Mr Kipling's Lemon & Orange Fancies

"The much-loved family favorites, 8 Lemon & Orange Fancies are back by popular demand as this winning combination continues to ensure the kids are kept content and all those chocoholics make a detour down the cake aisle!"

What we thought: When I was little I would eat French fancies methodically. First I would bite off the icing and fondant on top, then make my way around the icing on the sides until left with the sponge. I would lick off any remaining icing and fondant before swallowing the sponge whole. I was transported back to my childhood with these delicious treats and I ate this orange edition in the same way. The icing was pleasant without being too sweet and the sponge was light and fluffy. Rather tasty.

Burnt Sugar Original Crumbly Fudge
What we thought: Designed for sharing, this bucketful of fudge is perfect feast food amongst friends. Just as fudge should be, it was crumbly but not messy, sweet but not overly sickly. The sugar doesn't feel grainy or crunchy and the bite-sized chunks simply melt in your mouth. As pieces are broken up by hand, our top tip is to make sure you get there first for a big chunk! And with no artificial colourings, flavourings or preservatives, this fudge is as healthy as it gets...

Mr Kipling's Orange and Lemon Chequers

"Mr. Kipling's 10 Orange & Lemon Mini Chequers are a much-anticipated addition to the Easter range. Each individual serving binds together fresh citrus flavours into a soft quartered sponge cake, which is then delicately encased in an orange and lemon covering. These melt in your mouth creations are the perfect alternative to a chocolate bunny and are sure to be a hit with the children. "

What we thought: A twist on the traditional Battenburg. Purists may not be happy to see the winning combination tampered with but if you like a citrus burst this one is for you.

Kate's Cakes - Dairy Free Granola Bar
Fruits, nuts and cereals bound together with honey. The mixture is carefully stirred to keep a light, open texture. No refined sugar or fats have been used and it's completely dairy free.

What we thought: It's a rare treat to experience a sweet yet fulfilling flapjack that doesn't include any dairy products. Kate's cakes are fantastic and their dairy free granola bar is certainly not a compromise. I just wish more cake makers would take a leaf out of Kate's book.
Available at a select range of stockists. Please see their website for further information.

Kate's Cakes - Millionaire Slice
A rich, all butter shortbread with a luxurious caramel layer, topped with thick milk chocolate. The caramel is melted to an exact temperature and poured onto our special recipe shortbread.br/ >
What we thought: Not too sweet or sickly and a perfect combination of textures. The shortbread base is a perhaps a little too crumbly to eat on the move but it's a very good sized slice for a yummy afternoon munch!
Available at a select range of stockists. Please see their website for further information.

New Highlights Cake Bars

Just 95 calories per bar and contain 3.4 grams of fat. Light, moist sponge cakes encased in smooth Cadbury's chocolate, what more could a girl ask for!

What we though: We loved them. Far too easy to east and far too tasty. I really don't think that you can tell there's pm 95 calories. Definelty doesn't feel like you're missing out. The prefect guilt-free treat.
. Available now in your local supermarket priced at only £1.55 for a pack of five bars.

Green & Black's Miniature Collection

"..a selection of our favourite Green & Black's luxury organic chocolate bar falvours, in miniature sizes, beautifully packages into a gift box set."

What we liked: Fantastic selection that would be perfect for a family at Christmas or indeed as a treat. Gorgeous packaging and the bars are thicker than I thought they would be. A great range of fantastic tasting chocolates that never disappoint.
What we weren't too keen on: Nothing I can think of - perhaps there aren't enough of them!
Reviewed October 2006.

Also available online from the Green & Black's website.

Hotel Chocolat - Signature Egg

"You might like to take a seat before you crack into these extra thick 72% dark and 40% milk chocolate shells. Nestled inside are some beautifully hand decorated champagne and liqueur truffle eggs filled with soft ganaches of kir royale, marc de champagne, bellini, kirsch, whisky, calvados, rum, amaretto, tiramisu and much more. A truly exceptional egg straight from the top drawer. "

What we thought: I'd love to recieve this as a gift, it's so indulgent and will definetly make the reciever feel very special. The presentation of the egg is excellent and once openend can sit in its plastic holder so as to avoid any of the cholocoates inside coming loose.

Now onto the chocolate. I am already and avid fan and love the quality of the cocoa beans, but the different varieties of flavours and types of chocolate really give a hotel chocolat virgin a good taster (very literally!) All the chocolates contained within the egg are alcoholic, so not for the little ones, however I'm sure they'd love to dig into the milk chocolate half of the egg. Me, I prefer dark, and luckily the other half satisfied my needs. All-in-all I love this range and I can only hope you get sent or given one this Easter.

miYim bunny from Corgi - Herbet

miYim has two rabbits to choose from. Molly has her own story book and long arms, perfect for hugging, while Herbert comes in spring yellow and has a puppet pocket on his back for kids who want to make a show of their new toy.

No chemicals, pesticides or herbicides are used in the cultivation of miYim's cotton and a unique PureWaterWash process uses plants and minerals to produce the bright colours. The resulting variance means that no two toys are ever the same, making each character a truly individual gift.

What we thought when tested out on 14 month old Molly: The toys are beautifully presented snugly in a recycled cardboard box, with words such as organic and natural branded all over it. Initial thoughts were that this was a kind, caring and safe product not only to kids but to the environment which is a great marketing approach.

I was concerned that with all the natural and unbleached materials the MiYim toy would not be very soft and cuddly, however I was wrong.

I looked at the rest of the range that MiYim have on their very easy to use website and they are all unique and beautiful characters. I felt that "Herbert" was perhaps in need of some colour and appeared to be the plainest of the MiYim range. I always feel that children's toys should be vibrant however this one is pale yellow and in need of a colour infusion.

The toys have been very well sown together and I was more than comfortable that it was suitable for my destructive toddler. There aren't any washing instructions on the label attached though.

Kate's Cakes - Brownie Point

Earn brownie points with this bite sized chocolate treat. We add melted chocolate for pure indulgence and finish each brownie with a generous covering of chocolate pieces.

What we thought: This brownie is divine. A real chocoholics feast and less calories than the usual slice. It's not too dry or crumbly and easy to eat (of course!) The perfect afternoon treat. We'll be buying more of these.
Available at a select range of stockists. Please see their website for further information.

Chinasearch Tea cup Candles

"Traditional English style is currently enjoying a return to fashion and Chinasearch has created the perfect touch of retro-chic in the shape of a wonderful range of china tea cup candles."

What we liked: This antique tea cup and saucer brings back fond memories of my grandmother's old china collection. The idea of filling a traditional tea cup with a candle is such an original way of giving these pieces of unused or discontinued separates a new lease of life. Given their delicate nature, as you would expect they arrived very well packaged and fully in tact. Once the candle has fully melted, be sure to re-use the vintage tea cups in their original state to inject a little "retro-chic" into your home! The available patterns make this a wonderfully unusual and elegant gift for mothers, grandmothers or anyone who likes to see items recycled for modern day living.

What we didn't like: Not that this is a criticism but it would be nice if the candles were scented.

Reviewed January 2007.

Multree pure silk duvet

"A silk duvet from Multree can change your world by transforming the way you sleep."

What we liked: I love it. It is pure luxury and indulgence and as we spend a huge amount of time in bed it really is worth the money and I can see it lasting a long time. Being 100% pure silk, it is 100% hypo-allergienic, which is perfect for people with asthma, skin and dust allergies as well as allergic rhynitis. I tested the spring/summer version but you will need the thicker version for winter. I'll be investing in the pillows and bedding for sure.
What we weren't so keen on: Not a lot although it did take me a short while to get used to the feel of silk so it may not be to some peoples liking.
Reviewed November 2006

Summerdown chocolate peppermint creams
"Packaged in a gorgeous minty green box, the new 'Summerdown Pure Mint' is available in Harvey Nichols as well as all good fine food stores nationwide, priced from around £4.95 for a 200g box."

What we liked: Each mint chocolate is big and filled full of delicious peppermint fondant. You really can taste the natural peppermint flavouring too. They would make a great gift to take along to a dinner party.
What we weren't so keen on: Not a lot. Perhaps a bit more expensive than a pack of After Eight Mints.
Reviewed November 2006

HOPE BY RONAN
For Women: Hope By Ronan is a warm and inviting fragrance, based upon musk and amber, creating a cocooning, sensual experience. A unique blend of garden herbs and flowers, designed to raise the spirits and make the wearer feel confident and alluring. An ideal gift that has the added benefit of making her feel great even when Valentine's Day is over.

What we thought: A lovely fruity and refeshing smell that comes from the jasmine and garden herbs. It could be worn during the day or combined with its body lotion for a more intense smell for the evening. I think it appeals to all ages as it has a timeless quality to it.
Hope by Ronan contains a 50ml Eau de Parfum and a 200ml body lotion priced at £24. Stockists include Superdrug and www.starscents.com

Wine Course in a Box
"The Wine Course in a Box is the perfect gift and will enable you to take the mystery out of wine tasting and take your gourmet education to the next level."

What we liked: This product is a wonderful idea for corporate gifts or for the person who's always wanted to sound more knowledgeable when it comes to choosing and drinking wine. At £99 and available in either a white or red wine version, this is a reasonably priced gift and contains 6 bottles of wine, 6 tasting glasses, a corkscrew as well as other useful wine tasting tools. It arrived very well packed and all in tact. (if anything is damaged, they do say they will offer a replacement). Best used when there's a couple of you, it made for a very entertaining and educational (!) evening with friends - and the more you drink the more vocal and opinionated you seem to become about the wine you're drinking. The glossary of terms provided are very useful, helping you to describe the wine eloquently and knowledgably and the pocket wine wheel made going wine shopping more bearable. The best element of this wine course, I think, are the 10 "smells" (or "wine aroma profiles") which have definitely helped to train my nose to recognise the different elements in a wine and help you identify certain tastes.
What we disliked: Nothing really, but we would recommend making copies of the tasting notes provided before you start - that way you can re-use the kit to sample further wines in the future.
Reviewed December 2007

Kate's Cakes- Chocolate Orange Brownie
An indulgent chocolate brownie with a zesty hint of orange. Each brownie is hand sprinkled with Belgian chocolate chunks.

What we thought: For anyone who suffers from a problem with gluten or wheat then these are a nice treat. If you didn't know it was a gluten-free product you wouldn't be able to guess as there is no difference in taste or texture with a normal sort of brownie. It has a slightly orangey taste which doesn't overwhelm the chocolate - and nice chunks of Belgian chocolate. It really means anyone with a restricted diet can feel a bit spoiled.
Available at a select range of stockists. Please see their website for further information.

Chinasearch Cake Stands
Chinasearch is "Europe's largest china matching and replacement service" and your best chance at finding replacement pieces. In association with up and coming artist Alice Wigley, Chinasearch has produced a range of limited edition cake stands like the one pictured.

What we liked: I absolutely adore this cake stand. This model had 3 tiers (although other sizes are available) and standing tall at just over a foot, this cake stand felt solidly made and less delicate than you might expect. The tiers didn't wobble when items were placed on them and the silver handle running through the middle gave it a stylish edge and made it comfortable to transport.
I was very impressed with the packaging on delivery - given it's delicate nature, it came bubblewrapped to within a millimetre of it's life which was a relief.
Entirely unique and the kind of china table wear your grandmother used to use on special occasions, this is a wonderfully modern centrepiece when entertaining - great for Christmas parties, dinner parties and of course, Sunday afternoon tea with the family. Certain to be the talking point whenever it's used, the idea that it feels like a very individual designer piece makes you feel proud to own one - and at affordable prices, you don't need to stop at just one. I have to say, I'm very tempted to invite some friends around for tea and cakes - tiered of course!
What we disliked: Couldn't fault it!
Reviewed November 2006.