Tyrrell's Apple Crisps: Smashingly cinnamony

Product name: Tyrrell’s Apple Crisps: Smashingly cinnamony
Purchase details: £0.15 for a 30g bag (Home Bargains)
Calories: 152 per bag
Country of origin: UK 

I don’t usually have fruit or vegetable crisps – not because I don’t like them but because they’re not as widely available as potato ones and they tend to be more expensive. I just couldn’t say ‘no’ to this absolute bargain bag of Tyrrell’s Apple Crisps: Smashingly cinnamony, though – I love cinnamon and the promise that ‘the light dusting of this thoroughly cockle-warming spice’ gave ‘the apple slices a rather, jolly apple pie-ish quality’ was just too good to refuse.

I was rather taken with the red and white gingham background used for the bag’s design since it gave the product a picnic feel. I also liked the use of the black and white photo at the top of the packaging which made it look like the man was using the big red apple as a golf ball. As with the Proper Popcorn: Sticky toffee, the information on the back was presented in a fun way. Due to using whole apples for the ‘cinnamon seasoned apple crisps’, it warned of pips and stalks, and it also suggested another alternative five a day.

The ‘delicately cooked’ crisps were presented as thin, dried slices with a ruby red skin. Their natural nature meant they were all different shapes and sizes, and they looked very rustic with their visible flecks of cinnamon. I could totally understand the connection with apple pie from the scent alone since this was one of deep cinnamon, slightly overtaken by the tangy apple.

At first, I didn’t think the crisps tasted of much – they were almost papery. However, the apple’s tang came through at the end of the first mouthful and I also became aware of the lovely cinnamon seasoning. I then found that, the more I ate, the more the flavours developed, providing a really warming experience. Even better was the way that the dry texture gave a pastry feel which, again, was reminiscent of apple pie. The crisps also had a delicious sweetness. I was hoping this was all natural but sugar was listed as a separate ingredient on the pack and I also found that some of the crisps nearer the bottoms of the bag had visible granules. Oh well...it was still fruit!

Texturally, the crisps were far crispier than I ever could have imagined when considering how juicy apples are when they’re raw. They were extremely satisfying although, combined with their thin nature, some of them did have sharp edges. There was also a slight chewiness mixed in for good measure which I think may have been provided by the rind. 

I guess the only thing left to say is that these Tyrrell’s Apple Crisps were thoroughly enjoyable and I’ll definitely buy them again!

Appearance: 8/10
Aroma: 7.5/10
Taste: 8/10
Texture: 7.5/10
Overall score: 7.75/10

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