THE humble custard cream has been a stable in British biscuit tins for decades – but can own-brands beat McVitie’s?
The Victorian biscuit usually features an elaborate baroque design on the top and originated in the UK back in 1908.
Lynsey Hope tested custard creams at the major supermarkets
Traditionally, the filling was buttercream but nowadays cheaper fats have replaced the butter – that hasn’t stopped the price of them from rising in recent months though.
The filling tastes of vanilla though manufacturers have experimented with other flavours including coffee, chocolate and rhubarb and custard.
Nothing beats the original though. But can supermarket own-brand options taste as good as top brands like McVitie’s?
We asked Lynsey Hope, 41, from West Malling, Kent, to find out. Here she shares her verdict:
Lidl Tower Gate Custard Creams (400g)
- 49p
- 12.2p per 100g
Lidl’s version was cheap but scored the lowest in our test
Lynsey says: “Cheap but not cheerful. First bite and I could see why they were so cheap.
“The biscuit tasted plain and dry, there was none of the custardy sweet aromas you’d expect from one of these biscuits and there wasn’t much custard filling.
“They were no good for dunking in tea either and would just disintegrate into my mug, or hand.”
- TASTE: 3//10
- VALUE: 3/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 3/10
Essential Waitrose Custard Creams (150g)
- 35p
- 23.3p per 100g
The biscuits by Waitrose had a strong vanilla custard aroma
Lynsey says: “I loved the strong, vanilla custard aroma of these biscuits.
“They had a milky texture which made me think of melted ice cream.
“The biscuit itself was a bit powdery but the deep vanilla flavour of the filling really hit the spot.
“These had just the right level of sweetness and a lovely buttery, custardy taste.
“Light and moreish, if a bit on the pricey side.”
- TASTE: 8/10
- VALUE: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 8/10
Tesco Custard Creams (400g)
- 49p
- 12.2p per 100g
Tesco’s biscuits are currently the cheapest
Lynsey says: “Very pale in colour compared to the rest but they were well-filled with a lovely creamy vanilla centre that was delicately balanced and very pleasant to eat.
“They had an appealing sweet vanilla aroma and a rich taste.
“Most impressive was the sweet, milky flavour of the vanilla custard filling which hadn’t been scrimped on.
“Best of all, these are currently the cheapest custard creams you can buy. Yum yum.”
- TASTE: 9/10
- VALUE: 10/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 9/10
Aldi Belmont Custard Creams (300g)
- 37p
- 12.3p per 100g
Aldi offers a lot of biscuits in each pack
Lynsey says: “I thought these were going to be supersized, but there were just lots of them in the packet.
“There wasn’t a great deal of filling but they did have a lovely and appealing vanilla scent.
“They were well-baked with a lovely colour and the filling felt smooth against the crunch of the biscuit.
“I would have liked a bit more of a pronounced vanilla, custard flavour.
“These are a great price though so not bad at all for a budget option.”
- TASTE: 6/10
- VALUE: 7/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 6/10
M&S Custard Creams (150g)
- 35p
- 23.3p per 100g
M&S was the winner in our taste test
Lynsey says: “At first glance, you feel you are getting good value here as the pack only costs 35p.
“Trouble is they are small and being a family of five, these barely last five minutes.
“Blink and you’ll miss them in the biscuit tin.
“However, when it comes to taste, they are delicious (which doesn’t help how long they stay in the tin).
“They have a lovely thick cream in the centre and the biscuit has a lovely crunch.
“Not just any biscuit, this is an M&S biscuit. I’d definitely buy more.
“They win on taste here and are well worth a few extra pennies.”
- TASTE: 10/10
- VALUE: 9/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 10/10
McVitie’s Tasties Custard Creams (300g)
- 70p
- 23.3p per 100g
McVitie’s is almost on par with M&S when it comes to price – but the own-brand tasted better
Lynsey says: “A very solid, tasty biscuit. These custard creams from McVitie’s had a lovely crunch and a sweet and delicious filling.
“McVitie’s definitely know how to bake a good biscuit.
“They are joint most expensive than M&S though – and they’re definitely not as good as Marks’.
“They don’t feel as luxurious or creamy in the mouth so I don’t think they justify the high price tag.
“If you want delicious ones and don’t mind paying more – go for M&S.
“If you want a budget option, choose Tesco instead.”
- TASTE: 8/10
- VALUE: 5/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 6/10
Asda Custard Creams (400g)
- 50p
- 12.5p per 100g
Asda’s biscuits almost tasted like a cracker, Lynsey found
Lynsey says: “Dark and dryer than many others, a bit too much like a cracker.
“The filling was unevenly distributed in the biscuits and it wasn’t plentiful or sweet enough.
“They did have a lovely enticing sweet, caramel aroma and a nice crunch but I was left feeling disappointed.”
- TASTE: 4/10
- VALUE: 5/10
- OVERALL SCORE: 4/10
Did you miss our previous article…
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