Marks & Spencer - Extra Fine Milk Hazelnuts

Feeling a bit sorry for myself today as I've put my back out. Not just a little kink! No, we're talking L - shapes. Aren't backs the worst thing ever when they go wrong. On the plus side people are doing things for me such as cooking, shopping and other mundane tasks. I just wonder how long this back pain will last it could be weeks. I sent the husband for chocolate tonight as I needed to blog. I'm dictating and eating chocolate while he takes pictures and does the typing. I could get used to this. Yeah right. Anyway husband obviously was stuck for choice and came back with the biggest slab of chocolate I've seen in a long time. It's a man thing.

The Chocolate: This particular mahussive bar of chocolate weighs in at 200g. Marks and Spencer describe this bar thus, "this silky chocolate is made to our own unique recipe using milk, whole hazelnuts and the finest cocoa beans. An additional milling process creates the melt-in-the-mouth texture that makes our Swiss chocolate taste so special". The milk chocolate has a cocoa content of 35% which is a good start. I think the best way to attack this bar is with a hammer, goggles and full risk assessment. There are enough hazelnuts to support a small family of squirrels throughout the winter. If you have to look at the calories take my word for it there are lots. Approximately 590 calories per 100g. Yikes, if you eat this bar all by yourself you will have eaten half your daily allowance for an adult. Plus, there are 42.1g of fat per 100g. God no wonder I never read labels too closely. The cocoa content was a bit of a red herring as this bar of chocolate is very, very sweet which obliterates the cocoa flavour. As you break the bar the heat in your hands melts the chocolate quickly and it almost slips out of your hand like a piece of soap. The hazelnuts have a lovely crunch and provide the flavour for this bar. There is a hint of honey and caramel but these comes through much later. There are no artificial colours or artificial flavourings. Who cares you've just eaten 84g of fat!

I had to use a wide lens to get the whole bar in this picture. Honest. If price and size are two things you look for in a bar of chocolate then this is for you. At £2.15 for a 200g bar this is great value for money. But is it money well spent? Great if you have a big family. In terms of flavour this bar only scores 4/10 as it is too sweet. Why did they bother with the extra milling? I couldn't find this bar on line but you can buy it in any Marks and Spencer outlet.