Kandy Kritique

Kandy Kritique -- Russell Stover Dark Chocolate Raspberry Creme Santa

2011-12-25T00:04:00.002-05:00

This filled chocolate piece is wrapped in a Santa-motif wrapper, but out of its wrapper, the piece should be called Dark Chocolate Raspberry Creme Triangular Lump. If this thing looks like Santa, then I'm the Japanese emperor.
That said, however, this is a confection fit for an emperor. A delicate layer of robustly rich-tasting dark chocolate surrounds a satiny, sumptuous whipped raspberry "mousse" filling. The chocolate is not waxy and has a surprisingly smooth and creamy melt for dark chocolate, and the "mousse" would be perfectly at home in a pretty glass bowl at a fancy restaurant or enrobing a birthday cake, and has jamlike, fruity notes mixed with vanilla-creme notes. The whole yummy concoction melts in the mouth in a blissful symphony of chocolatey richness and a sweet spark of fruit-and-creme. A very craveable and satisfying candy. I could mow through a case of these things in the blink of an eyelash.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Toffifay

2010-12-27T17:48:00.004-05:00

Ah, here's a confection I remember from childhood. The Broadway-esque advertising jingle had a line that went, "It's too good for kids." Not only did I find that blatant bit of ageism an insult, I thought it was bulltoot as well. The tweenage girl I used to be tried one of these sweet miniature delights -- can we say, a party for the taste buds?
Sadly, these scrumptious little gems had disappeared -- or so I thought. All these years later I was in Walgreens and there they were, a box of Toffifay candies. I picked it up, purchased it, and tasted a piece, thinking maybe the yumminess I remember was just a figment of an immature palate.
Nope. If anything, Toffifay candies are yummier than EVER BEFORE. A dainty cup of soft caramel that lacks that annoying dental adherence factor (it doesn't stick to your teeth), filled with a crunchy yet tender and buttery roasted hazelnut surrounded by a soft, rich frostinglike chocolate-hazelnut paste, like the filling in a Ferrero Rocher but smoother, and then, topped by a drop of chocolate rather like a flat Kiss. The whole thing melts in the mouth in a burst of nutty, caramelized sweet richness that lingers on the tastebuds and left me with a craving for more.
This is a craveable confection that, despite the slogan, will put a smile on the faces of young and old and everyone in between. My mother liked them too and, fortunately for my willpower, finished off most of the box. Truly an underrated candy classic.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Russell Stover Fine Assorted Chocolates

2010-11-12T10:55:00.002-05:00

Here's FOUR pieces for me to review. Gotta love boxed/baggged assortments

CARAMEL
A milk chocolate patty filled with firm, stretchy caramel of almost a gummi or jelly-candy consistency. The chocolate is delicate without being weak, with a maple note to it, and the caramel has almost molasses notes to it. Smooth and decadently satisfying.
THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

COCONUT
Dark chocolate with coffee-like overtones is the perfect partner for a moist, fine-textured coconut paste that has almost the consistency of frosting and (no almost about it) the taste of the islands. Like a higher-end Mounds. Melts in the mouth (perhaps the perfect confection to savor while watching your favorite episode of "Gilligan's Island?")
THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

PECAN DELIGHT
A milk chocolate cluster with a softer caramel than in the plain caramel piece and pecan bits. Very tasty and satisfying, but the chocolate and the caramel kind of dominate the taste of the nuts, and I do like pecans. For that reason, I had to deduct a point from the rating, but still a good, solid, enjoyable confection.
THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED IST (INSANELY TASTY)

MINT PATTY
A glossy, button-like piece. The dark chocolate has almost a fruitiness to it, and the filling, zingy with fresh mint flavor, is almost liquid, unlike the solid "icing" inside a York Peppermint Patty. Think donut glaze sparked with the flavor of mint. Delectable! (I'm a madwoman for mint!) Thing is, there's not enough of it. The ratio of chocolate shell to filling is higher. More filling in the piece would have garnered it a D rating, but even though I shaved a point off for there being more chocolate than mint, it was still a delicious, refreshing piece of confectionery, so ....
THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED IST (INSANELY TASTY)

TRIPLE TREAT KANDY KRITIQUE

2010-11-11T14:46:00.004-05:00

Today, I have not one, but THREE candies to review

LITTLE DEBBIE NUTTY BARS
Okay, maybe these aren't technically a candy, more like a cookie or a snack, but for the purposes of this review, I will treat them as a wafer-based candy a la KitKat or Twix.

This confection consisted of two wafer sticks sandwiched with peanut butter filling and enrobed in "chocolatey coating."

The wafer is mild-tasting. The peanut-butter is rich and crumbly and nutty, a la the pb filling in a Reese's cup. The coating is a bit weak in chocolate flavor but with a smooth melt and pleasing mouthfeel. Enjoyable and satisfying, but had to take a point off the rating for the chocolate being a little weak.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED IST (INSANELY TASTY)

Q-BEL PEANUT-BUTTER WAFER BARS
One thinks of all-natural candies and imagines something that looks like a clod of earth and tastes like something you'd sweep off your floor. Well, this little delicacy (and I do mean delicacy!) blows that stereotype out of the universe! This is the Little Debbie Nutty Bar's classier cousin.

Two slim wafer sticks, with a delicate crunch. The chocolate (real milk chocolate! Not "chocolatey coating" or some such) is rich and bold-tasting, with an almost frostinglike consistency, and the peanut-butter filling is a bit creamier than the filling in the LD Nutty Bar. The flavors really sparkle, and this is a very craveable confection.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Q-BEL WAFER ROLLS
More yummy proof that "natural-foods" candy brands don't have to taste like dirt, these are crisp, cylindrical wafers, (a la Pirouline cookies), a bit sweeter than the wafer bars, filled with a satiny chocolate "frosting," sort of like the ganache filling in a truffle, dunked in a rich real-chocolate coating. What's not to love?
Again, the delicate crunch, the creamy chocolate richness. These are also very crave-worthy. Good thing I only bought one or it would be Pig-Out City, USA!

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Whoppers Malted Milk Balls

2010-11-06T03:08:00.002-04:00

A classic and one I remember enjoying when I was teensy. And these bite-sized delights hadn't changed since then.
They may use "compound" chocolate these days instead of the pure stuff, but it sure tasted like the real deal to me, and the malted-milk crisp in the center delivered a delicate crunch and that rich, rather mocha-like taste that is hard to describe but oh-so-easy to savor. These sweet spheres melt to a sweet, decadent mush in your mouth and disappear leaving you with a craving for more. In a world where new candy innovations are constantly being churned out, it's great to know that there's always a place for the classics.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Pretzel M&Ms

2010-06-22T00:39:00.003-04:00

These addictive little tidbits -- the newest addition to the M&Ms line -- have something for every craving -- salty, sweet, creamy, crunchy, all in little bite size spheres of yumminess. Bought them to review and was a major test of willpower for me to not polish off the whole bag in one go because . . .

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Manischewitz Milk Chocolate Swiss Mints

2010-03-29T23:56:00.003-04:00

Another Passover candy that passes the yumminess test with flying colors. These are thick chocolate drops consisting of a velvety, creamy chocolate-and-mint flavored "icing" mixture (heaven for this candy reviewer, who, like she said, loves her some "hardened-cake-frosting" type candies) encased in a smooth, rich chocolate shell also infused with mint flavoring. Truly a confectionary delicacy, this is a candy that can be enjoyed year-round, (regardless of which religious franchise you subscribe to) and MY favorite way to enjoy them was to cleave off the chocolate coating with my teeth and savor that first, and then let the sweet, smooth spark of mint and chocolate caress my tastebuds as I slowly sucked on the "icing" center and let it melt on my tongue.

I recommend them highly, and had to really restrain myself from polishing off the entire box in one go. My tastebuds are still glowing.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Ritter Sport Butter Biscuit

2009-12-10T22:36:00.002-05:00

Was in Walgreens with a friend of mine and, looking for delicious confections I have yet to try so I could review them for this blog, found an item that would fit the bill very nicely.
This was a block of dense, rich, buttery cookie base, like the cookie in a Twix but crisper and richer tasting, topped with a creamy, milk chocolate "frosting," and the whole unit of yumminess was surrounded by the most melt-in-the-mouth milk chocolate ever to hit these tastebuds. The "frosting" was gooey and satiny at the same time. This wasn't "candy" as we know it. This was a fancy dessert in a candy wrapper and it should be outlawed! I can become addicted to this bar, very easily. I posted earlier on this blog about how yummy Twix bars were. Hah! Twix is garbage compared to this gem of the candymaker's art.
You can see where this is going

THIS CANDY IS RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Werther's Original CaraMelts

2009-10-16T23:03:00.003-04:00

I have returned with a new candy review! The candy I am reviewing is a new item called Werther's Original CaraMelts.
This is NOT a caramel candy as you may know it. These are NOT the chewy cubes that your mom or granny or auntie may have made caramel apples with, nor are they the sweet goo you pour over sundaes, nor are they the stretchy, sweet sticky stuff used in tens of thousands of chocolate bars and chocolate pieces. Rather, they are flattish, tannish domes of a buttery white-chocolate-type confection with a creamy caramel/butterscotch/dulce-de-leche taste. Think semi-hardened dollops of dulce-de-leche flavored cake frosting. These little domed disks melt in the mouth in a rich, satiny fantasy of flavor, encasing the tastebuds in a wrapper of the most mind-blowing yumminess said tastebuds ever had the pleasure of knowing. It was a major effort not to finish my bag in one sweep!

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Rokeach Fruit Slices

2009-04-17T21:47:00.003-04:00

Kosher-for-Passover candy has a reputation for being not the tastiest varieties of confectionery, but I like much of it just fine.
The Rokeach Fruit Slices are a glowing example of what Passover non-chocolate candy should be.
Pretty, colorful, thick crescent wedges made to look like a wedge of citrus fruit, with a crusty, sugary "rind," a white icinglike layer next, and then a soft, tender jelly-pectin-candy layer, all sanded with sugar crystals.
These heavenly half-moons were as delicious as they were pretty. They just sparkled with a bright, fruity flavor, and the chew was firm yet tender, with a slight crunch to them from the sugar sanding, and they don't stick to the teeth. Yummy all year round, whatever denomination you are.

Oh, yes . . .
THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Russell Stover Coconut Cream Egg

2009-04-08T02:17:00.003-04:00

No plastic-tasting kiddie lunchbox snack, this (although any child would be all aglow to receive one of these little delights in an Easter basket). This is one of those candies that's really a fancy gourmet dessert in disguise. Rich, intense dark chocolate melts silkily to a satiny, fluffy center that's like a decadently ethereal whipped mousse shot through with tender coconut strands. A sweet delicacy of the highest order, these ovoids of yumminess are mindblowingly delectable and too bad that they're seasonal because...

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Cadbury Creme Egg

2009-03-12T14:07:00.003-04:00

A springtime classic confection -- but does it hold up to the hype? Only way to find out was to taste it.

The plump oval of milk chocolate was firm, with a rich, sweet taste and just enough bite to cut the creamy sugariness of the liquid "icing" center. The "icing" and the chocolate mingled well together, creating a sensation of satisfying richness in the mouth. The one thing that prevents me from giving the piece a D rating was that the chocolate was too solid and firm and didn't have much of a melt.

It was insanely tasty though, enough so that I will bestow upon it a rating of IST

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED IST (insanely tasty)

I HAVE RETURNED

2009-03-12T14:03:00.003-04:00

Life has been calling, and I had to answer. Plus, I may not be posting as often as I would like, due to the fact that I live in a small town without a local candy shop so there are relatively few good candies out there left for me to review. But I will post when I can

Kandy Kritique -- Hershey's Bliss with Mint Meltaway centers

2008-12-28T23:26:00.006-05:00

Here is a chocolate mint that's like a party for your mouth. Buttery rich chocolate outside, silky, creamy mint "icing" inside, and this is a soft mint, not an intense, toothpastey mint. The flavors partner delectably, making a combination that sets the tastebuds aglow, for everyday snacks or fancy parties, whether you're eight, eighteen, eighty, or 108. Very addictive, these squares of yumminess.

There's only one rating I can give these things

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique --Lindor Truffles Revisited

2008-11-19T05:02:00.003-05:00

Tried the limited-edition flavors of Lindor Truffles -- these are also not so much ordinary candies as they are confectionary delicacies.

The Extra-dark-chocolate peppermint is bittersweet, bold-tasting, slightly fruity on the outside, with a creamy, mint-sparked "frosting" center. The two distinct taste sensations complement each other beautifully, creating a rich and unique candy delight that will appeal to pint-sized sweets aficionados and grown-up gourmets alike. These make Peppermint Patties seem like junk, and that's saying a lot.

Th milk chocolate with smooth white filling features a silky milk-chocolate shell and a creamy, satiny, alnost buttercream-like white-chocolate "frosting" center. The flavors of the two chocolate types mingle together in a heavenly mix. These things are mmmmmmmm-MINDBLOWING.

You can se where this is going.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Dove Tiramisu Promises

2008-11-04T01:32:00.004-05:00

I never had tiramisu, so I don't know if these squarish foil-wrapped tidbits taste like real tiramisu. All I know is, these taste absolutely mind-blowing!
As soon as I unwrapped these plump little morsels, a deep, sweet, roasty chocolate-coffee scent caressed my nostrils. A rich, tantalizing scent. The funny thing is, I don't like actual coffee as a beverage, but I do like coffee-flavored items like ice cream or candy. These little gems had a creamy melt, a distinctive spark of coffee mingling with the chocolate richness, and a syrupy, caramel-esque center that tasted like the glaze on a gourmet pastry. Addictive little suckers, these are.

Now for the rating. What's a synonym for "addictive" or "absolutely mind-blowing"?

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Russel Stover International and American Collection

2008-10-07T11:42:00.004-04:00

Elegant chocolate squares, often mixing two chocolate types (milk and dark, milk and white) and a creamy filling for a rich taste sensation. Tried New York Cheesecake Ganache, Swiss Lodge Mocha Creme, and French Vanilla Creme. All had a creamy melt and a satiny satisfying richness. More filling in each piece would have earned these candies a D rating, but as it is, they merit a rating of IST

Kandy Kritique -- Starbuck's Truffles

2008-09-29T20:29:00.003-04:00

The coffee bigwigs extend beyond java and tap into one of the world's tastiest sources of caffeine -- and do it very well, I may add.

I sampled two flavors of these confections.

These are little domes, kind of like Old-Fashioned Cream Drops -- but so much more sophisticated and sumptuous.

VANILLA BEAN -- A buttery, satiny "frosting" center given a pleasant crunch from specks of vanilla bean. A dusting of cocoa powder adds a bittersweet spark, and silky dark chocolate finishes off the piece. Complex, flavorful, satisfying. Had to summon all my willpower not to finish off the whole bag at a sitting

CHAI -- Same smooth "frosting" center. No tea taste that I could discern. Mostly, I tasted the spices -- mmmm, vanilla and cinnamon. Intermingled with rich milk chocolate, a very addicting, indulgent confectionary delight. Again, all I could do not to demolish the whole bag at one sweep!

You know what's coming!

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Pez Revisited

2008-09-28T00:29:00.002-04:00

OK, it's official. Pez have now joined the ranks of my favorite non-chocolate-based candies. Having reviewed grape, lemon, and cherry previously, I decided to try three other flavors.

ORANGE -- A cross between a Creamsicle and F&F chewable vitamin C (and I love F&F chewable vitamin C and eat it as a candy!). Smooth fruity-creamy taste with a spark of citrus, the hardened cake frosting (HCF) thing going on, but nothing close to tart. Wicked tasty

STRAWBERRY -- Strawberries-n-cream taste, a bright little zing of fruit, the HCF effect, not the least bit tart. Also wicked tasty

RASPBERRY -- If I had to choose a favorite flavor of PEZ candy, this would be it. Fruit-n-creme taste, the HCF sensation going on, a bright, fresh spark of fruitiness and some delicate floral notes. Delectable and crave-worthy.

Yes, this assortment of PEZ flavors gets a D rating. Still trying to find the chocolate and cola to try.

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Lindor Dark, Extra Dark, and White Chocolate Truffles

2008-09-28T00:17:00.004-04:00

Hi! I have been away from the blog for a while -- life was calling, and I had to answer, but I have returned.

Having tasted Lindor Milk Chocolate truffles and bestowing on them a D rating, I had to taste the other varieties in the line. Here's how it went

WHITE -- Smooth, sweet, mild, melt-in-the-mouth, with a spark of vanilla. Talk about your cake frosting! This definitely tasted like cake frosting. Really yummy cake frosting. Truly delectable cake frosting. It was all I could do not to polish off the whole bag at one sitting.

DARK -- More intense than the milk, and the shell paired well with that smooth, sweet ganache/mousse center. Simply scrumptious.

EXTRA DARK -- The shell was intense with fruity notes and an almost bitter finish. The perfect foil for the sweet "frosting" center. Definitely crave-worthy.

I like them all equally for different reasons, and they all have earned a rating of D

THIS CANDY HAS BEEN RATED D (DIVINE)

Kandy Kritique -- Ferrero Rondnoir

2008-09-18T13:38:00.002-04:00

These little chocolate rounds look like a dark-chocolate version of Rocher -- but are a little different.
The wafer base is more pronounced rather than blending in like with the Rocher, and the Rocher's nut pieces are replaced with chocolate bits. There's still the same ganache filling, inside which is nested a bead of solid dark chocolate. It's like eating a gourmet pastry laden with fine chocolate. Scrumptious.

Oh, yeah, I'm rating this a D

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Pez

2008-09-17T06:15:00.005-04:00

I've decided to review a classic candy, albeit one I haven't had since I was about four. Pez. I remember getting a hold of some Pez candy as a kid and thought they were quite tasty. So, just for a lark, I decided to review them all these years later. I didn't bother with a dispenser, wanting to review them strictly on their merits as a candy. I tasted them straight from the pack.
I didn't expect much. After all, Pez is a compressed "tablet" candy. Such sweets aren't decadent or gooey or rich. I always thought that Pez was a children's toy candy and the main enjoyment was the novelty dispenser, and the confection itself would probably taste like dust to my now-adult taste buds.
Was I wrong!
When I placed one of the tiny, pretty, colorful bricks of flavored sweetness in my mouth, the piece melted into a sweet, fruity, slightly creamy-tasting flavor fantasy. Think hardened, fruit-flavored cake frosting. That's Pez.
For me, the appeal of Pez is that they're smoother than many other compressed candies. They're not grainy. Another thing that sets Pez apart from other candies of its type is that they're not sour or tart at all. They're all about the sweet (There are sour Pez available, but I don't see the point, what with other sour compressed candies out there, such as SweeTarts and Spree) and they are very addicting.
I've tried the Cherry, Lemon and Grape and I like them all equally. Now I would like to try orange, strawberry, cola, and chocolate.
I give them a rating I reserve usually for far more decadent candy items. These sweet little gems so richly deserve it.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kommentary -- Gross-out Goodies and Creepy Confections

2008-09-11T03:48:00.013-04:00

I have nothing new to review right now, just leftovers of candies I have previously reviewed, so I thought I'd make some "sweet" remarks about candy.
I have noticed a new trend in the confectionary world -- disgusting candy. Not candy that tastes disgusting, but treats themed around disgusting subject matter such as blood, guts, vermin, refuse, dismemberment, disease, and bodily filth.
Here are some gross-out goodies from Stupid.com
Chocolate in the shape of a doggie deposit. http://www.stupid.com/fun/DOOD.html
Gummy candy in the shape of a heart -- an ANATOMICAL heart, not a Valentine-type romance heart. Not pretty. http://www.stupid.com/fun/GMHR.html
Gummy candy in the shape of a tapeworm. http://www.stupid.com/fun/GMTW.html.
A lollipop shaped like a toilet plunger that you dip into a toilet-shaped container of sour crystals. http://www.stupid.com/fun/FLSH.html.

Oriental Trading has its own complement of creepy confections. Like toy IV bags filled with red liquid candy to simulate blood. http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=25/3517&prodCatId=380403&mode=Browsing&erec=0&Ipp=16&No=16&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=380403&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Candy+Blood+Bags

A green cotton candy intended to look like toe jam.
http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=25/5474&prodCatId=380403&mode=Browsing&erec=9&Ipp=16&No=0&sp=true&Ntk=all&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&N=380403&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&sd=Toe+Jam+Cotton+Candy+Treat+Packs

gummy severed fingers

http://www.orientaltrading.com/ui/browse/processRequest.do?demandPrefix=12&sku=25/3975&mode=Searching&erec=0&D=flesh&Ntt=flesh&Ntk=all&Dx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&Ntx=mode%2bmatchallpartial&y=17&N=0&requestURI=processProductsCatalog&x=10&sd=Gummy+Flesh+Fries

And here's the king and queen of gross-out candy, http://candyaddict.com/blog/2006/07/20/candy-scabs/

I know it's all in fun, but such gruesome "delights" didn't exist when I was a child and I kind of have to know what has happened in recent years that today's children find fun in eating something that is intended to represent dirt, sickness, vermin, or bodily wastes. In my childhood, candy was pretty -- or at least yummy-looking.
As far as Halloween candy, whatever happened to those yummy sweets consisting of plump, brightly-colored pumpkins and bronze autumn leaves molded from candy-corn-type "mellocreme" confection? (Those get a D rating from me) And the Molasses Peanut Butter Kisses? Bite-sized chewy sweet delicacies with a peanut-butter filling. The salty spark of that filling partners deliciously with the sweet of the molasses candy, making a combo I would rate D, because they DO taste divine (though others may disagree). Oh, I know such delights are still around, but when placed on the same store shelf as something like gummy vomit or candy scabs or lollipops in the shape of plungers, things like mellocreme pumpkins and Peanut Butter Molasses Kisses aren't going to be the biggest seller in the times we're living in, and that's kind of a shame.

Kandy Kritique -- Lindt Lindor Milk Chocolate Truffles

2008-09-06T03:35:00.005-04:00

Some candies are fun. Others are sophisticated. Still others are both. Lindor Milk Truffles are both. Like Andes mints and Ferrero Rochers, these little delights can be a hit with everyone, be they suave sophisticate or candy-crazed kindergartener.
Inside the shiny red wrappers that remind one of Christmas tree ornaments are plump chocolate spheres. One nibble reveals a contrast of delectable flavor sensations as the intensely flavorful chocolate shell gives way to a delicate, creamy, buttery, almost pudding-like ganache center, and the whole thing melts on the tongue smooth as satin.
These look like a candy for adults, and yes, I can see a classy, urbane host or hostess putting these confectionary gems out in a fancy bowl for guests, but I can also imagine that any costumed pint-sized princess or small-fry superhero would be as happy as a pig in a mudhole -- or as Charlie in Willy Wonka's factory -- to receive these sweet, bite-sized delicacies in their plastic jack o' lantern on Halloween. A great all-round candy, and you know what comes next.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Nips

2008-09-06T03:29:00.003-04:00

These are hard caramels, not as brittle as traditional hard candies. As you suck the round tidbit of yumminess, it releases waves of buttery, sweet rich caramel (or coffee) flavor, and the Chocolate Parfait variety releases a creamy burst of chocolate "icing."
The thing with these candies is, you LET THEM DISSOLVE IN YOUR MOUTH rather than chew or crunch them. If you do chew or crunch, they have a Krazy-Glue type effect on your teeth. I had to take a point off their rating for that.
Still, a confectionary delight.

This candy has been rated IST (Insanely Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Andes Creme DeMenthe Thins

2008-09-06T03:19:00.002-04:00

These are cute candies -- small, delicate wafers, somewhere between a fun-size bar and a tasting square, in a pretty green wrapper.
Out of the wrapper, the confections are elegant-loooking candy sandwiches of dark chocolate with a mint flavored, green tinted layer of white chocolate/white confection between. Looks pretty. But how do they taste?
They taste like they look -- delicious, scrumptious, and utterly delectable, melting on the tongue in a cloud of soft, creamy, buttery richness with a refreshing spark of mint. A classic. And one that rates a solid D.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Scharffen Berger Assorted Tasting Squares

2008-09-04T15:48:00.005-04:00

I was curious as to whether "artisan" candy tasted any different from the stuff the Big Guys turn out, so I bought an assortment pack of Scharffen Berger fine artisan chocolate tasting squares.

There is a difference. This is pure chocolate, not "confection" or "compound," made with cocoa butter, and no artificial flavors to get in the way of that rich real chocolate taste.

BITTERSWEET-- A firm snap, a smooth melt, and a bold, intense flavor that may be too bitter for some, but I liked it. A lot.

SEMI-SWEET -- Firm snap, smooth melt, sweeter than the bittersweet. A high-end version of semi-sweet chocolate baking chips. Just scrumptious.

MILK -- I may like this one best of all. Soft, buttery, very soft snap, a creamy silky melt, and a rich taste. Should be outlawed!

I rate the SB squares a D, but the milk ones get a DD rating, for Doubly Divine.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

2008-09-01T19:19:00.004-04:00

This is a classic. And with good reason. The chocolate is creamy and satiny, no trace of waxiness, and partners very well with the crumbly, grainy, delicious peanut butter filling. The commercial slogan was "two great tastes that taste great together," and whatever Madison Avenue creative type penned that slogan was right on target. And when Harry B. Reese, the Hershey's employee who invented this confectionary delight, first came up with the recipe for this round, fluted piece of yumminess, HE was right on target.
There's no doubt but I'm rating PBCs a solid D!

(This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Rudy's Orange Slices

2008-09-01T19:11:00.003-04:00

These candies are pretty to look at. Plump, bright orange-colored wedges resembling stylized citrus fruit segments. The wedges sparkle with a sanding of sugar crystals.
As for the Flavor Factor? These candies are as yummy as they are pretty. Soft, tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth, and the sugar grains add a nice crunchy contrast. These are strictly sweet candies, with no tart citrus zing whatsoever, more like sweet orange marmalade than like a fresh orange section. Lack of that fruity spark is what keeps me from rating these confections D, but they are great-tasting, by and large, and I think they deserve a rating of IST.

This candy has been rated IST (Insanely Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Sun-Maid Milk Chocolate Raisins

2008-08-31T04:25:00.002-04:00

I know I already reviewed Raisinets, and these are similar, but not all chocolate-dipped raisins are created equal.
In the Sun-Maid candies, the fruitiness of the raisins dominates the chocolate a little, and the chocolate, while not as waxy as Raisinets, is a bit bland.
Still, very yummy indeed and garners a rating of QT

This candy has been rated QT (Quite Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Three Musketeers Mint

2008-08-29T22:40:00.003-04:00

These little goodies are reminiscent of the fancy confections you might get in a Valentine's assortment -- but umpteen times better!
Unlike the original 3 musketeers, the mint is two small bars in one wrapper, which is supposed to be a serving, but it is more conducive to sharing than the one-large-bar format.
The dark chocolate is satiny, not waxy, with a creamy melt and no bitter notes, and is quite yummy, but it's the filling that's the standout here.
The filling is a cross between a frosting and a dessert mousse, fluffy yet rich, melting to a delicious creaminess on the tongue, with just the right spark of mint, and it is the perfect partner to the chocolate. This is an addictively craveable candy that surpasses even the Peppermint Patty.
I think you can guess where I'm going here in rating this jewel of the confectioner's art.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Twix

2008-08-28T06:11:00.003-04:00

Oh, yes, another classic. This confection is a strip of multilayered yumminess. A thick, crisp, delicately flavored butter cookie base surmounted by a sheet of soft yet stretchy caramel blanketed in a smooth rich coat of milk chocolate.
The cookie is buttery and rich tasting, the caramel is mellow and milky, and the chocolate melts in the mouth without a hint of waxiness. There's a reason this bar is a classic.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Kit Kat White

2008-08-27T23:29:00.003-04:00

Some candyfans like milk chocolate best, others favor dark, others prefer white. I enjoy all three equally, but white chocolate reminds me of being a young teen in the early 80s and buying -- and savoring -- chunks of white chocolate from the candy kiosk in my local mall.
And I always loved thin wafer cookies. They remind me of early childhood. So why would I not love a candy that combines those delectable elements and the memories they impart?
Unfortunately, the coating on a Kit Kat White is a "white confection" or "white fudge," rather than the true white ("ivoire") chocolate of my teenhood, since it contains no cocoa butter, substituting other plant-based fats. BUT, it's very buttery and melty and has an almost frosting-in-a-can quality to it, which I love, and the wafer is crisp and delicate, with a mild, nutty taste. The "frosting" gets top billing, but the wafer base does prevent the bar from being too sickeningly, throat-searingly, tooth-tingling sweet.
This is a very satisfying piece, and as far as mass-market candy goes, it's absolutely delectable. I have no other option but to give it my UMPTEENTH D-rating.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Ferrara Pan Milk Chocolate Almonds

2008-08-26T20:27:00.003-04:00

Think of these candies as a classied-up version of Goobers.
Instead of a peanut, there is a crisp, toasty whole almond blanketed in a thick jacket of sweet, creamy milk chocolate. This chocolate cleaves off easily between the teeth, is rich-tasting with subtle coconut and vanilla notes, and it melts in the mouth and is not "waxy" like the chocolate coatings of similar candies.
An enjoyable, addictive, craveable confection that rates a solid D.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Rudy's Chocolate-Filled Mints

2008-08-26T00:57:00.006-04:00

I love mint, and I love gooey, rich frosting-esque candies, so I thought these seemed interesting. Here is how they checked out.
The shell is sweet with a cool minty spark, but the filling -- what there is of it -- is solid, not gooey, and not frostinglike in the least.
These were pretty good, but certainly nothing that would rate a D. I still liked them, but they weren't a standout in the candy world. A richer, more frosting-type filling, however, would bump up their ratings. As it is, they rate a T.

This candy has been rated T (Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Baskin Robbins soft candy

2008-08-26T00:48:00.003-04:00

I remember when I was a tiny little youngster, there used to be a chewing gum flavored like ice cream. I was entranced with this sweet, offbeat delight and used to wish actual candy was flavored in this manner. Now, the time has come.
These individually wrapped morsels deliver ice-cream taste without the "melt" factor. Very yummy indeed.
VERY BERRY STRAWBERRY -- A strawberries and cream taste, mellow and rich with a zing of fruitiness
MINT CHOCOLATE CHIP -- A wave of chocolate accented with a fresh spark of mint.
These are rich-tasting, satisfying candies, but there is a slight graininess to the chew that prevents them from warranting a rating of D or IST. They are quite tasty though, so, they rate a QT

This candy has been rated QT (Quite Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Dots

2008-08-26T00:34:00.002-04:00

Another classic, these are pretty candies. Translucent colored domes, like gumdrops minus the sugar sanding.
They're yummy too. Soft, chewy, and flavorful.
ORANGE -- Zesty, not tart.
LEMON -- Tangy, zingy
LIME -- Pungent, zippy, does not remind me of cleanser, as many people state with lime flavored candies.
CHERRY -- Flavorful and intense. A fave of mine.
STRAWBERRY -- Fruity and a bit floral. This and cherry tie for my faves

There is a lack of dimensionality in the texture and taste that a sanding of sugar crystals would have provided. This precludes a rating of D or even IST, but they are tasty enough to earn a rating of QT

This candy has been rated QT (quite tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Werther's Original Caramels

2008-08-25T03:06:00.003-04:00

Part of the enjoyment factor for these candies is the fact that they are chewy like gum but can be swallowed and don't lose their taste -- and what a taste it is.
These sticky little candy cubes boast a rich, mellow flavor with milky, buttery and burnt-sugar notes.
They lacked a little spark of salt to balance out all that sweetness, which is what keeps them from being rated a D, but they certainly are yummy and rate an IST.

This candy has been rated IST (Insanely Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Dillon's Pecan Divinity

2008-08-23T09:13:00.005-04:00

This is a candy of my childhood fantasies. Since I was a little girl, I always loved sweet gooey, fluffy frosting on cakes, and usually only ate cake because it was a socially acceptable way of consuming frosting. Now, imagine a candy that's a brick of slightly solidified cake frosting. Add some pecan pieces, and you have Dillon's Pecan Divinity, which lives up to its name. It is absolutely divine, Deliciously, delectably, decadently divine.
Bite into the soft, cream-colored square of supreme tastiness, and the whole frosting experience hits your mouth. The sweetness, the creaminess, the whole melt-in-your-mouth factor going on. It's frosting-in-a-can without the can.
The sweetness is tempered by the mellow, roasty taste and pleasing crunchy snap of the nut bits, which add maple notes to this piece. This is a craveable candy. I have seen it in individual squares, but this time, it only came in three-serving "rolls" or "bars." That's really going to test the ol' willpower. This candy is so yummy it should be outlawed.
I guess you can now figure out the ratings for this confection. This would be the first non-chocolate candy on this blog to get such a rating.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Doublemint Twins Mints

2008-08-23T08:50:00.004-04:00

You may have noticed that every candy I have reviewed here so far has been a chocolate-based one. Well, I am about to change all that. Candy is about more than chocolate, and so is this blog. So, okay, here goes. My first review of a non-chocolate candy item. Doublemint Twins Mints.
Now, you may be saying, Mints? Mints, Sparkina? Oh, for crying in Manhattan! Chocolate mints are candy, but plain mints are what you take when you had onions for lunch.
Well, these sweet, fresh-tasting pellets (Wintercreme flavor) certainly tasted like candy to this candy blogger. Smooth and sweet, with vanilla notes, kind of like cream soda. Then, the almost toothpaste-like minty spark wakes up the taste buds, then the candy pellet crumbles to a sugary, minty powder between the teeth and dissolves on the tongue.
Not a gourmet mint, but a pleasant way to keep your taste buds occupied.
I rate these a T. They're certainly tasty.

This candy has been rated T (Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Milk Duds

2008-08-23T08:44:00.003-04:00

Another classic, these are little chocolate-enrobed caramel pellets with a BIG taste. The chocolate has a nice snap and a creamy melt, and the caramel is soft and buttery with a good salty spark to it.
I have no other option but to make this the umpteenth D-rated candy on this blog.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Raisinets

2008-08-20T00:15:00.003-04:00

Another classic. In theory, grapes (which is what a raisin is a dried version of) and chocolate ought not to mix -- but mix they do, and very well, in these bite-size morsels which are a staple at the concession stands of movie parlors across the nation.
The slightly tart fruity spark of the raisin is a perfect foil for the sweet richness of the chocolate, making for a complex and thoroughly enjoyable flavor blend. The chocolate is a bit waxy, though, without much "melt," and that is the only thing that prevents me from rating it a D.
It does, however, garner a rating of IST, because these little pellets of yumminess ARE insanely tasty.

This candy has been rated IST (Insanely tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- York Peppermint Pattie

2008-08-18T21:06:00.004-04:00

A classic candy is classic for a reason, as this delectable disk illustrates. The York Peppermint Pattie is all the sweet, fun, yummy tastes you loved as a child wrapped into one dreamy confection. Think chocolate. Think candy canes at holiday time. Think frosting in a can, eaten straight up, off a spoon, no pesky cake getting in the way. Now, think of all three of these flavor phenomena rolled up into one scrumptious mix. That is the York Peppermint Pattie. The inside is a stiff, thick "icing" sparked with mint to keep it from being cloyingly sweet, and the outside is a smooth, rich jacket of dark chocolate that has just the right amount of snap between the teeth and then melts in the mouth and mingles with the "icing" to become an amazingly delicious paste of yumminess. This is a truly CRAVEABLE candy and it rates -- you guessed it. I especially like them frozen.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Skittles Chocolate Mix

2008-08-17T23:29:00.004-04:00

Always wanting to try new flavors in candy, I picked this one up, lured by tantalizing flavor names such as S'mores and Chocolate Pudding and Brownie Batter. Sounds scrumptious, right?
Well, even in the world of candy, things aren't always what they seem. The yummy-sounding names were only names. Each candy -- or should I say, each flavorless little tablet --tasted like -- NOTHING. Lightly sweetened nothing. I finished the bag thinking maybe they'd improve. Nope. They still tasted like nothing mixed with a few grains of sugar. It was like eating sweetened wax. Where was Quality Control when these insipid little circles were being produced?
This pathetic excuse for a candy earns the first NFC rating since I started this blog.

This candy has been rated NFC (Not Fit for Consumption)

Kandy Kritique -- Ferrero Rocher

2008-08-17T23:13:00.005-04:00

This is a candy with universal appeal. It's an elegant treat that a classy sophisticated adult would put out in a candy bowl when having company, an indulgent delight that a romantic soul would give his or her sweetheart, and an enjoyable confection a loving parent would present to his or her young child. It's a candy that can appeal to everyone.
The secret of the Rocher is the many strata of yumminess it possesses. A layer of crunchy, subtle hazelnuts, then a layer of rich, smooth milk chocolate, then a crisp, airy, pastry-like wafer, and then, finally, a silky chocolate paste delicately tinged with hazelnut. This is a candy that's equally at home at a swanky soiree or a kiddie birthday bash. Yep, it's a D-rating (my third since I started this blog)

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Reese's Pieces

2008-08-16T11:19:00.003-04:00

Oh, yes. A candy classic, around since I was a young teen. The Pieces were made a classic in part by their role in the movie E.T., and in part by sheer yumminess.
Often put down as M&M's imitators, these glossy, colorful little disks are in a whole other class by themselves. As the crisp shell gives way to the satiny-smooth peanut butter creme center, there is an enjoyable interplay of texture and taste sensations on the tongue, causing the tastebuds to have a PAR-TAY! Seriously. These are awesome. I thought they were awesome when I was a young teen, and I think they're awesome now.

I rate these a solid D.

This candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kritique -- Reese's Whipps

2008-08-15T14:37:00.003-04:00

In the novel "Feed," by M.T. Anderson, which is set in a near future in which everyone has an Internet linkage implanted in their brains from birth, there's a scene where the main character snacks on chocolate mousse from a tube. Sounds interesting, doesn't it? Well, for the time being, dessert mousses in a tube are only fantasy, but the Reese's Whipps bar, which is very real -- and very yummy -- is a close approximation of the mousse-in-a-tube experience.
The peanut-butter nougat is like a solid block of peanut-butter mousse -- fluffy, sweet, and delectable! The peanut butter lends richness to the airy "mousse," and there's a slight spark of salt that balances the sweetness very nicely.
The chocolate is a little waxy and slightly bland, not really adding much to this bar, not a lot of interplay between the chocolate and the peanut butter "mousse." It's like the bar is all about the peanut-butter taste and the chocolate is just there as a carrying case for the filling. That is the one thing that keeps me from rating it D.
As it is, though, this confection is worthy of a rating of IST.

This candy has been rated IST (Insanely Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Taste of Nature Original Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Bites

2008-08-14T21:24:00.007-04:00

I saw these candies at a variety store and I thought they sounded interesting. Cookie dough dipped in chocolate -- what a delicious-sounding concept. But, of course, you can't eat a concept, so how did the actual candies taste? Only one way to find out.
I opened the box, and in it were several small, glossy brown pellets on the order of Raisinets. But instead of raisins, these were filled with a sugary mixture intended to approximate unbaked cookie mix, but without the dangerous raw eggs present in the real deal. I popped one of the tidbits into my mouth and chewed as slowly as possible.
The "dough" was grainy -- but in a good way. And it really did taste like unbaked cookie dough, except lighter on the vanilla. The chocolate was a bit intense, almost bitter, and that played off the sweet dough very nicely, adding complexity, making a very tasty contrast.
Now, Godiva or Ferrero, these are not, and the chocolate was a bit waxy, not as creamy and "melty" as I would have liked, and that prevented my rating these candies D, and the weakness of the vanilla flavor prevented me from rating them IST, but still, they are rather yummy.

This candy has been rated QT (Quite Tasty)

Kandy Kritique -- Hershey's Marshmallow Creme Kisses

2008-08-14T01:38:00.003-04:00

OK, here goes. My first candy review on this blog.
A friend told me of the existence of these little beauties in Walgreens. So when I went to the Big W, I decided to try them for myself, and my taste buds were disco dancing!
These are filled Kisses, and the inside isn't really marshmallow, but a delectable soft "frosting" with a mellow toasted-marshmallow taste. The chocolate around the "frosting" is soft, buttery, satiny, and gives literal meaning to the phrase "melt in your mouth." This M-I-Y-M chocolate shell, mingled with the "frosting," makes the most heavenly candy combo your taste buds will ever have the pleasure of knowing, and due to the soft richness of these little delights, the best way to enjoy them is to "smoosh" the piece in your mouth, rather than chewing it.
I only have two peeves about these kisses. One, they're limited edition, and I think a candy this delicious should be a permanent addition to the line. Two, they don't come in individual servings, just the standard bags, and having a bag of these bite-sized confectionary masterpieces in my house is a real test of my willpower.
As far as ratings, it's a done deal. I have no choice.

This Candy has been rated D (Divine)

Kandy Kommentary -- A Sweet Start

2008-08-14T00:55:00.009-04:00

Hi. Sparkina here. Obviously, that's not my legal name, but a nickname, because I like all things sweet and sparkly, and I decided to do a blog about something that just sparkles with sweetness.
This is a blog about just about everyone's favorite food -- CANDY!
Yes, ordinary food -- nutritious food, such as vegetables, fruits, dairy foods, starch, protein -- can be quite tasty. All right, it can be very tasty. Insanely tasty, even. But let's face it. candy has an-- I don't know, an appeal about it, a charm about it, a charisma, let's say -- that "food" food -- you know, the stuff with all the nutrients -- just doesn't have and never will.
Candy can evoke feelings and emotions and memories in people -- young, old, and everywhere in between -- in a way that Just Plain Food simply cannot. A Clark Bar or a Hershey's Kiss can make just about any Tom, Dick, or Carlos feel like a Tommy, Dickie, or Carlito again in a way that one just cannot get from something, like, say, a bean taco.
Here's how this thing works. The name of this blog is Kandy Kritique -- cutesy spelling and all. So, if you guessed that this blog is devoted to candy reviews, you win a gold star --no, wait, let's make that a Brach's chocolate star.
I know lots of people have candy review blogs, but I'm going to do something that no other candy blogger that I know of does. Instead of a scale of one to ten or a simple description, I am going to rate the candies I review in a similar manner as movies are rated (This is gonna be SO FUN!)
Here are the ratings, with a simple explanation, from lowest to highest.

NFC -- Not Fit for Consumption. The lowest rating a candy can get and still be called a candy -- or even a food product. The bottom of the barrel. Eating laundry lint would be more of a treat.
NFC-10 -- Not Fit For Consumption by Those Over Age 10 -- May be delicious if you're five years old and don't know any better, but would taste like dirt to anyone with even slightly mature taste buds.
ENO -- Edible but not outstanding. OK, so maybe it DOES taste better than laundry lint, but not the food of the gods by a long shot.
The next ratings are pretty self-explanatory:
T -- Tasty.
QT -- Quite tasty.
IST -- Insanely Tasty
And last but not least:
Wait for it. Wait for it.
D -- Divine. D is the highest rating I can give a candy. A D-rated confection is more than a candy. It is a sweet delicacy. A gem of the sweetmaker's art. A gourmet delight in the confectionary world. A sweet, tasty party for the mouth. A D-rated candy is one that sets one's tastebuds absolutely aglow and makes one's eyes sparkle like -- well, like sugar crystals!

And there you have it, all in a nutshell. Or perhaps a crispy, sweet candy shell, a la M&Ms.

Let the Kandy Kritiquing begin!