Candy Bar Lab

Aero bars have actually been around since the 30’s. Though as an American, they’re new to me. The name comes from the air bubbles that are pumped into the chocolate right before it solidifies, leaving a honeycomb-like structure.

I’m a huge fan of the packaging. Maybe I’m a little biased because the green and the bubbles remind me of the Candy Bar Lab logo, but the graphics made me want to eat this bar. Also, chocolate paired with mint is a classic flavor combination. Needless to say, I was excited to tear open the green foil and bite in.

Structure
The center is mint-flavored white chocolate tinted green and filled with bubbles of air. This is covered with mint-flavored dark chocolate - molded into a seven-segment bar.

Texture
The air pockets make this bar very light and easy to bite through. It crumbles a bit, which helps the chocolate melt on your tongue. Without the air pockets, this would just be a flavored chocolate bar. The bubbly center elevates it to something special.

Taste
No surprises here - it tastes like an Andes mint. I really like that the mint flavor is found in both the inside and the outside. You can’t miss it. As a side note, Mint Aero smells wonderful as soon as you open the packaging; easily the best smelling confection I’ve reviewed thus far. Then again… anyone surprised that mint smells good?

Verdict
I definitely recommend Mint Aero. It is tasty and refreshing. Most importantly, the texture is unique. The only problem is they’re a little hard to come by. But if you ever see one in the store, don’t miss the opportunity give it a try.

I was able to find a few British bars at a local candy store, so this will be the first of a few I will soon write about. This candy bar from Cadbury is different from any of the mainstream American bars. It’s mainly comprised of honeycomb; a light, brittle confection. Its made by heating sugar to a hard crack or caramel stage then mixing it with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and acid. This combination releases carbon dioxide (CO²), which forms bubbles. The sugar then hardens as the mixture cools to create the final product.

I first tried this bar on a trip to Bermuda a couple years ago. I’m curious to see how much I like it when I really put it through a taste testing.

Structure
A long, square honeycomb center enrobed in milk chocolate.

Texture
Crunchie is surprisingly easy to bite through; it’s very light and crispy. It breaks apart cleanly as soon as you bite in. The honeycomb melts quickly in your mouth and you can feel it dissolve when your tongue touches it. The negative is that the whole bar, including the chocolate, is really dry - almost powdery. I’m reminded of a freeze-dried ice cream sandwich I ate recently. I really think this needs something liquid (i.e. caramel or honey) or even waxy to counter the dryness.

Taste
You’ll mostly taste milk chocolate. The honeycomb releases an odd burnt flavor into your whole mouth as it breaks apart. I’m not sure if this is from the CO² in the manufacturing process or if it’s burnt sugar. Either way, it didn’t work for me.

Verdict
This is a beautiful looking bar that I appreciate for being different from what I’m used to. Ultimately, the texture is one-dimensional and it doesn’t taste that good. I don’t recommend Crunchie unless you’re curious to try something different.

Just about everyone I work with has a blog. Most focus on web development and design. When I recently began telling them that I’m writing a blog devoted solely to candy bars, most were intrigued. One of my co-workers was even awesome enough to buy me a candy bar, which I of course promised to properly review on this blog. So here it is, the Nestle Crunch Crisp.

Structure
The center consists of alternating wafer and chocolate creme layers, which aretopped with a layer of milk chocolate and crispies. The entire bar is enrobed with a thin shell of milk chocolate.

Texture
The wafers are very crisp and the chocolate cream is soft - exactly how it should be. I expected a powdery texture like those cheap sugar wafers I was once addicted to, so I was pleasantly surprised. The top crispies don’t stand out. They have to be there for branding reasons, but I wouldn’t have missed them. Most importantly, Nestlé made this bar the perfect thickness. I panned Kit Kat Caramel for being too thick. Crunch Crisp didn’t make that mistake.

Taste
Nestlé chocolate has a unique flavor. When I was a kid, I loved it. Now, I find it to be a little too sweet and it has a distinct burnt caramel aftertaste. I probably should have eaten this in two sittings because the off flavors became unpleasant by the end.

Verdict
I really liked the texture of the wafers and chocolate creme; more than I disliked the chocolate flavor. If given the choice between this bar and a regular Nestlé Crunch, I would choose this. Therefore, I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes Nestlé candy bars.