As Christmas creeps up on us all, the fated festive dinner is one thing that many people sprint to supermarkets to plan.
With the turkey and all the trimmings, roast potatoes and seasonal vegetables, it is a meal many look forward to all year. However, arguably the best part of Christmas dinner can sometimes be lost in translation.
That's right, a good festive dessert is just as important as the main course - and sometimes jelly and ice cream just won't do! That's why we've scoured the aisles of Lidl for three of the most appetising desserts on offer, and put them to the taste test.
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The desserts will be ranked on visual appeal, taste of course, and overall value for the product. The three products up on the chopping block are:
- Deluxe Hazelnut and Chocolate Roulade
- Deluxe Macarons (12 pack)
- Deluxe Tartufo Nero Chocolate Ice Cream with Vanilla Ice Cream Filling
So, strap yourselves in and get ready for a festive feast full of sweet treats and surprising flavours.
Deluxe Hazelnut and Chocolate Roulade
On first glance, this dessert seems to be the most extravagant of them all - a soft chocolate rippled meringue roulade, filled with a hazelnut praline cream and chocolate pieces, topped with hazelnuts and then hand rolled.
It takes six hours in total to defrost from frozen, and doesn't require any cooking - so overall, a relatively simple dessert to organise.
The defrosting time however is a bit of a pain, especially if you're like me and forget to take it out of the freezer!
Visual Appeal
The product on first glance on the box looks lovely, with a very festive vibe. Opening it up, the roulade looks almost the same as it looks like on the box, although it does slump a bit once it has defrosted.
Overall, it has a very nice visual appeal, and keeps its shape well when cut too.
Taste
On initial taste, the roulade had a surprising flavour of coffee - which I think comes from the chopped up pieces of hazelnut wrapped in with the praline cream.
It is crunchy, yet soft and easy to eat, and has a lovely aftertaste as well.
It is a simple dessert that the majority of people will enjoy, and would serve a family of four or five very generously.
Overall value for the product
The roulade cost just £4.99 from Lidl, and is great value for money - pleasing all the family at Christmas time.
Final Rating
Four out of five stars - quite the start!
Deluxe Macarons (12 pack)
Macarons are typically an acquired taste, a French delicacy of light, textured almond meringues. They are crisp on the outside, with a soft chewy centre.
The six flavours on offer at Lidl are: Raspberry, Salted Caramel, Pistachio, Passion Fruit, Vanilla and Dark Chocolate. Two macarons are available with each flavour, so there is 12 of the little delights in total.
Visual Appeal
Visually, these treats are exciting and fun to look at. The bright flavours tell you which flavour is which (green for pistachio and so on), and they are small enough to be eaten in one bite.
Kids would see this dessert as similar to small burgers, so it is also a fun way to introduce new flavours to the younger generation.
Taste
Taste-wise, these are acquired, as previously stated. The aftertastes give you the flavour of each macaron, rather than during the eating of the treat.
The most flavourful one was the raspberry macaron, giving off jam vibes and was the one I enjoyed the most.
However, this dessert isn't one I would choose again, based on my own personal preferences.
Overall value for the product
Priced at £2.99, there wasn't a lot of food included in this dessert - given that it is quite a niche food that people enjoy.
The macarons are bite-sized and easy to eat, but would end up leaving people hungry if they didn't get enough turkey during the main course.
But if you are looking for a light treat to finish off the festive dinner, then these are perfect.
Final Rating
Two out of five stars - not my personal favourite, too niche of a flavour.
Deluxe Tartufo Nero Chocolate Ice Cream with Vanilla Ice Cream Filling
Quite possibly the most simple of the three desserts, this item sure does have the most complicated name!
The Tartufo Nero is simply just chocolate ice cream with a vanilla ice cream filling and a cocoa dusting. Two reasonably-sized ice cream pots come with this product, meaning this dessert is perfect for a couple sharing Christmas together.
Visual Appeal
These little ice cream pots are nothing special to look at, until you cut into them with a spoon.
The swirling chocolate and vanilla ice cream is aesthetically pleasing, and it holds its shape well.
Taste
Taste-wise, this dessert gives you everything you expect and want from a simple ice cream dish. The cocoa dusting elevates the taste slightly, and makes it a little more interesting than just plain ice cream.
Overall, it is pleasant and simple, and is a dessert a large majority of people will enjoy - unless you hate ice cream!
Overall value for the product
As this dessert is just £1.99, this product is the best value for money out of the three listed above.
It is simple but effective, and will definitely have everyone licking their plates by the end of the meal.
Final Rating
Five out of five stars - overall my favourite dessert, and the most value for money too.
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