- The Swedish Chef (who is so not Swedish that he passes for a Dane in Germany)
- Swedish Fish (which actually DID originate in Sweden)
- Swedish meatballs (which I have in the past often confused with porcupine meatballs (HOW?), sometimes with troublesome results)
- Political neutrality (Sweden has commitment issues)
- IKEA (which I have never bought anything from)
- Swedish massages (though, truth be told, I actually have no idea what makes a massage Swedish)
In short, I don't know a lot about Sweden. Sometimes when I think I do know something about Sweden, I realize I'm actually thinking of Switzerland.
Sad, I know.
Luckily, one of my candy acquisition specialists embarked on a trip to the wonderful (I'm assuming, I obviously have never been there) land of Sweden in an effort to retrieve a proper sampling of the nation's candies (he also had some business to attend to there or something, but that is irrelevant). I believe that one can learn a lot about a country by its candy, so it is in the interest of erudition that I set forth on my latest confectionary expedition with the Mondelēz International Daim Bar (2 pack):
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| WARNING: Daim bars may randomly explode into thousands of shards of death (but probably not really)! |
Having already tried the Milka & Daim bar (and loving it!) earlier this year, my taste buds were all aflutter with anticipation. But was that a case of the whole being more than the sum of its parts? How would the Daim fare on its own? Would it maintain the accolades bestowed upon it in its pairing with Milka's creamy chocolate, or would it hang its head in shame (figuratively speaking), revealed as the weaker member in the partnership?
Naturally, I was eager to discover the truth.
The Daim bar was originally created by Marabou after a failed attempt at a licensing deal with Heath. It is therefore, as one might expect, similar in concept to a Heath bar (which I am a fan of; the Daim bar has its work cut out for it). In the past, it was also marketed as "Dime" (for pronunciation purposes, presumably) in the United Kingdom (and "Dajm" in Scandinavia, for that matter). Given Daim's willingness to partner with other candy bars, let me be the first to recommend a coupling with Hershey's Take 5, called (what else?) "5 and Daim". It'd be a surefire hit!
But on to the review...
The package design evokes feelings of thrill and excitement; I don't know what has caused the pictured Daim to be blown to smithereens (one might say "It's the way it shatters that matters," except that would be copyright infringement), but I want to be a part of it! It lacks the purple cow elegance of the Milka & Daim, but that's clearly intentional; there is no room for elegance in the Daim bar, as it is too packed with mouth-watering action!
The little "2" off to the side indicates that this is a two pack version, so I'm ready for twice the fun of a single Daim!
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| I got bored just reading the web address... |
The "best before" date indicates the candy is in prime condition (which is more than I can say for myself), so we're good to go (assuming "we're" means "I'm").
There is also a little notice about being "Rainforest Alliance Certified," which is a pretty big deal, as being certified requires (among other things) reading a very dull 15-page document on certification policy. Bravo, Mondelēz International! That's more than I could ever hope to accomplish.
The final item of note in this section of the wrapper is the bold "56g," which implies that each individual Daim bar is 28g. This is significant, because it means one can distribute the bar evenly amongst seven people (a whopping 4g each!), if one so desired (which one wouldn't, unless one was weird).
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| And the sample size is... *drum roll* |
The nutritional information is conveniently provided in multiple languages (anywhere from three to five, depending on the mood of the chart designer). Who knew that "fett" meant "fat" in Swedish (Swedes, I guess)? It causes one to wonder if perhaps Boba Fett is of Swedish descent and endured cruel ridicule for his name in his younger days. It would explain a lot. But I digress...
If the multilingual aspect to the nutritional panel is convenient, its imprecise placement is just the opposite; since the label for each column wraps over the edge of the bar, it is anybody's guess what the given measurements relate to. It can make for a fun (if one is easily amused) guessing game, though. Look at the information and try to guess how much of a Daim bar is being measured; with a bad enough short-term memory, several rounds can be played!
If my reader(s) really must know, however, the first column refers to a 100g (about three and a half bars) sample, and the middle column refers to 28g (one bar). I know the 100g table is for comparison to other candies, but I find it of little practical value; when has anyone ever started a fourth Daim and not been able to finish? Urban legends may abound on the subject, but none of them are the least bit credible.
Anyhow, a single portion comes to 150 Calories, which doesn't sound too terrible... until the thinness of the product is taken into account. Even so, it's not unheard of and hopefully bodes well for the taste!
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| Still more interesting than the "Certification Policy" document. |
A quick look under the flap on the back of the wrapper revealed the ingredients lists.
Having had several candies from Sweden at this point, I'm used to the ingredients being provided in so many languages that the section becomes a blur of incomprehension. Imagine my surprise upon finding I could actually read some of the words! I was almost convinced my consumption of Swedish goodies had led to a miraculous and spontaneous understanding of the Swedish language. Alas, that was not the case; it's just that this product has a wider distribution than some of the previous candies I've tried. Even so, it's always nice to know what I am about to eat.
Overall, the ingredients look to be a delicious mix, aside from the ambiguous "flavouring," which could go either way. And once again, the information wraps off slightly, reducing readability. Fortunately, it really only affects those customers who prefer to read Swedish in this case, so I'm okay.
Now, the back of a candy wrapper is a lot like a person's profile on a social media or dating site; a lot of (hopefully true) facts are given, but it can never really fully explain how one might feel after experiencing said candy. So what is the Daim bar truly like, sans wrapper?
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| Daim mitosis in action! |
Well, both samples inside had cracked at some point, turning my two pack into a potential four pack. Not that I minded.
In addition, there was a slight discoloration at the tip of one, but it didn't seem anything to worry about, either. I nevertheless found the bar oddly appealing. It just seemed... right somehow.
The odor was not as appetizing, however; it smelled strongly of cocoa powder, and memories of the American Heritage chocolate stick still haunt me. To be honest, I was expecting the flavor to be rather disappointing, an inferior version of the Heath bar. I am extremely pleased to say I was wrong. Oh, how wrong I was! The Daim bar is an unmitigated success!
The combination of chocolate coating and crunchy almond butter is delectable, and the consistency is utterly perfect; I wouldn't change a thing! I, for one, am thankful Marabou was unable to license the Heath bar, as their failure ultimately led to the creation of a superior product. Hershey's probably less thankful.
It should not come as a shock, then, that I rate the Mondelēz International Daim Bar a well-deserved 4. I would most certainly purchase another if in a reasonable vicinity (I've heard IKEA sells them; I feel a sudden urge to window shop for some ready-to-assemble furniture), and I'd heartily recommend it to anyone who sees chocolate-covered toffee as an alluring concept. It will not let you down.
To answer my earlier question, the Daim bar can definitely stand proud (or toffee-nosed, even) on its own (or in a two or four pack). It's the sort of sweet treasure rarely found in my adventures, a fine product through and through.
From this day forward, whenever I hear the word "Sweden," my first thought is likely to consist of a Daim bar; my second thought will be regarding where and how to obtain another.
As the slogan goes, "You never forget your first Daim."
Indeed.
Having the Daim of my life,
The Sweets Fiend
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| So thin. So crunchy. So delicious. |
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