Dr. Oetker Fun Foods Choco Fudge Spread

Suddenly, everyone seems to be following Nutella's lead and making chocolate spreads. Once the monopoly of the Italian brand, now the market is surging with spreads from brands like Pillsbury, Hintz and now Dr. Oetker Fun Foods. Dr. Oetker is over a century-old family-run business, based in Germany. Today, the company is massive in its product range, turnover and global presence. Dr. Oetker entered India in 2007 and in 2008, it took over Fun Foods, a major purveyor of Western cuisine in India.

Hintz copied Nutella's concept by making a hazelnut-chocolate spread, while Pillsbury stuck to plain chocolate. Dr. Oetker Fun Foods tries a different idea by making a Chocolate Fudge Spread.

For those who aren't sure what exactly a fudge is, Wikipedia defines it as "...a type of Western confectionery, which is usually soft, sweet and rich. It is made by mixing sugar, butter, and milk, heating it to the soft-ball stage at 240 °F (116 °C) and then beating the mixture while it cools so that it acquires a smooth, creamy consistency."

And this spread does taste and feel a lot like fudge.

Compared to Nutella, the spread has a thicker consistency and no oil floating on the top. While the lack of visible oil is a good thing, I wonder how long the product will retain its consistency. It's the palm oil in the other spreads that keep it soft for a long time. Newly opened, the product spreads well and tastes nice, although it won't give you foodgasms like the number one chocolate spread in the world.

A 350g jar costs INR 129, which makes it quite reasonable. It's a good product to try, and goes well with all manner of bread.

RATING: 3/5

Hintz Chocolate Hazelnut Spread

There's very little to glean from their basic, unpretentious website, but here's what Hintz is all about. A German company, based in Bremen, Hintz has been producing food (and non food) products for over 25 years. They export products like Cocoa, Coffee, Drinking Chocolate, Honey, Jam, etc. to many countries the world over and are known for their quality. I recently spotted a Hazelnut Chocolate Spread by them, and wanted to know how it would fare as compared to the formidable Nutella.

Turns out the Hintz Chocolate Hazelnut Spread is as good if not better than Nutella. Before Nutella fanatics scream 'SACRILEGE', let me help you compare the products:

1. Packaging - Hintz comes in a glass jar like Nutella, although the label design may not be as attractive
2. Price - Hintz is relatively cheaper than Nutella
3. Consistency - Hintz has the same creamy, smooth consistency as Nutella
4. Taste - Hintz has a taste very similar to Nutella with the perfect balance of Hazelnut and Chocolate; I think I prefer Hintz to Nutella

I make these points, having used this product for quite a while. It is oh-so-spreadable and goes wonderfully with breads, crepes, pancakes, dosas, and what you will. What's more, it dissolves very well in milk, thereby making beautiful chocolate milk/shake. It costs INR 225 for a 400g jar and is totally addictive. I recommend.


RATING: 3.75/5

Nutella Chocolate-Hazelnut Spread

What can I say about Nutella that the world does not already know? The chocolate spread comes from the house of Ferrero and was first made in the 1940s by Pietro Ferrero, a patisserie maker and one of the original founders of the company. To compensate for the cocoa shortage during the second World War, Ferrero started experimenting with chocolate products with additions like nuts. He used roasted hazelnuts and substituted cocoa butter with hydrogenated vegetable fat (palm oil) and eventually gave us the chocolate spread Nutella as we know it today. It was introduced in the market in 1964. Since then it has become insanely popular; so much so that people actually celebrate World Nutella Day on February 5.

Because the main ingredients of Nutella are sugar and palm oil (followed by hazelnuts, cocoa solids and skimmed milk), it is a rather unhealthy product to have at the breakfast table. Sample this bit of info from Wikipedia: Nutella contains 67% saturated fat and processed sugar by weight. A two-tablespoon (37 gram) serving of Nutella contains 200 calories, 11 grams of fat, 3.5 of which are saturated and 21 grams of sugar. To put that into perspective, a typical chocolate and nut candy bar has 250 to 300 calories and 12 to 16 grams of fat.

That said, I continue to buy my jars of Nutella pretty regularly like a million others, although I'm not a fan. Before I started this blog, I hadn't paid it much heed to it. It was only when I tried the Pillsbury Choco Spread for the blog did points of comparison start cropping up between it and Nutella. Apart from its taste, it is Nutella spreadability that makes it such a popular product. See how wonderfully it glides over a slice of bread or any other carb things you want to load up with chocolate!

Nutella is smooth, creamy, sweet and everything one can possibly want in comfort food. It is both very chocolaty and hazelnutty and makes it impossible for you to stop digging in that spoon and eating it straight off the jar - the gym be damned! Yes I do that even though I claim not to like it too much. Basically, there is no hope for those who actually do and will probably polish off this 180 g jar much sooner than I will.

RATING: 3.5/5

Pillsbury Choco Spread

Owned by General Mills India here, Pillsbury is one brand which has always delivered products of good quality. I've been a fan of Pillsbury's cake and custard mixes and was pretty excited to see a new product from the brand. A lot of other brands have introduced chocolate spreads recently, and it was good to see some more competition being offered to the insanely popular Nutella. Because I've always believed that chocolate tastes best pure, the Hazelnut-heavy Nutella has never found favour with me. I picked up a jar of Pillsbury's Choco Spread excitedly and tried it immediately - only to be disappointed.

The product is a little grainy and almost liquidy, which makes it drip. Not cool. I think I prefer Nutella's creamy texture, although it tends to dry up and harden soon. The recommended best before time for the Choco Spread is just 30 days, but I'm sure mine's going to last longer and I shall draw conclusions about its shelf life then. The taste is a little synthetic too and only the 5.3% cocoa solids (per 100 g) explains why. The rest of the chocolaty taste is derived from flavouring. Not cool X 2.

For now, it makes for an okay pancake filling and will go well with bread, rotis and crackers as well. Priced at INR 100  for a 180 g jar, it can't be called very expensive. However, it is a little too sweet and 'fake' for my liking, and I don't see myself buying it again.

Dear Pillsbury,

You fare much better with your cake mixes.

Sincerely,
Chocosophy.

RATING: 3/5