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Posts with tag Hersheys

Best Boxed Chocolates

Posted Sep 1st 2009 4:36PM by Slashfood Editor
Filed under: Chocolate, Valentine's Day, Edible Gifts, Taste Test

Everyone loves chocolate for Valentine's Day. To satisfy your chocolate cravings try our top picks for heart shaped boxes.
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Best Boxed Chocolate
by Kat Kinsman
Nothing's sweeter than giving V-Day chocolate to a loved one, but don't you wonder what's gonna be under the lid? Our panel popped the tops off 22 heart-shaped boxes from $.99 drugstore counter specials to $55 chi-chi boutique bon-bons so you can help guide Cupid's arrow straight to your beloved's sweet spot. In ascending price order... (read on)
Rachel Been for AOL
Getty Images North America

Best Boxed Chocolate

    by Kat Kinsman
    Nothing's sweeter than giving V-Day chocolate to a loved one, but don't you wonder what's gonna be under the lid? Our panel popped the tops off 22 heart-shaped boxes from $.99 drugstore counter specials to $55 chi-chi boutique bon-bons so you can help guide Cupid's arrow straight to your beloved's sweet spot. In ascending price order... (read on)

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Elmer

    Verdict: DEFINITELY NOT
    Style: Small cardboard heart box
    Contents: 4 chocolates
    Weight: 2.4 oz
    Price: $.99
    Website:elmercandy.com
    Note: Every single person spat theirs out.
    Our panel said: "Bleeeaaaauuugggh!" "Awful - plastic-like." "Way, way too sugary. I could almost taste the granules."

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Russell Stover

    Verdict: GOOFY & SWEET
    Style: Looney Toons Mini-box
    Contents: 3 chocolates
    Weight: 1.75 oz
    Price: $1.29
    Website: russellstover.com
    Note: It's also available with a Bugs Bunny or the Tasmanian Devil design.
    Our panel said: "Totally darling!" "I'd be so excited to get this." "Great for giving out at school."

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Gillham & Grand

    Verdict: CUTE & FUN
    Style: Novelty tin with "kiss / hug / tickle" spinner
    Contents: 3 chocolates
    Weight: 1.5 oz
    Price: $3
    Website: hallmark.com
    Note: Gillham & Grand is made by Fannie May exclusively for Hallmark Gold Crown Stores.
    Our panel said: "Very cute! You could give this to anyone." "Fun!"

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Russell Stover

    Verdict: WEIRD CONCEPT, DECENT CHOCOLATE
    Style: XOXO Just For Him cardboard heart
    Contents: 6 assorted chocolates
    Weight: 3.5 oz
    Price: $2.99
    Website: russellstover.com
    Note: More deluxe editions come in metal, tire-tread embossed tins.
    Our panel said: "Why is this for men in particular? Are they beef and sweat flavored or something?""Pretty standard, but yummy."

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Russell Stover

    Verdict: HORRIBLE
    Style: Foil-wrapped cardboard heart
    Contents: 7 assorted sugar-free creams, chews and crisps
    Weight: 4 oz
    Price: $4.99
    Website: russellstover.com
    Note: A sugar-free pecan candy assortment is also available.
    Our panel said: "Tastes like a tire. Rubbery." "If your sweetie is diabetic, just get them flowers or something instead."

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Russell Stover

    Verdict: HIT OR MISS
    Style: Foil-wrapped cardboard heart
    Contents: 13 assorted creams, chews and nuts
    Weight: 7 oz
    Price: $4.99
    Website: russellstover.com
    Note: This is the #2 best selling heart-shaped box assortment in the US. The 1 lb selection is #1.
    Our panel said: "Seems a little old-fashioned. Not that there's anything wrong with that." "It really depends on which pieces you get. Some are great and some are kind of nasty." "Not for me, but my Mom would love this."

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Reese's

    Verdict: CAN'T GO WRONG
    Style: Cardboard heart
    Contents: 30 miniature Reese's peanut butter cups
    Weight: 8 oz
    Price: $4.99
    Website: reeses.com
    Our panel said: "You know exactly what you're getting, and it's GOOD!" "You can never go wrong with Reese's, even if the package design is cheap." "The taste is classic goodness. I'd be thrilled to get this. As muchas I'd like to be high-end, I can't escape my love for Reese's."

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Hershey's

    Verdict: GOOD, BUT GO WITH THE REESE'S
    Style: Cardboard heart
    Contents: 54 Hershey's Kisses
    Weight: 8 oz
    Price: $4.99
    Website: hersheys.com
    Our panel said: "Who doesn't love to get Kisses?" "Cute & romantic." "I love this, but it seems a little plain." "It's nice knowing just what you're getting."

    Rachel Been for AOL

    Producer: Godiva

    Verdict: OKAY IN A PINCH
    Style: Miniature heart gift box
    Contents: 6 foil-wrapped milk chocolate hearts
    Weight: 1.1 oz
    Price: $5
    Website: godiva.com
    Our panel said: "Cute, but not impressive." "Good valentine for the teacher."

    Rachel Been for AOL

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Retro Halloween candy

Posted Oct 23rd 2008 4:31PM by Eric Diesel
Filed under: Candy, Stores & Shopping, Lists, Fall Flavors, Holidays, Halloween, Fall

trick or treat images

Though the sharing of treats on All Hallow's Eve traces back to the holiday's roots as an ancient celebration, Trick or Treating is a phenomenon of the distinctly American holiday of Halloween. Though trick or treating is at least a century old, defining the treat as candy is relatively new: as recently as the World War Two era, the treat was likely to be a doughnut, a sip of cider, even an apple (imagine trying to get away with that today!).

Even with the advent of widespread manufacturing, candy-making was as expected a part of a homemaker's repertoire as canning. Around Halloween time, a homemaker sometimes spent days in the kitchen, rattling glass thermometers and pouring vials of exotic oils, in order to fill small waxed-paper bags with the house specialty (each cook was expected to have one): chewy nougats, bright sour balls, snowy vanilla drops, tinted coconut patties, home-dunked chocolate cherries, snapping shards of praline, hand-pulled taffy, and, of course, fudge.

Oh, sure, in the rich part of town, fancy ladies doled out the local confectioner's lollipops and jelly beans (and the occasional rum ball for a determinedly cheerful chaperone), but in the move to consumer culture many of these concoctions migrated to Easter baskets. In some of our minds, Halloween shall always belong to old-fashioned treats. Here is a sampling of online resources for retro treats (and perhaps a couple of tricks!).


Continue reading Retro Halloween candy

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Down in the mouth: Hershey, Nestle, and the quest for fake chocolate

Posted Sep 12th 2008 2:00PM by Bruce Watson
Filed under: Science, Trans Fats, Chocolate, Candy, Food Oddities, Trends, America, Comfort Food, Guilty Pleasures

I might not be the best person to talk about chocolate. Growing up, my favorite candies were generally the tart, fake-fruit flavored ones, like Smarties, Sweet Tarts, Lemonheads, Runts, and certain Jolly Rancher flavors. However, even in the midst of my deepest obsession with the sour side of the candy chain, I still had a special place in my heart for a few chocolate treats. Reese's cups, Caramello, and Chunky bars have always held a strange power over me and I've never been able to walk past a bowl full of M&Ms without grabbing a handful. After I got married, my wife dragged me over to the dark side, and I discovered the wonders of dark chocolate, particularly when paired with red wine. Even now, though, I will sometimes indulge my deep appreciation of plebian chocolate treats, especially when my wife isn't looking.

Recently, though, I came across an article that makes me a little worried about the future of my favorite mass-market chocolate goodies. Some candy companies, including Hershey's and Nestle, are substituting cheap vegetable oils for cocoa butter in their chocolate bars. While this saves a lot of money, it also reduces the creaminess and flavor of the chocolate; some consumers have described the new products as tasting "waxy and artificial."

On the bright side, the FDA has ruled that products which do not contain cocoa butter cannot refer to themselves as chocolate. Consequently, many former "chocolate bars" now boast that they are "made with chocolate," are "chocolate candy," or have "chocolate coating." Most of the major candy companies have unsuccessfully fought this, while smaller manufacturers are desperately supporting the labeling restrictions.

While Nestle and Hershey's try to decide if they're willing to spend a few more pennies to ensure a top-quality chocolate experience, you might want to take a long, hard look at your candy bar. After all, if you're willing to splurge on calories and cash, shouldn't you get the best possible chocolate experience?
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Stale candy, begone!

Posted Apr 9th 2008 2:03PM by Marisa McClellan
Filed under: Business, Chocolate, How To

close up shot of M&Ms
We've all been there. It's 2 or 3 in the afternoon and you're starting to drag, unable to focus on the computer screen a minute longer. You start to ponder a snack and settle on a trip to the corner store to the local vending machine for a little something sweet. Only when you settle back down at your desk with that bag of M&Ms and crunch into the first one, you discover that it is stale. The next one is just as bad. You sigh heavily and offer the rest of the bag to your cubemate (who is known for his ability to eat anything).

However, thanks to a tip posted on Consumerist, you can now avoid the scourge of stale candy, you just have to know how to read the codes. For Mars and M&M candy, just check out the first three digits of the ten digit code. The first number is the year and the next two represent the week of the year. Candy that expires this week would have the code 815. For Hershey's, they use a letter/number code. This month would be represented by 8D (2008, April).
Just check the codes and never eat stale candy again!
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Hershey's to release three new bars

Posted Feb 6th 2007 3:01PM by Joanne Lutynec
Filed under: Snacks, Business, Chocolate, Trends, New Products

This is going to come in a little too late for Valentine's Day, but is still good news for all you chocolate lovers out there. Based on the trends consumers have been following over the past year, Hershey's apparently plans to expand their chocolate bar line with the introduction of three new products.

The first is an organic chocolate bar, which really comes as little surprise since consumers can't seem to get enough organic into their shopping carts these days. Second will be a "whole-bean chocolate" which, according to the President and CEO of Hershey Co., will have increased fiber and 40% less sugar than their regular chocolate bars. Finally, they will be introducing an antioxidant milk chocolate which will boast the same health benefits of dark chocolate, but with the creamy rich taste of milk chocolate instead.

They also plan to continue their focus on portion-control products, offering consumers smaller, healthier sizes of their various snack foods. As they say, everything in moderation.
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Almond Joy Martini is "booze candy"

Posted Jun 28th 2006 10:59PM by Sarah J. Gim
Filed under: Vodka, Nuts/seeds, Chocolate, Recipes, Fruit, Cocktails, Rum, How To, America, Spirits, Sugar

almond joyMy friend Todd is a mixologist. Technically, he is a college molecular biology instructor, but on the side, the guy can mix up some fabulous drinks. His specialty? What he calls "booze candy" - anything that's so super sweet that it's basically, well, candy. These are things that are made with fruit flavored vodkas, juices, cordials and liqueurs, and can be very appropriately served in a sugar-rimmed glass.

Normally, the sticky, almost syrupy drinks are too sweet for my personal taste, but if I drink them after dinner and with the mindset that they are dessert, then watch out. Booze candy is so easy is to drink, I can finish three of them without even realizing it. 

A drink recipe I came across is so perfectly "booze candy, it's ridiculous: Almond Joy Martini. I love the dark chocolate covered coconut and almond bar, so I love the idea. I haven't actually made it yet, as I don't have all the ingredients, but the next time I have a cocktail party, I'm sure Todd and I will have to give this a try.

Almond Joy Martini

Shake 1 oz. each of coconut-flavored rum (Parrot Bay or Malibu), Frangelico, Godiva or other chocolate-flavored liqueur, Hershey's chocolate syrup, and vodka. Add 4 oz. half and half or light cream, shake with ice, then strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with shredded coconut.

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Cadbury Creme Mini Eggs review

Posted Apr 9th 2006 11:03AM by Nicole Weston
Filed under: Snacks, Chocolate, Candy, Raves & Reviews, Comfort Food, Sugar

Cadbury Creme Eggs just haven't had the same appeal to me since they took the adorable clucking bunny out of their ad campaign. Something about that bunny just made me want to eat a whole, sugary egg. In all probability, age had something to do with it as well. I no longer want to scarf down a large Cadbury Creme Egg when given the opportunity because it almost makes my teeth hurt, though I do enjoy a bite of one every now and again. Leave it to the company to come to my rescue. Their Mini Creme Eggs are just the right size - about 3/4-inch long - to eat in a bite or two. They still have the same sugary fondant filling with the trademark orange "yolk" in the center, but the chocolate-to-filling ratio is much higher than in the larger eggs. The milky chocolate even manages to temper the sweetness just enough to allow me to to indulge in one or two at a time. Cadbury Mini Creme Eggs are definitely a great Easter treat. Maybe I'll reconsider the larger eggs if they bring back that bunny!

[Photo by Nicole Weston]

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Tip of the Day

December may have peppermint bark, but have you thought to incorporate the taste of autumn into white chocolate with a rich pumpkin swirl?

Learn More

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