see and a nice detail.  These buns had a distinct hot cross bun flavour, due to the mixed peel and spicing.  The addition of the chilli was a pleasant one, it was not overwhelming but you knew it was there- an added warmth!  My only criticism was the pastry cross, it was a bit pasty and more like raw dough in texture.

Morrisons Easter breads 

Beautiful and delicious baked goods are available in all the Supermarkets, from chocolate nest cakes, beautifully decorate simnel cakes to lemon sponges.  The freshly baked in store breads above are found in Morrisons.  The flower shaped bread, is a chocolate orange one.  It comes wrapped in cellophane and on a silver cardboard tray.  It has a real orangey aroma, which does not overpower in terms of flavour.  This bread is delicious and packed full of giant chunks of chocolate.  They are a generous size and are equally delicious hot or cold.  When hot the chips melt deliciously.  The darker buns are double chocolate, depending on which you buy you will either get a ring of double or just one in the centre.  They are so flavoursome that they can be eaten plain, without a spread.  The alternative is lighter in colour, containing chocolate chunks (notice the difference in shades in the image).  It would make the ideal Easter morning breakfast, is lovely with a cup of tea and nicer than a hot cross bun (not everyone likes mixed peel!).  The breads are both sold at £2 each.  Nibbed sugar adds a pleasant crunch on both.  The second is smaller, a rich brioche bread.  This type of bread is of French origin and is sweet and enriched with butter.  There is a lovely sheen to it and it is really quite adorable.

Chocolate Alternatives

A thought for those with allergies or who simply don't like chocolate.  There is a great selection of alternative but still sweet treats out there,  Many shops sell their own shaped marshmallows, have seen some in Aldi, Morrisons and Tesco.  Often coming in white, pink and even yellow they are in such shapes as bunnys, chicks and  flowers.  Sweet and a lower in fat treat- a good one for any dieters out there.

Haribo

Popular sweet manufacturer Haribo, enjoy taking advantage of festive occasions and events.  Below are two of their Easter themed sweets, these come in an Easter egg shaped box.  Selling for £1 per box, when on offer in Morrisons and Asda.  They are existing sweets by the manufacturer. The only difference being shape, with the Pinballs and the extra eggs with in the Starmix.  In smaller bags than their standard and also individual bags there is a selection of Easter shaped and themed jellies.  You can get a soft jelly bunny mix, tangfast chicks (sour) and eggstras.  A large tub containing their Easter sweets is available, this is retailied especially for Easter "egg" hunts.

 

I reviewed some veggie sweets recently.  One of these Katejs Better Bunnys are found in Tesco.  These are very appropriate for the occassion and as they are one of the few jellies veggie friendly can give them my firm seal of approval (http://yourstarwillshine869.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/food-product-reviews_24.html)! 

Plastic egg shaped tubs of chunky jelly beans were another product spotted in Morrisons.  The fruity beans looked colourful and shiny in their pack, are egg shaped and on the outside speckled.  These looked really nice and thought they were quite a unique product.  Marks and Spencer are selling mini packs of pink and yellow chick and bunny foam sweets (just like pink shrimps).  These are single serve and selling for 2 for £1.  Well and truly sweeted out now!  Easter supermarket finds reviewed and not a chocolate Easter egg in site, fancy that! 

 

* Wanting some real eggs?  Aldi are selling half a dozen large free range eggs for 95p- on offer.  It is not often you see eggs being sold so cheaply.  Lidl have about 40p off their medium eggs, also free range and priced at 95p for half a dozen.  Great for the Easter baking and egg painting!