I can’t fault the candy manufacturers trying to tweak their most popular candies instead of reinventing the wheel. Sometimes they arrive at something that’s as good or even better than the original.

In the spirit of my recent review of the White Chocolate Reese’s, I picked up a few other reduxes.

Name: Nestle Crunch Dark
Brand: Nestle
Place Purchased: Convenience Store
Price: $.75
Size:1.4 oz
Calories per ounce: 135
Type: Chocolate (crisped)

Very fresh, the crisps were crunchy and the bar was glossy and smooth. The chocolate was not waxy, but didn’t really have the melt-in-your mouth feel. The chocolate content was pretty good, but not quite enough to soothe me completely. Maybe it was a little sweet.

On the whole, I think crunch bars are perfect the way they are. Milk chocolate and crisped rice are perfect together. Why mess with it?

Name: White Chocolate Kit Kat
Brand: Reese’s (Hershey)
Place Purchased: Convenience Store
Price: $.75
Size: 1.5 oz
Calories per ounce: 147
Type: White Chocolate Candy

Again, there was nothing wrong with the original Kit Kat. This white Kit Kat seems a bit saltier, which helps to balance the bland sweetness of the white chocolate. It’s not something that I’d be interested in again.

Name: Milky Way Midnight
Brand: Mars
Place Purchased: Convenience Store
Price: $.75
Size: 1.76 oz
Calories per ounce: 125
Type: Chocolate Candy (Caramel & Nougat)

First, I congratulate them for spelling midnight correctly. This bar was very fresh but reminded me that I never cared much for Milky Ways because they’re too cloyingly sweet. I like Snickers, mostly because they mixing sweet and savory. Also, I don’t like candy bars that are too much sugar and not enough fat (and maybe a little protein thrown in). So, in that respect the dark version is much more successful. The richer taste of the chocolate balances the caramel and bland nougat much better.

I have to say, after having plenty of imported candies and things from the remainders at the 99 cent stores, having fresh candy really makes a difference. Even a middle-of-the-road candy like Hershey’s Kisses are better when they’re fresh. Candy’s a treat - if you are going to use those “discretionary” calories on something with no nutritional value, choose something fresh and satisfying. Life too short for bad dessert.

Ratings:
Nestle Crunch Dark - 6 out of 10
White Chocolate Kit Kat - 6 out of 10
Milky Way Midnight - 7 out of 10

Name: White Chocolate Reese’s
Brand: Reese’s (Hershey’s)
Place Purchased: Convenience Store
Price: $.50 (they were trying to get rid of them)
Size: 1.5 oz
Calories per ounce: 154
Type: Chocolate/Nuts

Someone left the peanut butter cups in the sun and they got all bleachy white.

I think this was a brilliant idea. First, I love Reese’s. Mostly I love the miniatures, the ratio of chocolate and peanut butter is ideal and there’s less of that “hold it by the edges so you don’t get chocolate on your fingers” thing.

My biggest problem is that I like white chocolate in concept. I like the idea of just the buttery smoothness of chocolate without the cocoa to it. But white chocolate is never like that. Instead it’s like sugarwax. And it smells like fake vanilla, which always reminds me of Easter. However, I think the White Chocolate Reese’s uses this to its advantage.

Because the peanut butter is more savory than sweet, it really cuts the oversweet of the white chocolate and makes an excellent mix of flavors. The scent of vanilla mixed with the nuts and slight grain of the peanut butter is a nice combo.

I’ll probably not buy the cups again, but I’m kind of curious about the ratio in the miniatures they mention on the Reese’s website. And here’s a weird comment, I think they should have put them in white cups instead of brown ones. The color combo just makes the white chocolate look dingy.

Rating: 7 out of 10.

Name: Mousse Pocky (Green Tea)
Brand: Glico
Place Purchased: Mitsuwa Marketplace (Little Tokyo, LA)
Price: $1.99
Size: 1.75 oz
Calories per ounce: 80
Type: Cookie/Candy

Pocky is one of those Japanese treats that’s gone mainstream in the States. I’ve seen them at Ralph’s and even some convenience stores. I’d never had them before and I think if I had it to do all over again, I’d start with a more common flavor. However, I’ve got to hand it to the Mitsuwa Marketplace, they had a huge selection. There’s also something known as “Men’s Pocky” which I haven’t quite figured out.

If you’ve never seen them before, Pocky are little cracker/biscuit sticks dipped in something chocolatey or creamy. My choice was Green Tea. The sticks look just like the package promises. Long, unsalted pretzel looking things dipped in a green, creamy coating. You grab them by a small uncoated end for clean fingers.

The coating is like white chocolate flavored with green tea, and it tastes just like room-temperature green tea ice cream. Smooth, delicately flavored with a crisp bite to the cracker inside. They’re definitely addictive and one of the better items I bought on my last Little Tokyo trip. They do have a bit of hydrogenated oils in them (though the main fat is cocoa butter, which is what gives the coating its smooth-meltyness).

I’m eager to try more flavors. The neutrality of the crunchy stick makes it idea for just about anything. Mostly I’m going to see if other varieties don’t have hydrogenated oils.

Rating: 8 out of 10