JELL-O Strawberry Sundae Pudding

So here I am again, poised over the old laptop with a pudding cup in my hand. The last one was kind of like a Gigi Scooby Snack. I did not have to be asked twice to scarf that puppy. But this one...



Part of it is that, honestly, I am not a huge fan of most things strawberry. But that's only part of it. The other part is that the top layer is color that I could see my eleven-year-old nephew loving simply because it resembles nothing in nature. Still I do like sundaes, and this flavor is supposed to have a bottom layer that tastes like strawberry ice cream, with the top layer like strawberry ice cream topping.



It's the top layer that is a lurid shade of pink most often found in lower budget nail polishes...and what I imagine it would look like if Barbie could bleed. This cup, much like on the S'more cup, also features different textures in the different layers. In this case the top layer is very fluid--like ice cream topping can be. It's very smooth, and texture-wise I liked it.

Flavorwise, it has that super-exaggerated strawberry flavor that kids seem to love. I got through it, but it reminded me of kids' vitamins (I did in fact have strawberry-shaped vitamins as a child, and this made me think of them. So if nothing else it gets a nostalgia point.)



The bottom layer is a paler (and less terrifying) pink shade that does in fact resemble strawberry ice cream. The texture was super thick and smooth. Also, the flavor was much, much closer to real strawberry. I know it is supposed to be like strawberry ice cream, but it reminded me more of strawberry yogurt, though without the yogurty tang. On its own it was actually pretty tasty.

So what happens when you mix the two layers? Like a speech I twice got from my parents, sometimes people (or foods in this case) can still love each other, but they just can't live together anymore. Seriously, I could see kids knocking each other down to get to these cups. Me...not so much. I couldn't get over that super strong first layer. I think it completely overpowers the "ice cream" layer. Which is too bad, because I ended up loving the texture of that layer, and I even got to like the flavor the more I ate. It's just together...well, as I said, not so much.

Granted, this flavor really is geared more towards kids, and maybe I am just too old of a cranky cat lady to appreciate it. But I will be sticking with the S'mores.



Be sure to check our Marvo's reviews at:
The Impulsive Buy

PURCHASED FROM:
Sample From Company

CALORIES:
110 Calories per cup

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
kraftbrands.com

JELL-O S'more Pudding Snack

I may have said this a million times or two, but there will never be enough products with marshmallow in this world for me. I love everything about them. I love them "raw" (a.k.a just out of the bag), I love them roasted, and I especially love them burned to a post-eruption lava like crisp.

When the kind folks at JELL-O offered to let me try a pudding with marshmallow, I just about erupted myself. And just in case the FTC is reading this--while yes, I did get this pudding for free, I am not so shallow as to allow myself to be bribed by things with free marshmallows in them. It takes slightly more than that buy my allegiance. (Note to people who may want to bribe me: I only said SLIGHTLY more than that.) So why do I have the feeling that now the FTC is going to sic their own version of Men in Black on me? Anyway, on to the review...



The JELL-O S'more pudding cup consists of two layers. The bottom portion is a chocolate flavored with graham cracker, and the top is marshmallow flavored. The two layers are also differently textured.



The marshmallow layer: OH EM GEE! First, I love that they made this layer with the "mousse" texture, à la the Temptations line. Yes, I love that entire line...and having a marshmallow version only makes it better. The flavor is close to that of a toasted marshmallow. It seemed a little malty to me (but I liked that). Here's what's kinda odd, though: even though the graham crackers are in the chocolate layer, you can actually taste them more in the marshmallow layer. Go figure, huh? But it was still a very nice flavor, so that's not a complaint. As far as I am concerned, I could skip the chocolate and just have an entire cup (or vat) of this.



But there is still that chocolate graham layer waiting below for me, like a sea of dense, dark water--you know that sounds kind of scary--like a bad Shark Week trailer--oh, wait! Let's run with that! Maybe we can somehow work in a cross-promo with the Discovery Channel, where I talk about sharks while reviewing the pudding by eating it off of...oops, duh, I meant eating it with, yes with, Mike Rowe. Silly readers, how dare you think I had my mind in the gutter! Granted, I am mayor of the gutter, but I hardly see where that matters. We are supposed to be talking about pudding here, right? And sadly, it is Mike Rowe-free pudding. What did you say? Okay, fine, have it your way, I will get back to work on this review. Sheesh.

So, before my mind took its perv detour, we were starting to talk about the chocolate layer. And so we shall.

Unlike its best friend the marshmallow layer, which is mousse textured, the chocolate layer is the classic smooth and creamy style of pudding. On its own the chocolate seems to be not quite as infused with graham cracker flavor as the marshmallow layer, but you can tell it's there. I actually think it works better that the chocolate is the stronger flavor in this layer. It keeps things from being too sweet, and I like the contrast in textures. That said, I do think it would have been even better to have a layer of actual graham cracker crumbs in the cup. That would have been pretty tasty.

Now that I have talked about the layers separate, how are they together?

I have no idea how this is even possible, but the layers together reminded me more of a rum ball then of a S'more. I doubt kids would ever pick that up, but it may be an extra selling point for the grown ups (and right now the JELL-O people are probably wondering why the hell they ever let me near a sample). It's a delicious combo either way. And again, I would love to see the marshmallow layer get its own dedicated cup.



Also check out reviews by:
The Impulsive Buy
Foodette Reviews

PURCHASED FROM:
Sample From Company

CALORIES:
110 Calories per cup

OFFICIAL WEBSITE
kraftbrands.com

Mousse Temptations by JELL-O: Chocolate Mint Pudding...AND A JELL-O MOUSSE CONTEST!!

Is there anything better than pudding? OK, yes, there may be a few things better than pudding...but you'd really have to do some serious thinking to come up with them.

Last year when JELL-O launched the Mousse Temptations line, I was lucky enough to be among the first to get a sneak taste. This year, JELL-O has added a new flavor to the line-up: Chocolate Mint Sensation. And once again, they were awesome enough to send me some to try.



I love the texture of the Mousse Temptations puddings. As you've probably noticed, texture is where sugar-free/fat-free puddings often fail, even when the taste is acceptable. But that's not a problem here at at all. They're whipped and airy, and just all around smooth. Maybe this is what eating a chocolate flavored cloud would be like...

OK, we know the texture is good. But how does it taste?

Well, first the aroma: I like that the scent is mostly chocolate with just a hint of mint. I was worried it would be overwhelmingly minty...but I need not have been concerned.

As for the taste, it's terrific. JELL-O has also perfected the flavor of their sugar- and fat-free puddings to the point that it's hard to tell them by flavor alone from their sugar sweetened, full-fat counterparts.

Tastewise, it's a nice deep cocoa flavor. (I am pretty sure it uses the Dark Chocolate flavor as a base). The mint flavor is pleasantly mild. You certainly taste it -- it's brisk and clean and leaves your mouth feeling cool. But at the same time there's no sense that it's toothpastey or medicinal.



Overall, it was quite good. The Dark Chocolate Decadence is still my favorite, but this flavor is definitely comes in next!

AND NOW FOR THE REALLY EXCITING PART...THE CONTEST!!

Yep, YOU can win some yummy JELL-O Mousse...and not just a teeny little taste, but a whole happy lot of it! The good folks over at JELL-O are so nice that they want one of my lucky readers to try not only this new flavor...but also the Dark Chocolate Decadence, the Chocolate Indulgence, and the sugar free Chocolate and Chocolate-Vanilla puddings as well!

Yep, that is a whopping five packs of pudding! And with six individual cups per pack, that's a total of 30 servings of JELL-O Mousse Temptations joy! Really, what more could one want? I dunno about you...but personally if it's a choice between world peace and winning 30 servings of über-delicious JELL-O mousse, I'd be seriously torn.



So what do you have to do to enter and win? Good question!

All you have to do is leave a comment in this post telling about your favorite JELL-O pudding flavor. (It doesn't matter which variety, nor whether it's the kind you make yourself or one of the snack pack flavors). The contest will be open until midnight PST, October 9th, 2010, and the winner will be announced Monday October 11th 2010. See the rules below!

The winner will be asked to submit their email address via a comment (don't worry, it will NOT be published), so that I can contact them for mailing information. Your information will be shared ONLY with Hunter P.R., which will be shipping the winner their prize directly.

Rules and other important contest info:

* The contest is open to U.S. residents only. (My apologies to my Canadian and overseas friends.)

* Only one entry per person.

* The winner will be chosen by me at random by whatever means I find amusing at the moment -- quite likely by some method involving cats.

* The winner will have until October 19th to contact me, or a new winner will be picked.

* Again, the winner's shipping information will NOT be posted, and will be shared ONLY with Hunter P.R, which will be shipping the prize package directly to the winner.

Good luck!!



PURCHASED FROM:
Sample From Company

CALORIES:
60 calories per cup.

ADDITIONAL INFO:
Sugar free.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE:
kraftfoods.com

Mousse Temptations by JELL-O: Dark Chocolate Decadence

WOOHOO! There are new Jell-O products out!

Is it sad that this fact may prove to be the highlight of my week? Well, you know what? I don't care! It's not chocolate pudding, it's chocolate mousse!



And I think we all know that mousse is the dessert of the gods. The Jell-O version is also sugar free and comes in at only 60 calories. You know what else? I wouldn't care if it came in at six hundred calories; it is just that good!

Dark Chocolate Decadence has a deep flavor that is best described as raw devil's food cake batter (the other food of the gods). It's a strong cocoa flavor that has a little milky essence to it. Yet, because the dark chocolate holds its own so well, it's nearly impossible to tell that this is a sugar free dessert.



The texture is very light, whipped and airy. It is a bit denser than a true mousse would be...but ignore that. The whipped texture may be the best thing that has ever happened to sugar free dessert. I say that because while I happen to like the "regular" sugar-free chocolate Jell-O pudding, there is difference in the mouthfeel compared to "normal" sugar-sweetened, full fat pudding (the regular is not as creamy, and tends to make your mouth feel a little oily). But all you get with the whipped version is angelic, fluffy happiness.

I liked these so much that I did something I never do over the course of writing a review: I ate two containers in a row! (Which kinda makes the low calorie count a moot point, but I can live with that. I can live very happily with it, thank you very much!)

Just go to the store and get yourself a box right now, then come back here and thank me...I'll wait. Because I know that once you taste it, you won't take long.

This is so good, in fact, that I am bringing back the rating that started it all!:




PURCHASED FROM:
Sample From Company

Cold Stone Creamery Jell-O Chocolate Pudding Ice Cream

If there are two things I love in life, they are Cold Stone Creamery ice cream and Jell-O pudding.



Well, it's as if the fine people at Cold Stone read my mind and made my own little food fantasies come true! Cold Stone and Jell-O pudding in one cup?! That phrase is almost as dear to my flinty little heart as "New Barry Manilow Album!"

Cold Stone offers two Jell-O pudding flavors: Butterscotch and Chocolate. Maybe it was just lazy of me, but I went with the chocolate (although I did have a taste spoon of the Butterscotch, and I will get a real portion and review it soon).



I decided to get the signature creation that was made for this flavor: it's called "Chocolate-y Goodness," and it is made with peanut butter, caramel and fudge.

The problem with most fantasies is that if they do come true, they tend to let you down...kinda the way most new Manilow albums turn out to be covers rather than new material. (Barry, I swear, if your next album is "Songs of the 90s," I will do something horrible enough to make the tabloids.) And sadly, this isn't an exception.

Just for a moment, let's forget the mix-ins and focus only on the ice cream itself. I loved the flavor. It does taste exactly like frozen chocolate Jell-O pudding. There is a very strong dairy flavor, and it's sweet. It's everything you would want a Jell-O ice cream to be. Good so far, right?

Wrong.



But, Gigi -- I hear you say -- if it tastes so good, then what is the problem?

The problem, my friends, is the texture. Of all the things I will go to my grave believing, high on the list will be the firm conviction that ice cream should NOT be chewy. And by chewy, I mean should not have the texture and consistency of an especially sticky booger. Laying in wait, hidden in the chocolaty depths, is something evil and unholy that causes the ice cream to have this bizarre, almost gelatinous texture. No real pudding, not even Jell-O brand, contains gelatin. So, unless Cold Stone altered the recipe and added gelatin, I can't begin to explain what could possibly account for the chewy, lumpy, snotty texture.

The Cold Stoner who made my pint for me told me he'd heard that if you let the ice cream warm to room temperature, it will become more like actual Jell-O pudding. Being the little amateur Alton Brown that I am, I could not resist performing that experiment in the name of pure science...and I can tell you he was right! If you do allow the ice cream to come to room temp, it does in fact seem more like pudding, and the texture evens out a bit. Of course, by that point, why would you go through the trouble when you could buy or make pudding a lot easier and cheaper than seeking out and buying the Cold Stone version? Kinda defeats the purpose.

I do want to say that the mix-ins in the Chocolate-Y Goodness were in fact pretty good with this flavor. Admittedly, I may be biased because I have recently fallen in love with "fresh" peanut butter in ice cream. But all three toppings, simple as they were, tasted pretty darn good. It's just not good enough to make up for that hideous garden slug texture.

This is another of those items that was initially hard to rate, because the flavor was just so good, despite the shortcomings otherwise. But in the end, it's impossible to ignore that nauseating mucus-like consistency, and that is what ultimately killed any chance for a decent rating.



Edited to add that Marvo reviewed both flavors and seemed to like them much more then I did- and he took the Alton Brown angle to a much cooler extreme!

PURCHASED FROM:
Cold Stone Creamery

Jell-O Sugar Free Pudding- Cinnamon Roll

Even here in SoCal where we seem to have had a never ending summer I think I will have to pull out my finest Cosby sweater to snack on some Jell-o pudding.
I love the thought of cinnamon pudding. Why isn't it a popular flavor?

The Jell-o Cinnamon Roll pudding has two layers. The first is supposed to be like the icing and the bottom is of course the cinnamon part. The top layer is sweet and does vaguely remind me of the icing off a Cinnabon.
What I really liked was the cinnamon layer. It actually reminded me of a really smooth and creamy version of the cinnamon sugar cream of wheat. It has the same mellow, sweet cinnamon- rather then a hot and spicy cinnamon. For a sugar-free fat-free snack it was pretty good!

I made pretty quick work of these!

Jell-O Instand Pudding- Pistachio

Now it is time to ask one of the great questions in life...
No, it is not why did they ever stop making Pudding Pop's (and yes, I know they did bring them back but they are not the same, these new ones are glorified fudgecicles)
The question is why is everything that is supposed to be pistachio flavored actually almond flavored? I don't get it. It would taste just as good if it was called almond flavor instead.

This pudding is (as you probably guessed) no exception to that rule. The flavor is best described as an edible version of Jergens Cherry-Almond hand cream... and oddly enough that is not a bad thing. The flavor is predominately a strong cherry-like almond with a bit of vanilla. There are surprisingly crunchy tiny pieces of almond.
I am not sure there is a natural flavor to be found in the bright minty green colored mix but it's probably as good as it is because of that. There is something comforting about this pudding. I think it's so good because it's so bad.

There is nothing redeeming about this pudding on some levels, it's not novel in any way. It certainly won't win you any Foodie bragging points (actually admitting to eating it may take some away) but it's one of those things that is so bad it's kind of good.

PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Jell-O Singles Chocolate

Every once and a while a new version of a popular product comes out that leaves me scratching my head and wondering "why?"
Jell-O Singles is a perfect example of that.

The product is made of single serve sleeves of powdered pudding that you add a half cup of cold milk to, mix for roughly 2 minutes and then let it sit for the next few minutes to let it set. And after all that you have a single serve bowl of pudding. Which begs the question, if you only want a single serving of pudding why not just grab a handy ready to go pudding cup? The serving size and calorie is about the same. Heck the cost is about the same but all you have to do is peel back the top and eat!

At first I thought maybe this would be aimed at the lactose intolerant or people who just prefer to use non-dairy milk. But the powder is made with milk and the directions advise against using soy milks because the pudding won't set.
I also thought that maybe it was for campers, hikers etc- but since you still need milk and there are non refrigerated single serve cups already out there (with no prep needed) I feel safe to say that wasn't the aim either.

The flavor is great! same chocolaty, rich flavor you expect from Jell-O pudding. It was a little lumpy but I think that was probably my fault.

All in all while the flavor was just as good as the pre-made cups or even if you made a larger batch from the box. I just don't get the point of this product. Honestly, it is easier and just as good to open one of the single serve cups then to make the the single packet.

PURCHASED FROM:
Albertsons Supermarket

Hostess Chocolate Pudding Pie

Anyone who knows me will tell you that I have an almost unnatural love for those little hostess fruit pies you find at gas stations & Kwik-E- Mart stores. There is just something about that glazed sugary crust and the gooey “fruit” fillings inside that I cannot resist. It’s like the food version of Hugh Jackman.


Anyway… when I saw the chocolate pudding version I had to snap it up!- C’mon! it’s the sugary crust AND chocolate pudding!. Sadly like most Hugh Jackman movies the outside of the package looked so much better then it’s contents (I still have not forgiven Hugh for “Someone Like You”- If I had been Ashley Judd and Hugh was walking about my apartment half naked for what seemed like 90% of the time you would not have found me whining and crying for about 99% of the time!)

Movie reviews aside (should I start adding movie reviews btw?) let’s talk about the pie.
The crust is still the best part. Sugary, as flaky as pocket pie crust can get, and just plain good. It’s the filling that is pure evil.

Oh it looks like chocolate, it sort of smells like chocolate but I don’t know where they got the taste from!
For obvious reasons I went in knowing that the filling would have to be a thicker pudding type filling rather then say the texture and consistency of a normal pudding cup. So when the filling was thick and sort of frosting like I was ok with that.
It’s the taste that killed me. The best way to describe it to you is to tell you to imagine the chocolate filling or frosting that is used on Pop Tarts- good so far right? (truth be told I like chocolate Pop Tarts) then add in the vilest envelope glue you have ever had. And THEN toss in some oily mocklate. And let me tell you folks the after taste lingers. I even thought maybe I got a bad one. Maybe it had just been sitting too long so I tried another one. Oh nooooo that apparently is how they are meant to taste.

Hostess WHY?! Why did you take something that could have been so good and make it so bad?


PURCHASED FROM:
2 Truck stops along I-40 in different states.

Kozy Shack Chocolate Pudding

I have always eyed the tubs of Kozy Shack pudding that share a case with my beloved Jello brand with suspension

When I really like something I tend to be very brand loyal and pre-made pudding is one of those products that are either pretty good or pretty vile. And there is no nice way to say this but with the exception of Swiss Miss products (and not even all of those) non Jello brand pre-made pudding tends to be merely bad on a good day.
Yesterday at the Mega Mart my mother was browsing the pudding section and going on about how great Kozy Shack pudding is. I decided that maybe this once Mother did in fact know best and a tub of Kozy chocolate pudding made it into the basket.

What I should have remembered is that when it comes to food I should never listen to my Mother.

I knew I was not in for a good ride when I opened the tub to portion out a couple of spoonfuls. I gave it a good stir and unhappily noted that to serve the pudding it would be more like pouring then scooping.
One of the things I like about Jello pudding is the thickness. You can hold a spoonful of jello pudding upside down and if it is properly chilled (as I prefer it) the pudding will stick to the spoon. The Kozy Shack is runnier and thiner. Watery is actually the first word that came to mind.

The texture:
Like I am sure you are expecting by now was also on the lame side. It does have a cool, smooth mouth feel but there is no creamy richness, no weight. It's kinda like the bastard step-brother of chocolate milk and a good chocolate milk shake. Not thin enough to be chocolate milk, not thick enough to be a milk shake. Instead it just puddles on the spoon. Like a horny teenager on a bad date you know it is going to go straight to your hips without the illusion of doing anything for you, but you humor it anyway in the hopes it will prove you wrong.

The taste:
Well it's chocolate... No, seriously the flavor is not bad. Kozy Shack uses Dutch Chocolate and it does have a deep, rich cocoa taste. The addition of cinnamon and a pinch of cayenne would probably make it down right tasty. If it had some decent body this pudding might surpass Jello. But alas...

Overall it could have been a lot worse but I am still sticking to Jello.