Frijj Supreme: Sticky toffee pudding

Product name: Frijj Supreme: Sticky toffee pudding
Purchase details: £1.00 for a 471ml bottle (tesco.com)
Calories: 405 per bottle
Country of origin: England  

I’ve reviewed both sticky toffee pudding products and milkshakes recently so I jumped at the chance to buy a sticky toffee pudding flavoured milkshake! This was from the Frijj Supreme range and I just loved the sophisticated black label that represented the line of ‘supremely thick’, ‘smooth’ and ‘indulgent’ shakes. The packaging did also maintain the cow-like splodges of the more standard Frijj milkshakes but, in this case, they were rich brown swirls that made me think more of chocolate than toffee.

This product was clearly going to feel a bit more special than the Fudge Brownie and Cookie Dough standard Frijj drinks I’ve previously reviewed since it contained 45% each of whole milk and skimmed milk – this was just over double the amount of whole milk and considerably less skimmed so it seemed like good news for the tastebuds but not the waistline! What hadn’t changed was the fact that the milk used was ‘fresh’, and the milkshake was also a source of calcium and vitamin B12, whilst containing no artificial flavours or colours.

The drink was beige in colour (well, ‘plain caramel, apparently!) and had a lovely, buttery caramel scent. The bottle described it as ‘temptingly delicious’ so, having chilled and shaken it, it was time to see for myself. 

The initial taste that hit me was a milky one but then a sweet toffee flavour did come through too. Exact flavourings were not included on the ingredients list but there were two types of sugar (normal and ‘caramelised’!) as well as buttermilk powder, so I imagine these had quite a big part to play in the ‘indulgent flavours’. 

What pleased me most about this Supreme: Sticky toffee pudding milkshake was the texture – it was definitely thicker than the other varieties I’ve tried and, since this has been something I’ve previously commented on, it was a welcome improvement. Furthermore, it maintained its vital smooth texture too. 

I’m not going to pretend this milkshake’s flavour was as deep as that of real sticky toffee pudding but it was delicious nevertheless and has become my favourite Frijj variety so far. 

Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 7.5/10
Taste: 8/10
Texture: 8.5/10
Overall score: 8/10

Tyrrell's Proper Popcorn: Sticky toffee pudding

Product name: Tyrrell’s Proper Popcorn: Sticky toffee pudding
Purchase details: £1.00 for a 75g bag (tesco.com)
Calories: 96 per 19g serving (378 per bag)
Country of origin: England 

I’ve never had popcorn made by Tyrrell’s Crisps Ltd before but, when I saw this Sticky toffee pudding flavour, I was intrigued. I wasn’t sure how it would differ from standard toffee popcorn, and I was sure it wouldn’t taste as good as Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding, but I just had to make sure!

This Proper Popcorn (not sure what fake popcorn is?!) was ‘perfectly popped in England’ and came in a large orange bag which featured a background of popcorn on its upper half, along with a vintage black and white photograph. I confess I initially found this particular photo unattractive but, having read the back of the bag, I warmed to it – it was part of a caption game where consumers can submit their own ideas to Tyrrell’s, whilst they also provided their own (‘At 26, Ellie was starting to get a little tired of the choo-choo game.’). Furthermore, it was exactly the kind of quality packaging I like, providing plenty of information without the brand taking itself too seriously. It even suggested an alternative five-a-day which included ‘a nice, strong cuppa’ amongst other things. The only downside was that I wasn’t convinced the bag needed to be quite so big for just 75g worth of product – it certainly felt like there was a lot of air inside although, I guess, this did provide protection for the popcorn.

The popcorn was made from ‘wonderfully golden corn’ and contained no artificial ingredients. As for the flavour variety, Tyrrell’s described it as ‘the lip-smacking brilliance of England’s best-loved pud, without the indignity of having to loosen your belt afterwards’ – winner! In addition, it promised to be ‘as tempting as the real thing’.

The popcorn was more beige in colour than flavours I’ve tried before and had a grainy kind of coating that almost looked like cinnamon. It smelt deliciously strong – a bit like vanilla mixed with toffee doughnuts. I particularly loved how this scent lingered long after the bag had been finished.

I was pleased to find that the flavour was slightly different to normal toffee popcorn. For a start, it was a bit more buttery, but it also had a darker sweetness to it that combined with a slight saltiness. On the whole, I didn’t find it tasted exactly like sticky toffee pudding but, when allowing a piece to sit on your tongue, it came a lot closer to achieving its aim.

One thing I missed with this variety of popcorn was the glossy, crispy, caramelised pieces. This was because the flavour came purely from the powdery coating but, on the plus-side, it did make the product feel healthier. This difference in coating also produced a softer and more papery texture compared to more standard popcorn flavours, but I found the slightly bitty texture contributed to the sticky toffee pudding experience by making me think of very fine cake crumbs, and there was still a crispiness present too.

There is no denying that this Proper Popcorn: Sticky toffee pudding was incredibly moreish and enjoyable. It tasted even more sweet and flavourful towards the bottom of the bag too – presumably because some of the powder had settled down there. What a lovely change. 

Appearance: 7.5/10
Aroma: 8/10
Taste: 7.5/10
Texture: 7/10
Overall score: 7.5/10

Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding

Product name: Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding
Purchase details: Cartmel Village Shop
Calories: Unsure – estimate 530 per 150g pudding
Country of origin: England

For the majority of my life, I liked sticky toffee pudding, but it didn’t excite me, and I certainly never classed it as a favourite. That was until a few years ago when I was introduced to the delights of Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding which originated 20 years ago in the small Cumbrian village of Cartmel. I can honestly say that this version is unlike any other sticky toffee pudding I have ever eaten and, as a result, I have refused to eat any other kind since!

Unfortunately, I hadn’t actually had this wonderful pudding for a year or so, by my parents kindly brought me back this 150g pudding after their latest visit to the Cartmel Village Shop, so I was really looking forward to tonight’s snack time. My excitement built further on reading the cardboard sleeve which recommended that the product is served when it is ‘warm, sticky, and the sauce is nice and dribbly’ – the memories this description invoked caused my mouth to water. I also noted that this packet contained one to two servings, but there was no way I sharing this with anyone!

On removing the foil container’s lid, I was hit with a strong, syrupy smell. Some of the smooth, runny toffee sauce had stuck to the lid so I couldn’t resist trying this cold. Its dark colour was reflected in its flavour which was a rich, buttery toffee that was like a nicer version of a Werther’s Original. This sauce was lovely and sugary with a very slight granular texture and, when looking at it en masse (covering the pudding), it was almost a chocolate shade of brown.

Although this pudding can be microwaved for 40 seconds, I decided to enjoy mine the ‘proper’ way, by cooking it in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes. One of the best things about this method is the fantastic butterscotch-scented heat that floods over you when you open the oven door.

When I retrieved my hot, bubbling pudding, I wasn’t quite sure how to remove it from its foil case without completely ruining its appearance. I decided to tip it upside down into a bowl, but then realised the error of my ways when the toffee sauce, which made up 37% of the product, was now almost completely underneath the sponge. Despite my picture showing what appears to be a lack of sauce, I can assure you that it was very much present, and it turned out to be a bonus having it at the bottom of the cake as it saved the best bit until last when it came to the taste experience.

One of the most surprising thing about this pudding, for me, is that the sponge contains a lot of dates (they make up 19% of the whole dessert and the packaging even warns of ‘cheeky’ stones that may have been missed in the production process)...I hate dates! However, I still struggle to believe that this is what I was eating since the flavour didn’t suggest this. There was a slight tang to the sponge which, I suppose, may have been caused by the dates, but the main flavour was that of the toffee sauce that had been absorbed by the sponge. The colour of the pudding was also largely affected by the sauce, with the innermost sections of the sponge being a slightly lighter shade where the sauce hadn’t seeped as deeply. Texturally, it was beautiful: hot, soft and moist.

It is, of course, the sauce that made this Cartmel Sticky Toffee Pudding what it was (it’s so good that it can be bought on its own!), and it also provided the main flavour which was a very rich and sweet, dark sugary one. It had caramelised, in places, which provided an additional twist on the flavour, as well as a slight chewiness to the texture.

I’m pleased to report that this pudding was as delicious as I remembered it and it was a real treat. I was eating this as part of my diet plan (I’m hoping MyFitnessPal's calorie estimate wasn’t too far out!), but if I hadn’t been, I would have gone the whole hog and added cream for an extremely indulgent treat. The addition of ice cream is also great when combined with the hot pudding, but personally, I find this takes away from the pudding’s amazing taste.

If you’re ever in or around Cartmel, I highly recommend you popping along to the shop to sample this original dessert, or some of their other local products. If not, you may be lucky enough to find one of these beauties in an independent supplier in other parts of the country, or you can buy online here. Enjoy!

Appearance: 7.5/10
Aroma: 9/10
Taste: 8.5/10
Texture: 8/10
Overall score: 8.25/10