Nakd Rhubarb & Custard

Product name: Nakd Rhubarb & Custard
Purchase details: £0.75 for a 35g bar or four for three, cheapest product free (tesco.com)
Calories: 128 per bar
Country of origin: Britain

I was really intrigued by this variety of Nakd as I loved rhubarb crumbles with custard when I was a kid, but also knew that I don’t like rhubarb to be too tart, and that part of the joy of custard is the texture. I wasn’t sure what angle this bar would take but, hey, I knew I at least liked its purple and yellow wrapper!

This Natural Balance Foods bar was along the same lines as the Strawberry Crunch in terms of features but the variety contained the fewest number of ingredients out of the ones I’ve reviewed so far – it simply consisted of dates (55%), cashews (25%), raisins (19%), and a ‘hint of natural flavours’ which is presumably where the rhubarb and custard taste was going to come from!

The natural, fruity stick still wasn’t the most attractive in the world, but it had more of a dark pink appearance than the other ones I’ve tried. Its overall style was the same but I did like to see that the cashew nuts inside were pretty large. Its scent was slightly unusual but seemed to be a combination between raisins and jelly.

On trying this Nakd Rhubarb & Custard, my first thought was that it tasted a bit like purple Rowntree’s Fruit Pastilles – my favourite type! However, I could also taste the nuts, and there was a mellow vanilla flavour that was a bit custard-like and built nicely into a more dominant feature. Thankfully, there was no tartness, but a nice, sweet fruity flavour at an attempt at rhubarb. I was actually quite surprised that the product was dairy-free and that there was no added sugar since there was a bit of a creamy flavour mixed in with the delicious sweetness too.

This soft bar with added crunch was definitely my favourite from the range so far and one I’d definitely want to buy again. Yummy!

Appearance: 6.5/10
Aroma: 6/10
Taste: 8/10
Texture: 7.5/10
Overall score: 7/10

Nakd Berry Cheeky

Product name: Nakd Berry Cheeky
Purchase details: £0.60 for a 30g bar or three for £1.20 (tesco.com)
Calories: 100 per bar
Country of origin: Britain

Next up in my reviews of the Nakd range from Natural Balance Foods is this ‘yummy’ Berry Cheeky bar that was made from raw fruit, oats and nuts. As with the Strawberry Crunch and Banana Bread, it contained no wheat or dairy.

The wrapper had the same design as the Banana Bread but used a red theme and pictures of a strawberry and a close-up raspberry. On reading the ingredients, I decided that it had been named ‘Cheeky’ because it was a bit misleading! The only berries in the bar were raspberries and strawberries which each contributed to 2% of the overall vegan product. In contrast, 37% of the product was dates, 26% was oats, 12% was raisins, 9% was peanuts, and even apple juice concentrate took up 8%. Almonds and walnuts also provided another 2% each, and there was some natural flavouring too. I don’t know about you, but that didn’t sound like berries were the main feature to me! On the plus side, I was pleased to see the different varieties of nuts that had been included.

The healthy snack was, again, brown in colour, and this variety looked more bitty and less pre-digested than the others – the nuts, in particular, were very evident through the baste of the bar. It also looked and felt a bit dry. It produced an earthy scent and, although there was an added ‘zing’, I didn’t find it very appetising.

As suggested by the appearance, the Nakd Berry Cheeky had a very different texture from the other types I’ve tried so far. It was soft and dry with a slightly rubbery crumble, but I liked how this was broken up with little chunks of nut, as well as the odd raspberry seed!

My initial thoughts on the taste were not good but, after a couple of chews, I found that the tangy berries really did make an impact on the flavour. Furthermore, the nuts all made a contribution, and I particularly enjoyed how the the almonds combined with the berries. Unfortunately, I wasn’t as keen on the aftertaste, as this left a bit of a muddy taste in my mouth.

As you’ve probably gathered, this wasn’t my favourite Nakd snack, although it was perfectly edible. I wouldn’t buy it again because there are so many other tastier flavours on offer in the range but, if that weren’t the case and I were in need of a healthy treat, I wouldn’t need much convincing to have another one of these!

Appearance: 6/10
Aroma: 4.5/10
Taste: 6.5/10
Texture: 6.5/10
Overall score: 5.88/10

Nakd Banana Bread

Product name: Nakd Banana Bread
Purchase details: £0.60 for a 30g bar or three for £1.20 (tesco.com)
Calories: 92 per bar
Country of origin: Britain

I really liked the sound of Nakd Banana Bread. Described as a ‘banana flavour raw fruit, oat’ and ‘nut wholefoods bar’, it was the same positively healthy concept as the Strawberry Crunch I’ve previously reviewed.

The bar came in a pale wrapper which, I felt, hinted at a caramel cream-type flavour. However, that may just be because I’ve had a Milky Way French Vanilla and Caramel eying me up from my stash for a few weeks! There was a subtle picture of a banana on the left-hand size of the wrapper, though, to remind me that this was a very different product.

The combination of dates (37%), bananas (23%), oats (21%), walnuts (8%), apple juice concentrate, vanilla and ‘a hint of natural flavour’ resulted in a product that looked...well, healthy! It had a similar appearance to the Strawberry Crunch but was darker. Despite not containing any crispy pieces on this occasion, the bar was certainly full of bits.

I’d mistakenly fooled myself into thinking that this Banana Bread would be like a loaf cake but I realised my error when I discovered the disappointing lack of a banana scent. Instead, it had quite a sharp aroma which I think was caused by the dates. Despite initially thinking I could sense a bit of banana in the mix, I realised that this was just wishful thinking!

Fortunately, the banana flavour did come through on the taste test, starting gently but then getting stronger. The first flavour to make an impact, though, was quite unusual and not the most pleasant, and this also caused a bit of a strange aftertaste. Again, I think it was the dates that caused this (a fruit I’m not a fan of, to be fair!), although the almost bitter taste I find walnuts have may have contributed to this too. That said, I’d never have guessed the product contained walnuts! Anyway, the good news was that the banana flavour was strong enough to lift the overall experience so, as I munched my way through the bar, it did still feel like a treat.

Texturally, the Banana Bread was quite chewy. It was generally soft with the odd tougher bit and the inclusion of the oats was a big plus. It may not sound pleasant as a description, but I really liked how little pieces were left behind at the end of each mouthful as it meant I could pretend I was eating a flapjack instead!

I think the Strawberry Crunch had given me higher expectations for this bar than, perhaps, was fair – I certainly thought I’d enjoy this variety more than I did. However, whilst it was my least favourite of the two Nakd varieties I’ve tried so far, I still thought it was excellent as a healthy snack...I’d just prefer to eat actual banana bread if taste were the only consideration! 

Appearance: 6/10
Aroma: 6/10
Taste: 6.5/10
Texture: 7.5/10
Overall score: 6.5/10

Nakd Strawberry Crunch

Product name: Nakd Strawberry Crunch
Purchase details: £0.75 for a 30g bar or three for two (tesco.com)
Calories: 109 per bar
Country of origin: Britain

Although I eat fruit as daytime snacks, you may have noticed that, whilst I still count calories in the evening, I don’t tend to go for treats that are healthy in themselves. However, I’ve been intrigued by the Nakd range of bars from Natural Balance Foods, containing natural ingredients that had simply been ‘smooshed together’.

This new Strawberry Crunch bar came in an attractive pink wrapper that featured strawberries and various claims. Containing raw fruit, crunchies and nuts, it was also ‘packed’ with 18% protein which did make me a little concerned after my last experience with a purposefully protein-heavy product – Lenny & Larry's Muscle Brownie: Peanut butter. However, the difference here was that the Nakd bar wasn’t trying to be anything except a ‘simply yummy’ but healthy treat. It was free from gluten, wheat and dairy, contained ‘no added sugar’, and was vegan. Overall, it encouraged you to ‘love your body’, and wanted people to look and feel better by helping them to eat nourishing foods. Let’s just pretend I didn’t eat this after a chippy meal...

I wouldn’t normally list all the items on an ingredients list but I was impressed by just how ‘real’ this ‘filling’ product was. It contained 43% dates (I don’t generally like these but I know they’re in sticky toffee puddings which I love!), 17% soya crunchies (made from soya, tapioca, starch and salt), 17% cashews and 17% raisins (one of my favourite fruits!). Surprisingly, only 2% of the product was strawberries, and it also contained 2% apple juice concentrate, along with a ‘hint of natural flavouring’.

The ‘satisfying slice of simple goodness’ was a compressed brown bar with white flecks which I can’t say screamed ‘eat me!’. However, it could have been mistaken for containing cocoa, and it was a refreshing change to have a product that contained no colourings (natural or otherwise). In terms of aroma, I could just about sense raisins mixed in with a slight strawberry tang – I couldn’t wait to tuck in!

To the touch, the bar felt slightly sticky but, bearing in mind the amount of squashed fruit, this wasn’t bad at all. In the mouth, it was soft with a noticeable crisp, and had a rough and slightly bitty texture.

As for the taste, I was surprised at how many of the individual flavours came through. After first tasting the subtly sweet berry flavour, an earthy nuttiness then came through, followed by an almost muddy sweetness on the back of the tongue that was provided by the raisins. It really was nice and didn’t taste too dissimilar from Go Ahead! Fruit Bakes.

I have to say this bar has left me feeling really impressed with the Nakd brand. The product itself was great and I loved the little extra touches on the packaging like introducing the ingredients list in other languages by saying ‘Hello, world’ and ‘Hope we spelt everything right...’. I can’t wait to try the other varieties I bought! 

Appearance: 6.5/10
Aroma: 7/10
Taste: 7.5/10
Texture: 7/10
Overall score: 7/10

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