​WEISS – LEBKUCHEN HERZEN MIT APRIKOSENFRUCHTFÜLLUNG aka GINGERBREAD HEARTS FILLED WITH APRICOT FRUIT FILLING
 
Where do I start, hmmmm, oh yes, the apricot filling. Wow, what a surprise, and a pleasant one that is! I have had a similar looking cookie in Germany before, and I just assumed this gingerbread goodness would resemble that experience, once upon a time….. Oh no, was I every wrong, nothing even close. This divine apricot filled bite was anything but mediocre as the original German one that I recalled was. Upon first bite, my initial impression – Amazing, with a capital A. This cookie has exceeded my expectations on so many levels. Let’s start off with the soft and chewy consistency of the gingerbread apricot itself. Did I already mention that in this soft and chewy concoction there is an apricot filling. Seriously, stop now, I cannot take this deliciousness. Get over yourself, hit the button…! He he he. Nevertheless, I am truly on cloud 9. Once I began to devour this yumminess, before I knew it, the whole bag felt lighter, much lighter. What, I ate them all, yikes! Yes, this is that kind of an addictive cookie. The fact that the cookie was also submerged in chocolate for the exterior coating makes this a polished bonus. The party however, always seems to come to an end. Yes, the cookie is absolutely A+++++ in taste but the ingredient list is a dreadful C-. That is how the story usually goes my friends. Points will be deducted due to poor ingredient execution resulting in not taking the health of people into consideration. Would I repurchase……OH YES in moderation, tell me where to pay!
 
ChocolisciouslyDelightful Rating: 3.2 / 5.0
 
Ingredients: Apricot Filling 28%, Chocolate Covering 21 %, Glucose, Fructose Syrup, Wheat Flour, Sugar, Apricots Dried Passed, Cocoa Liquor, Cocoa Butter, Caramel Sugar Syrup, Acid Citric Acid, Gelling Agent, Pectin, Raising Agents, Diphosphates, Sodium Carbonates, Potassium Carbonates, Natural Flavouring, Acidity Regulator, Potassium Citrate, Spices, Emulsifier, Soya Lecithin, Salt, Milk Protein
 
May Contain: Nuts, Peanuts, Egg, Lupin, and Sesame
 
NUTRITION FACTS
 
Per 30 g (2 cookies)
 
Amount                                                                        % Daily Value
 
Calories                                            120   
Fat                                                   3 g                        5 %
   Saturated                                       2 g                       10 % for both Saturated
   Trans                                              0 g                                    and Trans Fat
Cholesterol                                      0 mg                       0 %
Sodium                                          30 mg                      1 %
Carbohydrate                                    19 g                       6 %
   Fiber                                               2 g    
   Sugars                                           13 g
Protein                                               1 g
Vitamin A                                                                       0 %
Vitamin C                                                                       0 %
Calcium                                                                          0 %
Iron                                                                                8 %
 
LONKA – SOFT NOUGAT PEANUTS & DARK CHOCOLATE
 
I was quite excited to purchase this nougat confectionary when I first effortlessly glanced at it in a Dutch supermarket, filled with all sorts of the unknowns. Most of the packaged foods there I have never come across. The Lonka was one of them. It looked really appetizing upon initial impression, the photograph of the nougat on the plastic wrapping sang beautiful songs to me…. My mouth was watering when paying, and I could not wait long to devour this, “at once” I thought to myself, right now, pronto…Okay, okay, not really, I did wait a few days, but oh yeahh, when the time came, off-camera….the beast in me emerged. Bring it on Lonka, come to mamma!!! Despite the tasty nougat hype that lead to devouring this, I must admit, I was a bit disappointed. I could barely taste the nougat in the chocolate, it was not prominent at all. I could though point out immediately the peanuts and dark chocolate. Was that the intention here Lonka, am I missing something? Is nougat not supposed to be the main act of the show??? Why, I want answers and yes, I CAN handle the truth….Heeeeeeeee. The chocolate bite was also too hard in consistency. Everybody knows that nougat is supposed to be soft or is this the new thang’…..Nevertheless, truly a disappointment. It was a nice choco though but misleading with the packaging. Would I repurchase, most likely NO. 
 
ChocolisciouslyDelightful Review: 1.8 / 5.0 (it was tasty, but this had no relevance to the nougat)
 
Ingredients: Glucose Syrup, Dark Chocolate 26 % (Cocoa Mass, Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk Fat, Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin), Sugar, Peanuts (11 %), Palm Fat, Skimmed Milk Powder, Milk Protein, Hydrolysed Milk Proteins, Salt, Honey
 
May Contain Traces of Nuts. Chocolate Cocoa Solids 58.5% Minimum
 
NUTRITION FACTS
 
PER 100 G
 
Energy                                  457 cal
Fat                                       19 g
Carbohydrate
Glucose                                 62 g
Protein                                  6.2 g
Salt                                      0.15 g
 
SAMBA KISSES BETTER – ORIGINAL DANISH TEA CAKES; VANILLA FLAVOURED MALLOW
 
Well, well, well, I was greedy, oh yes I was when purchasing these mallows. They do look inviting, actually a bit too much. I counted the days until I was going to take a huge bite into the Sambas, patiently waiting, looking at the clock arm move, tapping my fingers. Time could not be any slower. When the day finally arrived, all my anticipation was thrown down the drain. How could I have been so wrong? These mallows are awful, and you can forget the “Kisses Better” as the title implies. It is more like “Kisses NOT.” The chocolate tastes purely artificial, and do not even get me going on the grainy, sugary, synthetic, man-made mallow. Yuck! Well, it was not Samba’s night, better luck next time! Would I repurchase this repulsive concoction, ABSOLUTELY NO!
 
ChocolisciouslyDelightful Rating: 0.8 / 5.0 (some points for the appealing wrapper)
 
Ingredients: Foam kisses with 30% dark compound. Dark Compound (Sugar, Fully Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, 20% Low Fat Cocoa Powder, Emulsifier (E492, E322), Desiccated Coconut Aroma), Sugar, Glucose Syrup, Water, Waffles (Wheat Flour, Vegetable Fat (Partially Hardened Palm Oil), Egg Yolk Powder, Salt, Sugar, Aroma, Raising Agent E500), Egg White, Dried Glucose Syrup, Salt, Corn Starch, Gelling Agent (E406), Aroma
 
May Contain Traces of Milk and Soy Lecithin
 
NUTRITION FACTS                               per 100 g
 
Energy                                                376 cal
Fat                                                         11 g
   Saturated                                             9 g
Carbohydrates                                        66 g
   of which sugar                                     56 g
Protein                                                   2.8 g
Salt                                                      0.06 g
 
HOFSTEDE’S CHOCOLATE BON BON
 
I truly do regret not purchasing the original bag but instead, opted for the smaller version. Reason being, I cannot see the ingredient list nor the nutrition facts of these bon bons. I am unable to provide much information other than taste. The chocolates looked so appetizing, so much that I could not help myself and sneak in a few prior to testing. Yes, it was completely worth it though. The chocolate was on the sweeter side however, nothing else falls short. The bon bon is delicious, melting smoothly. There is even a bitter aftertaste that lingers for a while, leveling out the initial sugar infestation. I am pretty certain that the chocolates which I ended up purchasing are either cherry or bourbon flavoured. I will put my finger on the latter actually. Would I repurchase this confection, a big, fat, YES. 
 
ChocolisciouslyDelightful Rating: 3.9 / 5.0

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Ohhhhh, hello you chocolate lovers, you! I hope you did not miss me too much and most importantly, are enthusiastic to see me back. I certainly know that I am ecstatic to see you, horrrayyy! How have you been, what is new, did you experience anything amazing besides being gifted one more day on this planet, and of course, any new chocolates that you have devoured lately that you want to talk about? I am all EARS! Share, please! Nevertheless, today’s review will be based on a cheesecake and not an actual chocolate. Yes, this still counts since it is an infestation of chocolate, Ferrero Rocher to be exact. You heard it, that is right! How did this flavour even evolve? Who is the genius behind it? Well, I thought you would never ask. There was a Cake Challenge from the Vancouver Foodster that ran between 
November 8 – November 30, 2019. There were three establishments that were in the running, and each one presented their best sweets. Not in any particular order, here are the three bakeries: 
 
Trees Organics Coffee House is the first establishment that ran for the Cake Challenge, and Minami Miura was the creator of the Ferrero Rocher cheesecake. Great idea Minami. Anyhow, the cake is decadent and full of Nutella, meaning there are a whole lot of hazelnuts. This delightful concoction is then mixed alongside the “generic” type of a cheesecake that Trees Organics offers, prior to adding any flavour. The Ferrero Rocher cheesecake is served with fresh whipped cream. Yum and double Yum. Sounds good to me. 
 
Italia Bakery is the next establishment that ran for the Cake Challenge but unfortunately, there is no creator listed. I guess it is a secret, shhhh! They made a Whiskey Walnut Cake handcrafted with Choux paste on  top and bottom of the spongy wine layer in between that includes roasted walnuts, and mascarpone filling. In addition, there is a third layer sandwiched in that is filled with ganache and whiskey buttercream. Sounds like a lot of alcohol and even a whole lot more butter/cream/heavy infestations. This is in question? 
 
Buttermere Patisserie Café is the third and last establishment that ran for the Cake Challenge, and the creator was Jamie Tung. He wanted to come up with an untraditional tiramisu where he added a twist of textures normally unconventional in this kind of a dessert. Jamie combined graham crackers with a whole lot of cocoa powder for the base of the cake. He then used Cacao Barry chocolate sponge soaked with coffee liqueur Kahlua as opposed to the traditional ladyfinger biscuits that are normally utilized. For a huge variation, the mascarpone filling received Nutella, yeahhhhh, now we are talkin’! This sounds absolutely divine. I need to taste it, the desperation is starting to kick in, I am already making plans for the 150 km trip just for this tiramisu. Anything with Nutella infused and I am there! Mountains will be moved if I must!
 
There you have it, the three competitors. There was a People’s Choice Award winner as well as an official winner judged by the following. 
 
Louisa Chan – Writer and Editor of L for Life as well as Ming Pao
 
Deanna Woo – Blogger and Instagrammer
 
David Grange – Blogger for BCFoodieBlogger
 
I love food competitions in general but a cake running, right up my alley!
 
The winner was…..drumroll……………………………………………………………..
Trees Organics with their Ferrero Rocher Cheesecake. I am dancing now.
 
Here is my review: The cake looks fabulous, magnificent, classy, sophisticated, need I say more. I am so impressed upon first glance. There is even a Ferrero Rocher bon bon on top of the slice, just sitting there, looking ever so pretty. I could not wait to take my first bite. Ahhh, at last. Oh, I will also admit that I made sure I was in Vancouver before the cheesecake was no longer available for purchase. Time was ticking and I was on a strict deadline to make this trip. I did have errands to do that day in the Vancouver vicinity, but the fact that this was so important for tasting and sharing with you all, made the 150 km drive so much more worth it. The cake is lavish, and tasty. Creaminess with a crunch from the Ferrero Rocher bon bons scattered throughout the cheesecake made this delight that much more special. I will, however, admit that it was on the sweeter side. This was absolutely not necessary as the taste of the cake is then lost. All you are left with is sugar, and sugar, and more sugar, to the point where you eventually stop at the third bite and put the fork down. Other than that, the cheesecake was pleasant. The fresh cream served on the side certainly helped to refresh each bite. One last “words of wisdom”, I am still stuck on the Sin Cheesecake flavor as my utmost favourite, and I will probably always and forever be however, this was a good attempt. Would I repurchase a slice if available, ummmmmm, YES!
 
ChocolisciouslyDelightful Rating: 3.9 / 5.0
 
Ingredients: Unknown 

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