A Thank You from Honeybuns and a Giveaway #40
Once upon a time, many months ago, I wrote a review of Honeybuns: gluten free baking. by Emma Goss-Custard. It’s not often I get thanked for a book review, but I was surprised and delighted to receive a box of Honeybuns minis in the post one day with a lovely note thanking me for the review. Now I had every intention of reviewing this box of delights, for delightful every one of those gluten free treats most certainly were. I did make a bit of a start, but somehow, CT and I managed to polish them all off before I got very far.
Tidying up my desk recently, I came across the Honeybuns note which reminded me of just how good the cakes were. Somewhat shamefacedly, I renewed contact and lo and behold another box arrived. This one contained a biscuit, a cake and four minis – all chocolate.
All of the Honeybuns range is gluten free with some products being dairy free too and made with good quality ingredients containing no artificial colours or preservatives. Whether one is gluten intolerant or not, the cakes I have tried are all interesting, not overly sweet and tasty. Very few of the products have sugar as the main ingredient, which, in my experience, is highly unusual in commercial cakes and biscuits. All products are made on the family farm in Dorset. Looking after nature, especially bees is a key objective and to this end the farm includes a nature reserve and is involved in various conservation projects. Packaging is biodegradable and comes with fun facts and stories about Honeybuns and their products. The minis, as the name suggests, are little cakes weighing in at 40g; they are the perfect size for sticking in your pocket to maintain energy levels on a bracing Cornish cliff walk. The full sized cake bar (85g) carries the following salutory warning: this cake is an indulgent treat, if you eat more calories than you burn, you will gain weight. Oh bother, another fifty mile hike needed!
Heathcliffe Brownie – dark chocolate, free range eggs, butter, sugar, ground almonds, whole almonds, orange zest, ground coffee, orange oil, sea salt, vanilla.
These were very chocolatey, which I guess should be no surprise given this was the main ingredient. It had a noticeable, but not dominant orange flavour which CT would have approved of, except he didn’t get a look in. Nice fudgy brownie consistency, that was both smooth and chewy at the same time, due to the generous amount of almonds chunks. If Cathy had any sense, she would have gone for this rather than the man himself.
Triple Chocolate Tinker Cookie – ground almonds, rice syrup, milk chocolate, plain chocolate, dark chocolate, salted butter, cocoa powder, vanilla, baking powder, ground coffee.
Strong chocolate aroma. We both liked the texture which was slightly sticky and rather chewy; it forces your jaws to get some exercise even if the rest of the body is static. Not too sweet with a good chocolate flavour and a hint of treacle. Tinker Tuesdays are an institution at Honeybuns it seems; each week, they give away a tin of their cookies. I’m definitely tempted to enter this, what about you?
Congo Bar – caramel, pecans, polenta, ground almonds, butter sugar, milk chocolate, nibbed almonds, coconut xanthan gum.
A little like millionaires shortbread but more interesting and not as sweet. A polenta and ground almonds shortbread base, covered with a layer of caramel and then topped with a crunchy layer of toasted pecans, coconut and chocolate. Just as well CT was around when I tried this one or I would have had to have put my walking boots on again. Then again, I think it would have been worth it.
Milk Chocolate Brownie – milk chocolate, dark chocolate, butter, sugar, ground almonds, free-range eggs
Like the Healthcliff Brownie before it, this had crunchy nuts and chocolate pieces studded throughout, but was slightly sweeter and had a vanilla and coffee flavour rather than an orange one. The taste lingered on the palate in a pleasant manner with the coffee coming more to the fore, but without any bitterness.
Chocolate Caramel Shortbread
The first thought in biting into this, was thank goodness it’s not tooth-achingly sweet. It was in fact delicious with a dark top? and a the polenta base seemed ideal to mop up any excess sweetness and was deliciously biscuity.
Snowy Hills (the only one I wrote up from the first batch)- Ginger and polenta shortbread with a lemon sponge topping – delicious, moist, nice varied texture with nibbed almonds for extra crunch. Not too sweet and just a subtle flavour of ginger and lemon.
Giveaway
Picnic in a Purse includes two milk chocolate brownie minis, a packet of phacelia seeds (to keep the bees happy), a napkin and a linen purse.
Do take a look at my giveaway page to see if there is anything else you would like to enter.
Tracey Peach
9th November 2013 at 5:58 pmThere are so many we hear about on the news. In the U.K the tiny Harvest Mouse’s numbers have dropped right down & there are breading programmes were they are bred to be released into certain areas in the U.K where they will do well.
laura banks
9th November 2013 at 6:01 pmi’m not too sure really maybe otters
Emma Jackson
9th November 2013 at 6:11 pmI think Bees after watching a documentary recently about how they’re being depleted 🙁
Delilah Reviewsx
9th November 2013 at 6:25 pmThe bee
lucky321
9th November 2013 at 6:33 pmelephants
anthony harrington
9th November 2013 at 6:34 pmthe dormouse
Sarah
9th November 2013 at 6:47 pmThe tiger
mister_steven
9th November 2013 at 6:53 pmBats
Amanda Hart
9th November 2013 at 6:56 pmmountain gorilla
mo3733
9th November 2013 at 7:19 pmthe bee
Angie Schneider
9th November 2013 at 7:22 pmI would love to try the chocolate caramel shortbread!
Choclette
9th November 2013 at 8:00 pmIt is rather good Anglie 🙂
tabbaz123
9th November 2013 at 7:45 pmThe Elephant
Alison Joyce
9th November 2013 at 7:53 pmSo many need protection but probably the Bee is the most important because of it’s effect on our whole eco system.
Sarah Birkett
9th November 2013 at 8:21 pmso many to choose from, and many of those are just evolution but the bees have a direct effect on our food supply and we need to protect them for our own sakes
Anonymous
9th November 2013 at 8:23 pmBees – we have tried to do our bit by planting a bee mat and lots of bee-friendly flowers. Such a worry. 🙁
@rachiegr
Galina Varese
9th November 2013 at 8:39 pmSiberian togers
mummy24
9th November 2013 at 8:46 pmTigers
Ashleigh
Gill
9th November 2013 at 9:07 pmWalruses!
Julie Guy
9th November 2013 at 9:07 pmThe Elephant
Nikki Stewart
9th November 2013 at 9:34 pmElephant
katie skeoch
9th November 2013 at 9:37 pmwhales – hate seeing the news stories about harpooning – barbaric
Beky Austerberry
9th November 2013 at 9:43 pmTigers
John Tingay
9th November 2013 at 9:46 pmSnow Leopard
Caroline
9th November 2013 at 10:27 pmBees – we all depend on them.
liz denial
9th November 2013 at 10:39 pmtigers
Herbert Appleby
9th November 2013 at 10:50 pmGiant Pandas
twannywun
9th November 2013 at 10:57 pmthe “ugly” and forgotten creatures… insects and reptiles…
veejaybee
9th November 2013 at 11:10 pmPolar bears because the ice is melting
saurus
10th November 2013 at 8:13 amPolar bears
Claire C
10th November 2013 at 9:27 amBees
debbie creasey
10th November 2013 at 9:32 amThe badger as there is no proof that they carry tb.
soozybee
10th November 2013 at 1:02 pmBees
scott Holloway
10th November 2013 at 1:48 pmNone, things die things live its the circle of life. mybe its time for a species to be extinct so the universe will continue.
At some point in time humans are going to be on the list
Katie
10th November 2013 at 3:21 pmThese all sound delicious. I’ve only ever tried their caramel shortbread bar which I picked up at an airport once. They all sound delicious and gluten free too – bonus!
Choclette
10th November 2013 at 4:00 pmI thought these might appeal to you Katie 🙂
Charlotte Ingham
10th November 2013 at 5:01 pmThere’s so many to choose from, but I’m going to choose tigers because they’re incredibly beautiful and there’s so few of them left 🙁
Rachel Cotterill
10th November 2013 at 6:20 pmWow, it’s always impressive when you find gluten free treats that taste good enough! 🙂
D Lloyd
10th November 2013 at 6:58 pmBees
Linzi_Barrow
10th November 2013 at 7:18 pmWhat a fab prize
Victoria
10th November 2013 at 9:32 pmBees
Megan Hughes
10th November 2013 at 10:06 pmthe bee
julie laing
11th November 2013 at 12:34 amtiger
Maya Russell
11th November 2013 at 10:53 amRed squirrels because they are being overrun by the greys.
secksy34
11th November 2013 at 11:18 amtigers , would be such a pity to lose such a majestic creature !
tamalyn
11th November 2013 at 11:35 amelephants in their natural home!
Hayley Mulgrove
11th November 2013 at 3:23 pmI think Pandas
kiki
11th November 2013 at 3:51 pmorangutans – the farming of palm oil is destroying their homes!
sue
11th November 2013 at 7:35 pmhedgehogs
Hannah ONeill
11th November 2013 at 9:17 pmBees or bats
mellysocks
11th November 2013 at 11:04 pmBees
Emma Lewis
12th November 2013 at 9:54 pmThe Siberian Tiger.
Emma Lewis
12th November 2013 at 9:56 pmSorry, for some weird reason I put my answer instead of my name in the widget!!
Gill Bland
12th November 2013 at 11:18 pmBees
Joe Lorena
13th November 2013 at 9:44 pmOrangutans!
Jo Glasspool
13th November 2013 at 10:58 pmRed Sqirrells x
tinam1
14th November 2013 at 11:08 amBees
Mickie Bull
14th November 2013 at 6:34 pmSlow-Worms
Adele Hill
14th November 2013 at 11:10 pmBees
Sarah Davies
15th November 2013 at 6:05 pmBees as they are so important to so many other areas of life
jo
15th November 2013 at 9:40 pmBees they keep the world going
Jayne
16th November 2013 at 11:50 amThe bees, we’d be really lost without them.
Garden Tea Cakes and Me
16th November 2013 at 2:14 pmas a gardener got to be the poor bee. I love baking with vanilla, in fact I have put vanilla paste on my christmas list!
Angela
Garden Tea Cakes and Me
16th November 2013 at 2:16 pmone minute I’m reading your vanilla review the next minute I’m post the comment on your giveaway! Well in my head I knew what I was doing 😉
Angela
Anonymous
18th November 2013 at 4:05 pmBees, no more honey !
Andrew Bostock
21st November 2013 at 4:59 pmTigers.
Flossie651
23rd November 2013 at 7:49 pmBees
Stephanie Whitehouse
25th November 2013 at 1:09 pmWater vole
Laura W
26th November 2013 at 4:15 pmI can’t choose just one. I think we should be working to protect them all.
Janice
30th November 2013 at 7:35 pmBees
Solange
30th November 2013 at 9:09 pmTigers
R
1st December 2013 at 1:38 ambees
Angie Hoggett
2nd December 2013 at 4:53 pmthe buzzy bees!
Anonymous
2nd December 2013 at 5:39 pmThe bee – they are vital for our survival!
Hazel Rea – @beachrambler
Peggy Muncie
2nd December 2013 at 10:43 pmthe siberian tiger, which is being hunted to extinction
Rey Chun
2nd December 2013 at 11:35 pmTiger
Simon
3rd December 2013 at 12:00 pmGiant pandas
Isis1981uk
3rd December 2013 at 6:49 pmThe African Rhinos
headsy12
3rd December 2013 at 7:37 pmbees, we need them.
clairew137
4th December 2013 at 9:13 amThe badger
tarcsafalvi
4th December 2013 at 4:21 pmbees
Linda
5th December 2013 at 10:32 ammany animals need to be potected
as life moves on
and without them
children will never know them
a tiger has many stripes
just dont let them die
ammaline
5th December 2013 at 9:58 pmThere’s so many endangered species but the bee is perhaps the one that would have the most impact on humans if they were extinct
Jennifer Rhymer
5th December 2013 at 11:25 pmSnow Leopards
Philip Traynor
6th December 2013 at 3:00 amThe Bee
WeeWillieWilkie
6th December 2013 at 7:38 amThe orangutan
Sarah
6th December 2013 at 2:38 pmThere are too many to choose which are vital to their own individual ecosystem and if that ecosystem fails then who knows what will happen? That said I think the humble bumble bee would be a loss to the UK
Richard Turner
6th December 2013 at 5:44 pmTiger
Claire Barker
6th December 2013 at 6:56 pmOrangutang.
sheridarby
6th December 2013 at 8:06 pmRhinos
sallyb
6th December 2013 at 8:15 pmAfter seeing the photo on Facebook of the horrendous woman who shot a lion in Africa just for the status, I would have to say lions
diva1977
6th December 2013 at 9:33 pmbees
Anonymous
6th December 2013 at 9:52 pmEvery animal should be protected, if humans had been the main impact! Humans are the ONLY animal that has no right to do what they want with the planet!
@jamiecomps
Robyn Logan Clarke
6th December 2013 at 10:42 pmTigers
Sarah Mcknight
6th December 2013 at 10:46 pmBees
Ellen Stafford
6th December 2013 at 10:49 pmBees
Anonymous
7th December 2013 at 12:02 amWhale
@jaizduck
nbrad1234
7th December 2013 at 12:11 ambees
Alisa Moore
7th December 2013 at 1:46 ambees
Naomib1980
7th December 2013 at 2:30 amGiant sea turtle numbers are dropping really fast x
Erica Price
7th December 2013 at 7:49 amWhales
Charlotterussell01
7th December 2013 at 9:36 amTigers
Liam Hughes
7th December 2013 at 11:08 amdolphins
ClairejB
7th December 2013 at 11:33 amI wouldn’t want to chose one species over another – I think all endangered species need protecting but seeing as no-one has mentioned hedgehogs I thought I would! 🙂
Anonymous
7th December 2013 at 11:41 amElephants
Dena Thomas
7th December 2013 at 11:59 amI think all animal need to be protected.x
Annamarie Riddiford
7th December 2013 at 12:16 pmThe Maui striped dolphin as there are less than 50 of them left in the whole world and estimated only 20 females.
soozwales
7th December 2013 at 12:50 pmdolphins as we have seen people kill them for fun
Severe Rambler
7th December 2013 at 1:11 pmDefinitely bees. They are integral to our world.
littlemisstrivia
7th December 2013 at 1:40 pmTigers
@dollylaboo
7th December 2013 at 3:08 pmtigers
@dollylaboo
Lyndsey Beckford
7th December 2013 at 4:07 pmTigers – they are so beautiful!
Jakki Bradshaw
7th December 2013 at 5:06 pmTiger
Kathleen Connolly
7th December 2013 at 6:02 pmHoney bees
joanna_kow
7th December 2013 at 7:05 pmTigers I believe
Jan
7th December 2013 at 10:19 pmBBBees