Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Snickers Slice n’ Share (1 Pound)At Christmas one of the great gifts is an excessive version of something mundane but much-loved. For candy this means colossal proportions. Oh sure, you could just get a wholesale sized bag of M&Ms or Skittles. But there’s something special about a version that’s substantially larger than the norm: Giant Hershey’s Kisses, Giant Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars, World’s Largest Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Giant Candy Canes and Giant Gummi Bears. Mars is in the game this year with their Snickers Slice n’ Share bar. This year it’s exclusive to CVS stores. I found mine after going to several stores and it was even on sale for $7.99, regular price is $9.99. The Snickers Slice ‘n Share is 16 ounces, while a standard Snickers bar is 2.07 ounces (so 8 times bigger). It’s also 9 times the price. The best value is probably to buy the snack size, which are about $1.25 for eight little bars totally 5 ounces - which comes out to $4.00 a pound instead of $7.99 a pound. But that’s simply not magnificent enough for gifting or wowing your guests. (See this 1925 ad for Oh Henry! that features the suggestion to slice and serve.) The bar is protected in a paperboard tray and came out looking pretty good. It’s 9.5 inches long, about one inch high and 2.5” wide. A standard Snickers is only 1” wide. There’s simply no way to depict how massive this thing is with photos because it’s dense and heavy. Honestly, I expected one pound of candy to have a bit more volume, but Snickers are certainly compact. Like the old advertising slogan, this Snickers is packed with peanuts. The caramel envelops them completely and they’re jam packed in there all the way through the bar. The caramel and nougat layers are completely distinct and the chocolate is very thick, especially on the sides and the ripple on the top. It does flake off easily, but usually in big chunks that are easy to pick up and pop in your mouth. The serving size suggested is a 1 inch slice (which is about 1.75 ounces - less than the 2.07 ounce regular bar). I found that to be a bit too thick and unwieldy, so I usually went for something about a 1/2 inch slice. It slices quite easily without falling apart, as long as you have a good, wide knife. A butter knife or steak knife are too small and narrow. A chef’s knife or even a clever does a much better job. Anything less than a half an inch though and the piece will not hold together well. Also, I found that cutting straight down, with even pressure (chopping) was better than trying to angle it. The pieces came out cleaner and with less chocolate loss. I loved the bar. I actually think I enjoyed it more than any other Snickers I’ve had in years. The peanuts were fresh, the caramel was thick, distinct and chewy plus the nougat was soft, slightly salty with a nice peanut butter toffee flavor. The layers are much more defined and folks who like to eat particular parts separately will have a great time. Giant candy has always struck me as the kind of gift a kid would give to a parent or other relative. Not that I’d complain if my niece or nephew came me a giant version of a beloved candy. It’s a way to make a favorite special. But they’re not for everyday consumption. The specialness of the price assures that. But I expect because it’s under $10, it should find its way into many stockings this year, or because of its size, it will be adjacent to the stocking ... and featured heavily on early nights of Hanukkah. The bar has all the same ingredients as the smaller versions. It’s hard to compare the nutritional value because of the difference in serving sizes, but the calories per ounce are greater for the Slice n’ Share than the regular size, so I’m going to guess that there’s more chocolate per bite on the small one since that’s where the densest calories are. At a certain point something so large that it requires implements ceases to be candy. Candy is ready to eat, requires no knives or assembly. The package warns that there are traces of tree nuts and wheat, plus it contains eggs, soy, peanuts and milk. Mars does not use fair trade or certified ethically traded chocolate for this product (though they’re working on it - their Maltesers malted milk balls will be Fair Trade next year in the UK). UPDATE 12/5/2012: Snickers Slice n Share are back in stores for the holidays. They’re found in a much wider array of stores, I’ve seen them at Target, CVS, IT’SUGAR and a few others as well as on internet stores. Discount chains usually have them for $10-12, while the other stores like IT’SUGAR have them for about $20. Related Candies
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Meticulously photographed and documented reviews of candy from around the world. And the occasional other sweet adventures. Open your mouth, expand your mind.
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Look at any mid-20th-century American cookbook that has a lot of candy recipes, and you’ll see lots of versions of the “slice and serve” concept. Those confections were a staple of the rural midwestern family Christmases of my childhood in the ‘70s (though they already had the shadow of nostalgia on them). The concept is still preserved in churches that make chocolate covered easter eggs as a fundraiser—the only way to eat those candy blobs is to slice them up on a plate and share, preferably at the end of a festive family Easter dinner.
Pretty impressive! I’m going to keep an eye out for this at my local CVS because I know a couple of people who would love to get this in their stocking - and, of course, I’m curious enough to want to try it myself!
I also saw 8oz Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups at Wal*Mart… too much of a good thing! Not even sure how you’d serve that—cut it into wedges?
This. Is. AWESOME! Hope to find it in my area… have already spotted the 8oz. Reeses cups… I like this trend!
I love snickers. And I think I would love the giant snickers even more:D Hope to find it one day in germany
Wooow !! i would like to have a big Milky Way ! awesome !
Snickers Slice and Share…..I can’t believe the prices on this…..1 lb. $25.99. That’s utterly ridiculous…Elizabeth Weldon
Where can I buy one? or order online to europe without paying 25 dollars plus shipping costs?
I have had the giant peanut butter cup and it is amazing! i cant find the snickers anywhere though. hoping the make a giant 3 Musketeers=]
How can I order this for my dad for fathers day? Its his absolute favorite. All the sites are sold out.
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