Wednesday, May 14, 2008

Hershey’s Bliss

imageI’ve been a little mad at Hershey’s and while it’s only partly because of this new Bliss line*, I haven’t been that eager to try it. Their website & advertisements for the candy are so bland and generic, they may as well substitute the shots of the computer animated candy with shampoo bottles.

I’m not the only one who wonders why Hershey’s is coming out with a Dove-style bite at this time. It’s not like Hershey’s doesn’t already have a premium creamy chocolate line, whatever happened to Symphony? That’s a great name ... why go off and invent a whole new line? It just seems so silly and useless. And why is it $4 for a bag ... the price is at least a third more than the standard miniatures? How good could it be? Seeing how they’re also pushing another new line of premium chocolates via their Starbucks tie in (stuff that’s actually, I dunno, premium), how is this going to cut through the clutter of choices?

Knowing myself and how my irritation can color my enjoyment of confections, I waited. (And while I waited, I read other reviews: CandyAddict & Chocolate-Snob plus Candy Critic’s special demonstration of why Canadians don’t lock their doors.)

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Hershey’s is wise to create these little packets above, I spotted them at Walgreen’s (though the ones I have are free samples) for 50 cents and they include a coupon good for a dollar off of a regular sized bag (so if you like them it’s a good deal). Of course you can also get a coupon on the Hershey’s website for a dollar off without the sample purchase.

Each little packet had three foil wrapped Bliss bites (.76 ounces). No, no package to sample all three varieties: Rich & Creamy Dark Chocolate, Smooth & Creamy Milk Chocolate and Milk Chocolate with a Meltaway Center.

(The names are actually all in lower case, because women dig that, it makes them think that these chocolates cry watching movies on AMC with them and they’re not into yoga but they’re into champagne.)

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rich & creamy dark chocolate: comes in a dark maroon foil (the same shade that I love as nail polish but just can’t pull off because I’m so pale and freckly). The little square melts well, and certainly has a silky texture on the tongue. The flavor, well, it’s kind of like hot chocolate - all middle of the road. (There is milkfat in this dark chocolate.)

smooth & creamy milk chocolate: comes in a rather odd purple foil, one of those purples that looks blue under florescent lights but purple under sunlight. Just to compare, I go a hold of a Hershey’s Milk Chocolate miniature to remind myself of the taste and texture. The Bliss bite has a silky melt, it’s rather sweet, a little sticky and has a less nutty and tangy taste than the regular Hershey’s chocolate. If you’re hesitant to try this because you don’t like the taste of Hershey’s Chocolate, this is definitely a different process that doesn’t have that yogurt flavor.

milk chocolate with a meltaway center: comes in rich brown foil. It doesn’t smell like much, but true to its name it does meltaway. This is because instead of being filled with chocolate, it’s filled with chocolate with an added boost of palm kernel oil. And before you go thinking that I don’t like tropical oils, I actually love them when they’re used properly. Instead of being used for a firm center like Frangos or a super-soupy one like Lindt Lindor Truffles, this strikes a nice balance ... think hazelnut paste, but a bit smoother.

I was surprised at how well Hershey’s delivered on the creamy part of their pledge (and without PGPR). They don’t satisfy me, really, they might have a great texture but lack the chocolate punch that would really make them a rich indulgence. Three pieces of the dark chocolate are 100 calories, the other two varieties are 110 calories for three pieces.

* For the record, some of the other things that have Hershey’s in the dog house for me would be: closing the Canada & California factories & moving production to Mexico, changing the chocolate on 5th Avenue to mockolate, changing the Candy Cane Kisses so they no longer have cocoa butter in them and backing the FDA petition to downgrade chocolate definition and even though I didn’t mind them that much, for changing Good & Fruity.

Related Candies

  1. Hershey’s White Chocolate Meltaway Bliss
  2. Hershey’s Bliss Creme de Menthe Meltaway Center
  3. Lindt Lindor Truffle Eggs
  4. Hershey’s Heart’s Desire
  5. Dove Promises (Caramel & Almonds)
  6. Caffarel Gianduias
  7. Ferrero Rocher
Name: Bliss
    RATING:
  • 10 SUPERB
  • 9 YUMMY
  • 8 TASTY
  • 7 WORTH IT
  • 6 TEMPTING
  • 5 PLEASANT
  • 4 BENIGN
  • 3 UNAPPEALING
  • 2 APPALLING
  • 1 INEDIBLE
Brand: Hershey's
Place Purchased: samples from Hershey's
Price: $.50 retail
Size: .76 ounces
Calories per ounce: 132-145
Categories: Chocolate, United States, Hershey's, Kosher

POSTED BY Cybele AT 12:47 pm Tracker Pixel for Entry    

Comments
  1. Did you mean to say smooth & creamy milk chocolate instead of smooth & creamy dark chocolate? I think the purple wrapper says milk chocolate?! Love the review!

    Comment by Emily on 5/14/08 at 2:48 pm #
  2. Cybele's avatar

    Emily - arrgh! And I did it twice that way! (Okay ... fixed ... thanks for the heads up.) I was totally thrown by the use of creamy in both names.

    Comment by Cybele on 5/14/08 at 3:03 pm #
  3. I’m guessing they may have come out with Bliss as competition for Dove chcolate.  We never had Dove chocolate up here until about a month ago, the same time Bliss chocolate came out.

    Comment by Heather on 5/14/08 at 3:27 pm #
  4. I tried these (all 3)about a month ago, and was looking forward to your review…  The dark chocolate one doesn’t live up to it’s name and is the only one I would have liked.  They also have a raspberry meltaway, but that one was a waste of money for me.  I won’t be buying any of them again

    Comment by Amie on 5/15/08 at 3:20 am #
  5. I think that Hersheys is discontinuing their Symphony product. Went to 5 wholesale sites in the internet and sometimes the product didn’t appeared in the searches. Bliss is the one that appears. The question remains…what happened?

    Comment by Teresa M. Rodriguez on 5/15/08 at 4:30 am #
  6. I tried the meltaway ones when they first came out, and didn’t like them at all.  To me, the chocolate taste is quite thin, but it also has this artificial component that screams “trying to make our chocolate taste richer without actually making it so.”  I think I’ve eaten two pieces out of the whole bag, which says a lot.

    Comment by Paranoid on 5/15/08 at 7:50 am #
  7. I applaud you for giving these a try Cybele, despite your inner turmoil (I’m still dealing with mine, I can’t decide to try them or not!). I’ll have to see if I can find these mini packs, maybe it’ll be an impulse purchase!

    Comment by Sera on 5/15/08 at 11:16 am #
  8. I still see those symphany bars( the big ones).  They’re is supposed to be a good brownie recipe around using those big bars.

    Comment by Randi on 5/16/08 at 1:58 pm #
  9. Nooo!!  They’re discontinuing the Symphony bar?!  That breaks my heart.  I usually don’t like candy bars at all (I’m not one for eating straight up chocolate, a little goes a long way) but I absolutely LOVED Symphony bars.  Tell me this is just a bad dream. D:

    Comment by Rita on 5/23/08 at 4:49 am #
  10. I only tried the “milk chocolate meltaway” and the “dark chocolate” Bliss.  The milk chocolate meltaway was so-so, not worth repeating (I must admit I personally prefer dark chocolate over milk).  However, the dark chocolate was OUTSTANDING.  Truly Bliss.  I agree with the name for that one.  The chocolate has a strong flavor, not weak leaving you wanting more; not a tease.  The texture is nice.  Yum.  The dark chocolate I loved and will loook for to buy again.  Enjoy!

    Comment by Analisa on 5/29/08 at 8:51 am #
  11. Just to let you know i love the milk chocolate bliss. I am totally addicted. I am a russell stover person and found Bliss stands to its name.

    Comment by joanne on 6/07/08 at 9:47 pm #
  12. We are going to serve a handful of kisses from the Newly Mr. and Mrs. Bliss. How do you like this as wedding favors on the guests tables. Yes fiance is a Bliss.

    Comment by Colleen on 9/06/08 at 3:35 pm #
  13. What happened to the Bliss Milk Chocolate Raspberry Meltaways??  I don’t find them anymore and they aren’t shown on the Hershey’s site either.  I guess they weren’t a big seller.  The raspberry meltaways were my favorite from the Bliss line.

    Comment by Sherrie on 9/19/08 at 7:29 pm #
  14. ,all are delicious..maybe add some flavors.

    Comment by ram on 2/26/09 at 3:31 pm #
  15. bettyfelon's avatar

    Sherrie- I doubt that you will see this now but the Raspberry Meltaways are a regular item now, at least in the store I work at

    They’re still not listed on the Hershey’s website though

    Comment by bettyfelon on 2/26/09 at 8:47 pm #
  16. The Bliss (milk chocolate anyway) is my favorite chocolate. I think it is even better than Dove and I’m glad they made it!

    Comment by K on 3/24/09 at 2:21 pm #
  17. I can only eat white chocholate and the BLISS (WHITE) is to die for keep up the good candy making.

    Comment by Bobbie Lockhart on 9/15/09 at 3:25 pm #
  18. I can’t wait to try the Bliss White Chocolate.  I don’t care at all for their other chocolates but this is something that’s not out there for us white chocolate lovers.

    Comment by patti on 9/27/09 at 5:17 pm #
  19. Hershey’s will relesase several new Bliss choclates, including White Melting Center, 70% Dark, and Carmel Centre!

    Look for these on the shelves soon!

    Comment by Poe on 9/29/09 at 6:01 pm #
  20. are the mint bliss bites going to be available all year?  i am truly loving them (as i love anything mint) and have had trouble finding them since the holidays have past.  any help finding them or if i can order them thru you would be great!!!!  i have also turned my office on to the mint ones and they love them also.

    Comment by sandy knutson on 1/21/10 at 5:44 am #
  21. where can i find the mint bliss?  i can’t find them since the holidays and i really enjoy them thanks to one of my co-workers.  help!!!!!!!!!!!

    Comment by sonya scott on 1/21/10 at 5:45 am #
  22. I purchased some Dove dark and caramel bites and I found the Bliss ones better tasting. They are rich and creamy and I love all the flavors. I did not think the Dove dark was great only good. But, I love the Dove caramel. It was hard to stop eating those. I think Bliss is far creamier in chocolate taste.

    Comment by Tonya on 7/06/10 at 7:34 am #
  23. I really love the dark chocolate Bliss.  I used to be able to get the bags at the drug store, but not anymore.  Then I went to Cub Foods and got them there, but not anymore.

    I think Walmart might have them.  They say they do, but I don’t know if that is current information.  Where are the Bliss dark chocolates going?  I would buy 3-4 bags at a time—the only Hershey product I would buy, and now I can’t find them.

    There are a variety of other dark chocolates I can get, but I really liked this Hershey product.

    Comment by Warren on 2/19/16 at 2:03 pm #
  24. Hershey has discontinued the Bliss product line. I have emailed them several times to complain. It is not fair that they make a product so delightfully different than any other chocolate candy and then stop production.  I have about 9 pieced left.  I have tried all other types of chocolate products, but none taste like Bliss.  I am heartbroken.

    Comment by Annette on 5/04/16 at 12:21 pm #
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