Over a month ago, Cadbury sent me a box filled with hefty blocks of their three newest wacky-fun chocolates from the Marvellous Creations line. Within this package was a marketing blurb stating that the chocolates came from a place called Joyville which, let’s be honest, sounds pretty silly. If this chocolate really came from Joyville, then it would’ve come to me on the back of a jewel-encrusted pony.
However, in Joyville’s favour, the above ribbon was useful for tying around the bottle of wine I gave my grandpa for his birthday.
Marvellous Creations Jelly Popping Candy Beans
The first of the Marvellous Creations I tried, all of which use the same milky-creamy-sugary Dairy Milk base, had three types of lollies hidden within. These were jelly bits (like jelly snakes), popping candy, and beanies (like Smarties).
Here’s the thing. I can’t review this chocolate properly. Yes, the Dairy Milk was super-sweet-thick-creamy, and yes, the beanies added textural interest (albeit no unique flavour). Yes, the jelly bits tasted like red jelly snakes, which is great if you like jelly snakes.
However, this chocolate also includes popping candy. And, look, there’s no other way to say this: I don’t like it when food moves in my mouth of its own accord.
Ergo, I don’t like this chocolate.
E.Moonbeams and my Dad happily ate the rest of this block, though, so not everyone is averse to near-sentient candy.
Marvellous Creations Jelly Crunchie Bits
Cadbury’s Jelly Crunchie Bits chocolate was perhaps the simplest block, incorporating only jelly bits and Crunchie bits. The aroma was very sweet, and definitely had strong enveloping notes of honeycomb from the Crunchie pieces.
I like Crunchies; the crumbly-crunch and deep honeycomb flavour takes me back to primary school. So that element of this chocolate was nice enough. However, I can’t get behind the jelly bits. They had a slightly bitter taste (which, in all fairness, I’ve always noticed in red jelly lollies) and, to me, jelly bits simply don’t meld well with chocolate.
I shared this block with Fiona, and she later texted me the following:
“Hey blossom, give that chocolate negative marks for being so stupidly shaped – it was impossible to break into pieces without getting chocolate all over my work! But thank you, it was sugary… [but] there’s nothing like regular shaped chocolate.”
Marvellous Creations Peanut Toffee Cookie
After the above two reviews, you’re probably thinking that I’m not a fan of Cadbury’s Marvellous Creations. After the above two reviews, so was I. But then, you see, I tried the Peanut Toffee Cookie block, which was studded with roasted slightly-salty peanuts, toffee pieces, and light-crunchy cookie pieces.
I kind of opened the block while at work one day and I kind of finished the block by the next day at work and it was kind of easy to eat in enormous quantities.
There’s no doubt about it; this chocolate is sweet. However, unlike the other flavours, the inclusions balance the sweetness a little. The peanuts are firm and well-flavoured. The shortbread-esque cookies shatter as you bite into them, providing a buttery not-too-sweet foil to the caster-sugar notes of the Dairy Milk. And then, throughout, the butterscotch-y toffee pieces and flecks of salt add an extra note of jazziness.
This block could have fuelled many a primary school sleepover, had it existed back when I wasn’t a quarter of a century old (ack!). Ultimately, that’s my take on these Marvellous Creations chocolates, as supported by my father: this is chocolate most likely to be enjoyed by kids, or adults with a serious sweet tooth. You know who you are.
Oh yes, I can just tell I would totally be grossed out by the first 2 chocolates (ew ew popping candy bits with chocolate? WRONG. Popping candy in general? WRONG). BUT I may be tempted by the last contribution…. just make it DARK chocolate and I would be sold
I know exactly what you mean, and I agree entirely. But Cadbury seems to have some sort of moral crusade against dark chocolate (even it’s “dark” chocolate is milk chocolate masquerading as dark, really).
I understand where you two are coming from, but I must say, my friend has one of the bars of the first kind for her lunch every day, and they are amazing!
I think there is a project team at Cadbury who have on their whiteboard – Convert Hannah. It’s an uphill battle…….The jewel encrusted pony may be able to do it. Love your work.
Bahahaha!! This made me laugh out loud; thank you Jo!
Heh, I’m still giggling.
I think we would share these rather well – I probably would like the peanut one but I don’t think it will come home lest Sylvia gets her hands on it – which makes me think that once upon a time it would have been a great bar for a midnight feast among primary school kids but these days would probably be forbidden given all the food allergies! I am sure I would prefer the jellies and popping candy (it is so weird I am always fascinated by it) though I suspect the jellies might have gelatine and not be veg
Because I am a crazy lady who takes photos of the backs of chocolate wrappers as well, I can tell you that the Jelly and Crunchie chocolate is made of: full cream milk, sugar, cocoa butter, cocoa mass, wheat glucose syrup, invert sugar, milk solids, thickener, emulsifiers, food acid, mineral salt, flavours, glazing agent, colours, hydrolised milk protein.
I can’t see gelatine there, but I’m not sure what the glazing agent would be?
My friends love these chocolates, including the popping candy one. I should try the peanut one, it sounds right up my alley.
And leave your friends the weird popping candy chocolate? Yes, that sounds like a plan to me
Ah, I got these samples too! Like you, I really liked the peanut/shortbread ones. I liked the popping candy one (popping candy doesn’t freak me out, lol) and was indifferent to the crunchy/jelly one. I was disappointed to find they don’t sell the peanut/shortbread ones here in the small bars. (Too dangerous to have a big block of that lying around!)
It seemed similar to a Nigella recipe, her Sweet and Salty crunchy nut bars, which I think I’ll try making around Christmas.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/nigella-lawson/sweet-and-salty-crunchy-nut-bars-recipe/index.html
xox Sarah
Aaaaah exactly!! My hand kept opening my work chocolate drawer without my even giving it permission, and then by the time I’d finished 2/3rd of the peanut toffee block my mind just gave up and said “what the hell; you’ve come this far!” and I just gobblegobbled. Sigh!
Oh Sarah no, why did you give me that link! I’m already knee-deep in dessert recipe testing for a friend; I can’t have more sweet temptations lying around! But it looks so gooooooood…
I want to try the popping candy after trying Max Brenner’s exploding chocolate shot last week. I love popping candy.
Ugh, I would’ve happily given you think block then!
I just this week forced Mr Bite into believing that he really, really needed to try the popping candy one
I actually think he could like it (although he has never experienced popping candy, so it could end badly if he feels the same about it as you!) but whilst I’m pretty certain I wouldn’t like these myself, I still can’t resist wanting *someone* to try a new chocolate range. We’ll see how he goes!
Bahahaha! You’re an odd one, no doubt, but then again so am I
Tell me what he thinks? I’m definitely in the minority so far when it comes to opinions of popping candy!
“Quite nice…really just like regular chocolate but with lollies and a slight tingling. I’ll finish the block.”
In other words, not stellar, but not terrible either
He also made the discovery that if you such the chocolate, the popping doesn’t occur until the chocolate reaches your throat. Apparently that burns.
*suck the chocolate! not such!
That’s exactly why I hate popping candy. It feels like it “hurts” in my throat. I’m envious that your Mr only gets that sensation by sucking the chocolat!. Even when I chew it, it feels like it’s hurting my throat. My mind can’t cope with it at all, really.
I can see my kids enjoying all these types of joyous chocolate bars but I don’t think it’s my thing – am I showing my age? I just like my chocolate to be a little more dark and a lot less stuffed with lollies and things that pop. Like you, my favourite I’m sure, would be the peanut – nuts are great in chocolate xx
In my humble opinion, I think that showing our age in this context is a good thing
I’m well-glad to be past the stage of wanting jelly beans in already-sickly-sweet chocolate!
I’m no Cadbury fan (particularly not of super-sweet, uber-cloying, I-need-four-glasses-of-water-per-square-of-chocolate Dairy Milk) but I have to admit *shifty eyes* I ate an entire block of that peanut toffee cookie one just the other day. The other ones didn’t appeal to me when I saw them in the supermarket, but in my worn-down, eat-as-much-sugar-and-fat-as-possible, food-is-my-coping-mechanism-when-I’m-writing-my-thesis state, I seriously just went at that peanut toffee cookies thing like my life depended on it. I would even consider buying it again, although I can’t imagine wanting to eat it at any time other than when I’m stressed and up against a deadline and my dietary choices become incredibly dodgy.
Yes! YES EXACTLY! If you swap “thesis deadline” for “insane all-consuming work stress deadlines”, then this comment of yours exactly represents my feelings and experience, down to the “I just ate the entire block myself and feeling slightly sick yet am still considering buying more” craziness.
Sometimes, you just have to accept that cloying-sugar-and-fat are necessary to getting through the day. High five, my friend.
I’ve never been a Cadbury fan though I confess to lots of Caramello Bears when I was a kid!
Caramello Koalas!! Oh, you just brought back memories of sneakily trying to eat, during SOSE lessons, the King Size Caramello Koalas that kids sold in high school. Sticky bellies!
I have tried and loved all of these my friend, without a doubt the peanut brittle is the best
It must have felt pretty darn awesome to wake up one morning and suddenly voila, there was a package from Joyville ready to take you to chocolate heaven
Cheers
CCU
My workmates thought I was in direct contact with Joyville, actually. In the space of two days, boxes from Cadbury, Lindt, and Skinny Cow Ice Cream were all delivered to me at the office
How does one not like popping candy??!!!!! Greatest food ever IMO. In chocolate or not! Haha
Teehee, each to their own! At least this means more popping candy for you, right?
I’ve try the jellybean and popping candy one but found it odd to have chewy bits in it.. messed with my mouth a bit lol I think the peanut one is more my kind of chocolate bar
That’s because peanuts win at life.
The ribbon was perfect for g’pa’s gift. I love the look of the marvellous creations block – it looks like a cobbled pavement and I love those (though they are probably about as fun to walk on as this was to break into pieces). Still, pretty!
Cobbled pavements make me thinking of wandering around Oxford listening to musicals on my iPod in the clear crisp morning, so thank you, Mum! You’ve given me happy memories
Teehee, I was happier before Grandpa asked where I got the ribbon from
I LOVE YOU
I AM IN TOWN THIS WEEK
CALL ME
Work is crazy!! How long are you here for? Maybe I could duck out for an hour to see you one day? x
How funny – we had some Aussie friends over for dinner (they live/work here as well) but their two older uni-attending daughters were over to visit and they were raving about these three blocks.
Perhaps I’m homesick or decidedly less averse to popping candy, but I’d inhale them all. I *love* the crazy shapes and would give kudos to Cadbury for embracing the fun side. After all, how serious can Dairy Milk be?
That’s my sense, too. Even if I don’t actually adore Cadbury chocolate, I’m really glad that there’s at least one company prepared to create new and interesting flavours with their chocolate. I’m so sick of the humdrum nature of Australian chocolate!
Plus, I’d totally eat the peanut toffee one again. The crazy shapes made it easy to eat in large quantities, too. “I’ll just have two more little squares… oh wait, four enormous oblongs/triangles have broken off? Well, what can you do?”
I really wish Cadbury chocolate wasn’t so sweet. I just can’t get into it!
It makes my throat burn. I think that’s why I didn’t mind the peanut one; the peanuts weren’t sweet!
I probably won’t like it then. That said, I do like the way they’ve arranged all the pieces! Too cute!
Yes, I think you’d be best steering clear of these chocolates, my savoury-minded friend!
Haha, I love the comment about the shape! I can imagine it crumbling every where due to it’s un-uniform (is that even a word?! Doesn’t look right!) shape. The peanut one sounds good though. I’m a peanut fan too.
It’s a sneaky ploy to get us to keep eating, the crumbling!
Ha ha, I’ve had the thought for a while “Surely she wouldn’t review the Marvellous Creations blocks, as she’d have nothing flattering to say”!
Perhaps the peanut toffee block caught you at a weak moment.
I’ve never had popping candy, but food moving around my mouth of its own accord doesn’t sound too appealing.
It was a weak moment. It was during the 119-hour work fortnight that I honestly can’t remember. June was a blur, and at some point during it I binged on peanut toffee Cadbury. What can you do?
I confess that even at my ripe old age I’ve been known to inhale blocks of popping candy chocolate (yes, my husband too and yes, we sit there grinning like 3 year olds while our mouths crackle like crazy).
I have to say that the only 1 of those chocolate bars that have even tempted me was the last one you reviewed. Sadly, whenever I have a block of milk chocolate handy I inevitably end up eating it all in a few small hours (and then spend the rest of they day feeling violently ill and regretting the fact that I have no self control).
I agree, if cadbury put the peanut toffee cookie flavours into a dark chocolate bar they might just have me……….until then I’m wary of dropping a hefty $5 on something I probably won’t like that much.
In truth, so far I’m the only one I know who hates popping candy; everyone else thinks it’s fun. I’m the odd one out
The peanut toffee definitely made me feel nauseous after eating the majority of it in one day. But I was already feeling terrible, so it didn’t matter too much!
I really appreciate that you wrote a serious review for such a silly chocolate. And that you were able to find the good in something that is so obviously not your style. Classy.
I’ve always been one classy broad. Particularly the time I… wait. That story cannot be written on this blog. That’s a story for late night drinking together.
So I shall shush my typing fingers and simply say thank you. I refrained from calling the chocolate devil spawn this time
This is all very Willy Wonka. I can picture you running a chocolate factory in similar fashion in your later years:) It would be lovely and fantastic. I can see how fun it would be for me to visit, until I accidentally let slip something about my love of orange chocolate. Then up a tube or down a chute I’d go, never to return.
Oh no, Emma! You’re not a bad nut, so even an orange slip-up wouldn’t tip you into the sewer or cause you to be televiseported into a mini version of yourself at my Hannah Wonka Factory of Wonderment.
Actually, I wouldn’t mind having a pocket-sized Emma to take with me everywhere.
I’d be willing as long as I’d get to kick an oversized gummy bear first!
I think you should kick an oversized SOUR gummy bear so that you end up showered in sugar crystals!
You’d think that Cadbury could have worked out that you wouldn’t like these. I knew you wouldn’t. I immediately thought of you when I first saw them in the supermarket, and giggled. I have tried one of the non-peanut ones. I found it awful. My 11 year old son though quite likes them, and will request the smaller bars of it on occasion when being bribed with small bars of supermarket chocolate- heh, it works. Glad you liked the peanut one at least.
Oh and that the ribbon was useful. I was eyeing off the ribbon too.
Louise, I always giggle when Cadbury contacts me too. Dear heavens. Got to give them points for continuing to try!
Perhaps if they’d offered me these 15 years ago…
My friend visited me fom Australia and brought a bar of the Marvelous creations with popping candy, jelly and smarties and I LOVED it! Can we get it here in the UK?
Hi Kirsty, unfortunately as I’m in Australia, I have no idea if Cadbury sells this in the UK! Perhaps look at their website for a contact address, and send them an email?
Ok thanks, I have done that
I looked at that first one and wondered, “What on earth are jelly popping candy beanies?” I’m glad to learn that’s not actually one thing.
I would cry for humanity if they were.
I found that I only liked the popping candy ones, the jelly crunchier bits were odd and just seemed not right. The peanut once I had issues with because I don’t really like peanut butter and I thought it tasted similar. Part of the whole issue was the shapes of the pieces I mean how are you supposed to break it up?.
The popping candy ones I have to admit I liked because of the reminders of magical elves, the smarties were fine, but the jelly beans were odd in their texture in comparison with the rest.
Jessica, your thoughts on the shape are exactly the same as my friend Fiona’s! I love how different everyone’s tastes are with these; clearly I’ll never like the popping candy one because I don’t like popping candy, just like you with peanut butter. At least we agree on the weird texture of the jellybeans in chocolate though?
what is wrong with all of you :O this is the most magnificent chocolate i have ever tasted it is sooooo tasty and interesting and unique i give it full marks for sure!
Laura, perhaps it’s a good thing that many of us don’t like some of these flavours. More for you, right?
This is a stupid review. It’s based on personal preference and your spastic friend who doesn’t like the shape? Wtf!
Morons.
Well, yes, this is my chocolate review blog, so the review are going to be based on my personal opinion. Also, my friend is gorgeous and wonderful. I’m sorry this upsets you.