Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Ferrero Raffaello & Rondnoir

imageHere’s a little fun for the Summer. Some white and some dark.

Ferrero makes quite few different little two bite confections besides their Rocher and Mon Cheri. The one that I’ve kind of avoided all these years is the Ferrero Raffaello. Why? It looks kind of like a snowball, and I was afraid there’d be some marshmallow in there. But a kind reader set me straight.

Each package contains three little coconut covered spheres. Unlike everything else in the Ferrero line, these are not individually wrapped ... unless coconut flakes count as wrapping.

imageI rather admire Ferrero. They really seem to understand their marketing segment. An upscale chocolate in sophisticated wrappings that you can buy at the drug store or grocer. Not terribly expensive, decent quality and in flavor/texture combinations you just don’t get in other American chocolates.

I bought a single serving package, which is a small tray with three little candies in it, each in a little white fluted cup. They’re a little messy, with a lot of dislodged coconut coming out of the package along with them.

They smell like summer: like coconut and a sweet hit of sugar.

They’re not terribly big, at about a third of an ounce each they don’t feel very dense. I guessed at what they’d be like inside from the ingredients, that there would be a wafer sphere with a cream filling.

imageSure enough, I got it right. The coconut gave way to a crisp but bland wheat wafer shell and a milky flavored cream inside (think buttercream frosting). That must be a lot of dairy in there, it contains 6% of your RDA of Calcium!

The cream had some strong dairy flavors and a pretty smooth texture. It wasn’t as sweet as I’d expected. In the very center was a little nut that at first I thought was a hazelnut but then found out was an almond when I read the description on the back of the package that called these: Almond Coconut Treat

It was a nice little refreshing treat, but I didn’t find them very satisfying on their own. As part of a mix, they’d be nice as a little change of pace, but I don’t see myself sitting down with a package.

Made in Belgium. Rating: 6 out of 10

imageThe item I was really interested in was something that I saw announced on the All Candy Expo website several weeks ago. Ferrero Rondnoir which sounded like a it would be a dark chocolate Ferrero Rocher. Well, they’re not quite that, but still quite a nice extension of the Rocher line.

I didn’t expect to see these until the ACE next month, so imagine my surprise at finding them at the RiteAid (the same RiteAid that seemed to have the Elvis Cups out three weeks early).

imageThe trio of candies are wrapped in an elegant bronze/brown foil with a little sticker on top that confirms that they are the Rondnoir (in case you get them in a mixed box). They’re further packaged in little brown fluted cups ... perhaps packaging overkill, but they’re a little wafer sphere in a skimpy little paperboard tray ... they probably need the protection.

Again, I’m bad at reading directions or press releases, so all I knew was that these were dark chocolate. I fully expected them to be just like the Rocher.

imageThey’re not at all like Rochers. First, the outer coating is a chocolate crumble - think really rich Oreo cookie bits. Inside that is the wafer shell. Inside that is the dark chocolate cream. It’s light and buttery with some nice but not overwhelming chocolate flavors. Think hot chocolate, not quite rich ganache.

Then at the center is not a nut but a little sphere of super buttery dark chocolate. In fact, it tastes very little like chocolate, but it is like a little ball of cocoa butter (or perhaps something worse that I prefer not to think about). Eaten alone, it’s a little too slippery. Eaten with the whole sphere at once, it’s the perfect little creamy burst.

I’m rather fond of this new Ferrero product and I plan to stuff my sample bag with them at All Candy Expo next month and even consider buying them in the future. The small package makes portion control pretty easy and it’s hard to just rush right through them, considering all the packaging (hey, my city takes aluminum foil in the recycling bin!). At 1 ounce it’s 160 calories, so yes, it’s calorie rich for its size, but then again, if you only bought one package you’re safe.

They remind me of the Lindt Lindor Truffles ... which is a good thing.

This variety is made in Germany. Rating: 8 out of 10

Related Candies

  1. Ferrero Rocher
  2. Ferrero Mon Cheri
  3. Tronky
  4. Nestle Crunch Dark Stixx
Name: Raffaello & Rondnoir
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Ferrero
Place Purchased: RiteAid (Vermonica)
Price: $.69
Size: 1 ounce
Calories per ounce: 180 & 160
Categories: Chocolate, Cookie, Nuts, Coconut, Ferrero, Germany, Belgium

POSTED BY Cybele AT 6:24 am Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. The Ferrero Rondnoir sounds interesting.  I will have to try that when I see it.  What I really want to try are the Ferroro Garden variety.  The fruit flavors sound like a fantastic idea.

    Comment by Justin on 8/01/07 at 5:51 pm #
  2. I’m very interested in these “Candy Expos” you keep talking about.  How does one get to go to those?  I am a candy FREAK and collector and am dying to get that kind of exposure.

    Comment by Dawn Ashkenaz on 8/02/07 at 1:01 am #
  3. The Ferrero Rondnoir looks absolutely amazing. I think I’m going to have to take a trip to a Rite Aid this afternoon and hunt around.

    Comment by Heather on 8/02/07 at 4:30 am #
  4. I got 2 packs of the Rondnoir yesterday. Delicious indeed! However it didn’t remind me much of the Lindors (which I was never too fond of).

    Comment by flavia on 8/03/07 at 11:24 am #
  5. I too, like you, was afraid to try the raffaello, I loved the mon cheri. But I got some as a gift and triued them and now I like them better. I’m not a huge chocolate fan, but I do like it in conjunction with lots of other “stuffs” mixed in, nuts, fruit whatever. lol. But anyway I do like the raffaello, they are tasty…I love almonds though and that helps.

    Comment by Amy on 8/13/07 at 8:06 am #
  6. The ferrero roundnoir is just incredible.  I love chocolate, good chocolate.  I expected nothing but perfection from ferrero and they delivered.  I recommend this to all the chocolate lovers out there.

    Comment by Judy on 8/28/07 at 3:04 pm #
  7. Ferrero Raffaello - taste very sinful - coconut and cream inner very mouth water.  but it is very difficult to locate in stores - I ave been lokkng for Raffoello and very hard to find in store.

    Comment by carolyn paschal on 12/19/07 at 5:07 pm #
  8. I first tried the Ferrero Raffaello in Rimini, Italy.  One of my Italian teachers had frozen some during the hot days and offered it to us.  Now it’s the way I enjoy them most.  Try them frozen.  Yummmy!

    Comment by Alicia Lago on 12/26/07 at 1:15 pm #
  9. i dont know what this person is talking about rafaello is the best candy on earth!

    She didn’t describe the cream filling well enough.
    I assure you, you will love it. Everyone I know who has tried it refuses to buy any other candy. It is delightful…You sort of feel like you’re sitting on a cloud while eating it. Its the kind of candy where you don’t even notice the calories because it is soo good. And it doesnt make you feel bad because it might have a lot of calories. It makes you feel like childhood and yes, summer. Best candy on earth today.

    Very European, very high class.
    This person obviously already had their opinion about the candy before they even tasted it.

    Comment by Gt on 1/03/08 at 6:49 pm #
  10. The first time I tasted Ferrero coconuts with the almond in the middle I though I was in heaven.Those are the yummiest candy I had ever taste. Keep up the great job, I will keep buying them for life.

    Comment by maria hernandez on 3/08/08 at 8:30 am #
  11. I agree—Raffaellos are amazing! The cream inside-heavenly! I am from Germany and my grandma always has these in her home, so I grew up eating them. When I moved here five years ago, it was very hard to find them here! But now I can always buy them at our local Harris Teeter, in the big box! :D

    Comment by Nina on 3/26/08 at 10:21 am #
  12. I love raffaello! I can find rocher ferrero in supermarkets here but not raffaello :(. so i buy them when i go to italy. The best treat i ever tasted!

    Comment by sami on 10/22/08 at 2:17 am #
  13. Has anyone tried Ferrero Rondnoir this year? I thought they tasted different, and then I found modified palm and sunflower oil on the label. Ugh.

    Must the greedy manufacturers ruin everything?

    Comment by Jenny on 11/15/08 at 6:35 am #
  14. I would have given the coconut candy a 9/10, I found it delicious, sweet, and wonderfully smooth. The second candy was a little to bitter for me and wasn’t sweet enough.

    Comment by frogs on 12/02/08 at 2:18 pm #
  15. i love them all! even the mon cher! but of course as addicted to dark chocolates I am, Rondnoir hits the spot!

    Comment by godes5 on 12/16/08 at 2:44 pm #
  16. Anyone know where in Winnipeg one might be able to purchase a box of Raffaello in time for Valentine`s Day??

    Comment by Kardene on 1/09/09 at 6:48 am #
  17. The Ferrero Raffaello are very hard to find in stores.  please let me know where i could buy them.

    thanks

    Comment by marianne Calafiore on 1/26/09 at 6:29 am #
  18. I ADORE Raffaello. I first had them when I was really little (I think before I was 6…) and I loved them ever since. I can safely say they are my favorite candy.

    Comment by Barbara on 4/27/09 at 4:44 pm #
  19. I have been enjoying Ferrero products for years but today I couldn’t believe my eyes when I searched for nutrional information. My favorite product by far is Raffaello. I was shocked to read the underneath side of this package…please contact us by mail for nutritional facts. Give me a break. This is the 21st century…no need to hide information from the consumer. I will not purchase any more of your products until you change the packaging. I am going to notify the health dept regarding this matter. Debra

    Comment by debra on 12/23/09 at 11:23 am #
  20. Raffaello are amazing. I don’t buy them often (as they’re so much here), but every time I go to Walmart, I think about buying a box since they are so worth the price. :D

    Comment by Jamie on 12/01/10 at 9:23 pm #
  21. I’ve been obsessed with Raffaello ever since I was a little girl. For those asking where you can buy them, I’ve seen them a lot at Walgreens in a box, and you can get them in a big box of about 30 pieces in Costco, and they’re really cheap there.

    Comment by Barbara on 1/22/12 at 6:11 pm #
  22. I am interested in trying these chocolates but am afraid to purchase due to lack of “best by” date. Please let me know how to tell what the date is based on the code on the packaging.
    Thank you

    Comment by Donna on 4/04/13 at 7:40 am #
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