Food & Drink Magazine
I've been itching to try this Dark Chocolate Italian Gianduja bar since it appeared in the new M&S Chocolate range recently. As much as I loved the Swiss Blond Chocolate Bar from the range, I do prefer to avoid dairy so this dairy free, vegan bar sounded right up my street. It also reminded me of the lovely (but not so fortunately named) Vego Hazelnut Bar I once tried which was LOVELY, so I had high hopes!
Described simply as a "Gianduja dark chocolate bar with whole hazelnuts" this costs £1.50 and contains 65g per pack. Although it's dairy free, don't eat it if you're super lactose sensitive as it's made in a factory that uses milk ingredients.
Like the Vego Bar, it comes in two thick chunks with an eerily identical symbol that I think is supposed to be cocoa pods? I wonder if this is made by the same company..
On the underside of the bar the whole hazelnuts looked very plentiful indeed - I do love chocolate bars that don't skimp on the nuts!
Taking a bite, it was every bit as delicious as I had anticipated - like the Vego Bar it's pretty much "Nutella in bar form"! The hazelnut paste mixed with the chocolate gives it a super smooth, melt in the mouth luxurious texture, so it feels like you're eating praline rather than chocolate. In fact it didn't taste like dark chocolate at all - the taste and texture of the nuts makes it feel like a milk chocolate bar! The whole hazelnuts add a lovely nutty crunch and taste very fresh; these are not just any nuts, but M&S nuts...(sorry - I had to go there!)
Overall, whether you're vegan, dairy free or not this is an exceptional tasting chocolate bar that I would recommend to anyone (unless of course you have a nut allergy!) The perfect treat for a cold snowy day, these would go down well with a coffee or hot chocolate.
Nutrition (per half bar): 13.3g Fat, 189 Calories, 13.2g Sugars.
Ingredients: Cane sugar, cocoa mass, hazelnuts 18%, hazelnut paste 16%, cocoa butter, emulsifier soya lecithin, vanilla extract. Cocoa solids 31% minimum. Suitable for vegetarians.
8.5 out of 10.