I first heard about the See’s Orange Cream lollypops last year when I saw Cybele’s review of them on candyblog.net from last year. I had made plans with my fiance to run to the nearest See’s store over the weekend to look for these lollypops, when I was thoughtfully sent samples during the week. They somehow read my mind! Thank you See’s!

You can find these Orange Cream lollypops in stores and online. They retail for $5.55, which isn’t a bad price as each package comes with 8 lollypops. They come in a compact little baggie that’s tucked into a decorative sleeve with the candy’s logo and information on it. It’s a nice cheerful orange color.

These lollypops are very similar to all the other lollypops that See’s makes. They’re large and square, and come on a sturdy stick with the the See’s logo printed on it. The orange foil wrapped on there pops are pretty. Once unwrapped the lollypops are a slight beige color.  The smell slightly sweet.

The flavor is certainly creamy, which is always nice in a lollypop. You can immediately taste the flavors of vanilla and orange in here, and I am reminded of a creamsicle. It’s a I was expecting the flavor to have more intensity, since orange and vanilla are such powerful flavors. It it still very flavorful, but it’s just not a hit in the face like the root beer and cinnamon lollypops were.

I really liked these lollypops. They’re a fun way to have the “creamsicle” flavor without having the cold ice cream part. I also find the flavor very appropriate for Easter, it’s light and reminds me of spring. Due to their substantial size, they’re treats that will last a good long time, so it’s easier to savor it. What could be better on Easter Sunday than savoring a nice treat?

Rating: Will Buy Again

Links See’s Candies Website

I have been seeing these bags of Ferrero eggs on the shelves in a lot of places this year. They come in a small bag like the Lindt Lindors but in a fun, pastel colored package. They are described on the front as “crispy eggs with a creamy hazelnut filling”. I like the “European” feel of these, they remind me of a Kinder Bueno, but in egg shaped form. I’m really drawn to that sort of thing, so I nabbed a bag for the blog.

The bag holds a lot of eggs. So I felt like I got a good deal for the price that I paid for them. The eggs are small, and I’m trying to think of a size comparison. They’re smaller than a golf ball, but bigger than the mini Cadbury creme eggs you see this time of year. I’d say they’re around the size of a kumquat? I think I’ll go with that.

Each egg is individually wrapped in foil, with a gold top and bottom with a colored band with the Ferrero logo on it. Unwrapping the egg, it has a beautiful medium brown color. It smells very sweet and milky. I get intense notes of cream and caramel in there. The aroma is just heavenly.

My first bite reveals that there’s a wafer shell just inside the chocolate covering, so you get this nice crisp when you break into it. The texture contrast is really nice. The hazelnut interior is creamy and delicious. It’s like Nutella on steroids. It’s intensely flavorful and nutty, with a great chocolate flavor. Overall with the chocolate shell and the wafer, this little egg packs a whollop in the flavor department.

They’re so flavorful and luxurious, I find that I can only eat one of these at a time. They’re heavenly with a cup of coffee in the morning. I can see these as being a nice little addition to Easter Brunch. I managed to try the other variant of these, the chocolate filled egg, thanks to a co-works candy generosity. It was good, but it wasn’t chocolately. I certainly think that the hazelnut is the better flavor of the two.

Rating: Will Eat Again

Links Ferrero Website

So exciting! We have a new Cadbury egg this year! Although, to be fair I do recall another chocolate cream Cadbury egg a few years ago. I’m thinking like in 2004, 2005, or 2006. So in candy terms, a looooooonnng time ago! Still, it’s exciting to see a new addition to the Cadbury line. As soon as I saw these Chocolate Creme eggs, I immediately swiped one up and knew it had to be one of the first candies I needed to review for Easter.

These Cadbury egg has a very low profile wrapper. It’s mostly a deep brown color with only a splash of yellow where the logo is. They’re the same size as the normal Cadbury cream eggs, so there isn’t much difference to report there.

The smell less sweet than the normal and caramel Cadbury cream eggs. There’s something muted about this one’s aroma. Unwrapping the egg you can see the familiar design of the chocolate eggs shell. Three rings around the outside and they “star” in the center. If this was left on the table unwrapped with other normal Cadbury eggs, I don’t think there would be a way to tell the difference.

My first bite in and the flavors are already very familiar. The chocolate shell is that standard Cadbury chocolate with the sharp tangy taste of dry milk powder and notes of caramel. The chocolate creme interior is dark in color, darker than the milk chocolate shell. It’s thick and shiny and looks a lot like frosting, except it’s much more soft. The flavor of it by itself is rather unimpressive. It’s very sweet, with only a slight cocoa flavor. I’m sorry to say that most of the chocolate flavor you taste in this egg is coming from the shell, not the filling.

So these were a disappointment to me. I was expecting a “bigger” chocolate flavor, but as I say that I wonder if anyone could handle such a thing. Since Cadbury creme eggs are known to be so sweet and overpowering on their own. Still, I was hoping the creme interior would have a little more of a say for itself, and instead it was relatively forgettable. I’d rather have Cadbury bring back the Orange Creme Egg. I liked that variant much more.

Rating: Might Eat Again

Links Cadbury Website

I found this bag of Pumpkin Cheesecake Kitkats when I was out doing some shopping in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. There’s a ton of adorable little shops down there, and it’s my “to-go” place for much of my holiday shopping. While there, I came across these Kitkats. I’ve had many a Pumpkin Kitkat in my time, and I’m always game for trying them. I’m such a sucker for pumpkin anything. Despite being somewhat pricey due to the fact they’re imported, I snatched these up and excitedly took them home.

The package on these is so adorable. Halloween is long and gone, but I still can appreciate the rich brown and orange color scheme and the adorable Jack ‘O Lanterns with their happy grins. The one with the heart shaped eyes is especially cute. Inside the main bag there’s a bunch of smaller, individually wrapped two finger bars. A nice serving size as it’s not to big, not too small.

The Kitkat smells sweet and slight cream cheesy. The color is an pale golden yellow.

The flavor is very sweet and cream cheesy at first. It’s very delicate as there’s more white chocolate in there to cut the tang of the cheese. You do get a hint of pumpkin, which, I am happy to report, is more like the plain squash part of pumpkin instead of pumpkin pie. I like the real flavor of pumpkin a lot, so I’m happy this isn’t dragged down with a lot of cinnamon and nutmeg. The result is this nice blend of the flavors described that does taste like a delicate, Japanese cheesecake. It’s awesome!

I am really smitten with these. They’re be a treat I’d buy regularly if it wasn’t for the limited availability and the import price. Still, I am going to enjoy the rest of my bag to the fullest. These are a terrific little afternoon pick me up, and they’re also diving with coffee. I recommend these highly to any fan of pumpkin. Mixed with Kitkat, it’s a match made in heaven!

Rating: Will Buy Again

Links Kitkat Website (Japanese)

Since I am conducting a test of the boxed chocolates you can get at your local store, today I am doing the small Russell Stover sampler. I am curious to see if differs from the Whitman’s Sampler at all, since they are made by the same manufacturer.

This box is a small same sized box as the Whitman’s sampler. This one has the design of a rose cluster on the cover. Again, beautiful and simple. No cute animals for me!

Opening the box, this one also has three pieces of chocolate. The shapes are different and they smell sweet with a hint of coconut.

The first piece, is a square covered with milk chocolate. The bite is dense, and inside it’s a smooth, thick, chewy caramel. The Whitman’s caramel was softer and less dense than this one. This one is robust and chewy, but also not sticky. The flavor is a nice mix of the sweet chocolate and the very buttery caramel. A nice combination.

The second piece s oblong and ark chocolate. It smells sweet with an accent of coffee. I take a bite and inside is a fluffy, rich, fudge center. Again I am reminded of the Whitman’s sampler, as these on takes oddly familiar even though this one is enrobed in a different chocolate. This one tastes like a chocolate chip chocolate ice cream. Sweet, creamy, with a nice dark chocolate flavor.

The third chocolate is cup shaped. very much like a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup mini. The top has a texture to it to suggest there’s something crispy in this one. It smells powerfully of coconut. Sure enough, my first bite reveals a delicious solid with chocolate filled with coconut flakes. It’s very flavorful, the texture has a nice play of chewy and smooth. Very delicious.

I also want to mention that these are a little nostalgic for me, as I recall my Mom buying these for my and my sisters when we were littler. So there’s my review of the two most common boxed chocolate varieties from your local drugstore. They’re both slightly different while remaining somewhat the same, which is a terrible conclusion since it’s somewhat confusing. My point is, you really can’t go wrong with either the Russell Stover or the Whitman’s sampler as they were both delicious. Besides, it’s Valentine’s Day, it’s the thought that counts!

Rating: Will Buy Again

Links Russell Stover Website