So Candy Girls is cheating a little this week by devouring some tasty treats from across the pond that aren't technically new. But what better time of year to revisit foreign favorites, especially if you're looking for fun and economical gifts for loved ones? We got these at the House of Commons English tea room, located at 15th and Platte. And though the candies we picked up were a little too close to their sell-by dates for optimal enjoyment, that wasn't enough to quell the awesomeness that is British chocolate bars. On our tasting menu: Flake and Curly Wurly bars.
Flake bar
A Flake bar may be as common as it gets over in the UK, but it's still a luxury for American palates deadened by Hershey's. According to Wikipedia, the bars came about after someone noticed that the chocolate excess from factory molds poured off in folded ribbons. The bar that resulted consisted of thin, flakey layers that crumbled in the mouth. We have fond memories of enjoying these stuck into ice cream cones over in England.
First reactions: Liz: It looks a little dried out. Aubrey: Looks like a Flake bar. I guess we've both had this before, so no big surprises. Maybe I should have picked something else. Liz: Whatever. Flakes are awesome.
Taste: Liz: Yes, it tastes a little stale, too. The expiration date is next month. Aubrey: But it's still good. Way better than Hershey's, even though it's just plain chocolate. Liz: Definitely. It's a texture thing, too. Aubrey: Oh, I have some Hershey's minis here--we can do a comparison. [tasting comparison ensues] Aubrey: Blech, I'm not even going to finish the Hershey's. Liz: You really taste the sour end note on it. Some people call that the "baby spit-up" flavor.
Conclusions: It's hard not to love the Flake in its simplicity.
Would we finish it? Yes. It is finished.
Would we buy again? Oh, yeah. And then we'd drive back to the store for more. Though we might keep an eye out for a more distant sell-by date.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Curly Wurly
Despite the fact that both of us wasted way too many calories sampling British chocolate during our time in England. neither of us had ever tried the Curly Wurly. The ingredients are simple: Cadbury milk chocolate and caramel, two of our very favorite things. The package is colorful and fun, though surprisingly thin and flat, so we were curious if one bar would satisfy our sweet tooth.
First reactions: Aubrey: Wow, I didn't expect it have such an unusual design. Liz: The chocolate swirl is cute, and clearly they aren't skimping on the caramel -- this sucker is hard to pull apart. Aubrey: Looks delicious.
Taste: Liz: It's really really chewy. Like, totally stuck on my teeth chewy. Aubrey: The chocolate melts quickly, and then I'm stuck with what tastes like caramel gum. Not that that's a bad thing... Liz: Your mouth certainly gets a work-out with this sucker.
Conclusions: If you like wimpier, watered-down (though easier to chew) caramel, try a Rolo. But the caramel in the Curly Wurly is the real thing, and worth the time and effort. This also means the small bar is plenty satisfying. Still, if you're craving a bigger Curly Wurly, we found this cool site that shows you how to make one.
Would we finish it? It's hard not to get addicted to the Curly Wurly. It's all gone.
Would we buy again? Definitely. We've also seen these at Cost Plus World Market, so we might make a trip there soon.
Rating: 4 out of 5
-- Liz and Aubrey
