Fox's Melts: Mississippi mud pie

Product name: Fox’s Melts: Mississippi mud pie
Purchase details: £1.59 for a 120g pack (Tesco)
Calories: 83 per biscuit
Country of origin: UK

Well this is the last of my Vinnie’s Taste of America reviews! It was the only variety I purchased that wasn’t on offer but, due to it being a limited edition, I didn’t want to risk missing out altogether.

Once again, these Fox’s Melts: Mississippi mud pie came packaging featured the American flag and an image of our panda friend. There was also a photograph of one of the bumpy ‘chocolate Viennese biscuits sandwiched with a chocolate cream’. The reverse of the pack warned that this wasn’t actual size but, on opening, I begged to differ!

Both the biscuit and cream aspects of the product came in pretty much the same shade of brown which resulted in a lovely, chocolatey appearance. I also enjoyed the scent which was like a mild chocolate cake batter – yummy.

The biscuits had a really buttery shortbread flavour (butter did actually contribute to 4% of the finished product) with an added chocolate element that hit the back of the mouth. The cream was actually creamier than I expected it to be, and the overall 2% dark chocolate content produced a good general chocolate experience.

The biscuits also had a nice dull crunch which, when dipped in tea, softened a little. I found this method of consumption added a little surprise too – just when I thought the flavour experience had ended, a juicy chocolate sensation suddenly burst out from the cream.

I really enjoyed this take on a chocolate biscuit – the buttery aspect made it something different to your standard Bourbon.

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

Müller Corner: De luxe (Mississippi mud pie)

Product name: Müller Corner: De luxe (Mississippi mud pie)
Purchase details: £1.00 for a pack of two 130g yoghurts (tesco.com)
Calories: 251 per yoghurt
Country of origin: UK

Following my enjoyment of the Müller Corner: De luxe (crème praline), I couldn’t resist trying this new Mississippi mud pie version.

 

My first ever review was of Mr Kipling Dessert Classics: Mississippi mud pies but Müller’s take on the pudding was somewhat different since it added both coffee and toffee. I still haven’t had the real thing, though!

These yoghurts came in the same style of elegant packaging as the crème praline variety, and was represented by a purple tinge, as well as photographs of its flavour inspiration. The product was described as ‘velvety smooth coffee and toffee’ flavoured yoghurt that had been ‘made with whipping cream’ (14%, in fact) and contained an ‘alluring hidden dark chocolate layer’. On this occasion, the ‘add-on’ that got mixed into the yoghurt accounted for 12% of the product and was a pot of ‘exquisite coffee infused dark chocolate coated biscuit pearls’.

 

Starting with the biscuit pieces, these were very small and glossy balls (I could see why they were called ‘pearls’!) that had thick chocolate shells and appeared to contain cocoa inside. Trying a couple on their own, they were very bitter and their thick coating was emphasised by the long time it took to melt. This shell produced a cracking sensation, when chewing, and was the dominant texture. As a result, I found the biscuit itself wasn’t that noticeable, and I didn’t think it tasted of much either.

As previously, I didn’t think the layering of the yoghurt was as impressive in appearance as suggested by the packaging, and the chocolate underlayer had the same watery appearance. The yoghurt was a paler shade than the crème praline and, above anything else, it seemed to have a slightly acidic toffee aroma.

The yoghurt was smooth in texture and had quite a dark coffee flavour that was lifted by the toffee. It had the slight tang that you’d expect from a yoghurt but I didn’t think the chocolate flavour was very powerful. However, the crunchy biscuit pieces were the overwhelming element of the product, and they provided a strong dark chocolate taste that gave the impression of a grown-up dessert. The only downside of this, for me, was that the creaminess of the yoghurt was overshadowed.

I can’t say I enjoyed this yoghurt as much as the crème praline but I think that was more down to personal preference – I’ve got a very sweet tooth so these were a little too bitter for my liking. I would have preferred the whipping cream to be more noticeable but this was a pleasant product nonetheless.

Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 7/10
Taste: 7/10
Texture: 7.5/10
Overall score: 7.13/10

Mr Kipling Dessert Classics: Mississippi mud pies

Product name: Mr Kipling Dessert Classics: Mississippi mud pies
Purchase details: £1.00 for a box of six pies (Tesco)
Calories: 211 per pie
Country of origin: Britain

So the honour of being the first product reviewed on my blog goes to: Mr Kipling Dessert Classics: Mississippi mud pies.

These pies are described as ‘Light pastry cases filled with rich chocolate flavoured mousse.’.  I first heard about this product a couple of months ago, but it took me several weeks to track them down, with tesco.com eventually coming to the rescue.

Now, I have to admit, I don’t recall ever having had an actual Mississippi mud pie, and so I won’t be able to comment on whether this Mr Kipling version lives up to the title. However, I have to say that these mini treats are pretty special in their own right!

On opening the box, the pies looked very appealing, despite the decorative ‘sugar sprinkles’ appearing to be everywhere.

I decided to try my first pie at room temperature. Slightly disappointingly, the aroma at this point was very mild and was almost non-existent. However, once I took my first bite, all was forgiven. The chocolatey filling was lovely and gooey and very enjoyable.

Traditionally, the pastry on pies like this is my least favourite part, and this product was no exception. However, the usual, soft and slightly crumbly Mr Kipling pastry used here did combine well with the other flavours and textures on offer, with a slight buttery taste adding to the pleasure factor, without taking away from the strong chocolate flavour emanating from the rest of the pie. I would perhaps like to see less of an ‘edge’ to the pastry case though.

I kept my box of remaining pies in an airtight container and I was delighted, when I next opened the box, to be hit with a strong bakery aroma which had been lacking when I first opened the packaging.

In the name of research, I decided to take the advice given on the product box, and try some of the pies warm. It would be fair to say that ten seconds in the microwave transformed these pies. When heated, they emitted a bit more of a chocolatey smell, and the filling became that bit richer and reminded me of the chocolate puddle puddings I used to eat as a child. Although the box describes this filling as a ‘mousse’, I thought it seemed more like molten cake – delicious!

Heating the pies also provided the added surprise of a sticky caramel-like sauce that oozed out when cut into. This is where it became apparent that the quantity of pastry was just right as there was no leakage to indicate what was waiting inside. As a result, I made the mistake of consuming my first warm pie with my fingers. Needless to say, things got a bit messy!

I found that the icing and the sprinkles offered the same characteristics whether hot or cold. The ‘chocolate flavoured’ icing was sweet and not overly chocolatey, which I considered to be a good thing, since the rich filling provided enough of a chocolate ‘hit’ on its own. I felt that that there was just the right amount of icing to add a slight chewiness but without making the pies too sickly-sweet. As for the sprinkles, I did not expect these to be a necessary addition to the pies, but I was wrong! Although they did not add much in terms of flavour, the crunch they provided was a pleasant offset to the overall soft, gooey texture.

On the whole, I was impressed by this Mr Kipling offering, with their versatility being an added bonus.

Exceedingly good? I’d say so!

 
Appearance: 7/10
Aroma: 6/10
Taste: 8/10
Texture: 9/10
Overall score: 7.5/10