Tried and tested: Vegan and free from Christmas treats from ASDA

Whilst most people are tucking into turkey, mice pies and cheese this Christmas, there may be some family members who are either vegan or have dairy or wheat intolerance.
ASDA vegan cheeseASDA vegan cheese
ASDA vegan cheese

With only one vegan in our office and another person with wheat intolerances, how does the free from range at ASDA fare from our trusted testers?

CHOCOLATE and PUDDINGSASDA Free From Christmas Penguins Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate Hollows£2.75Gluten, wheat and milk free white chocolate flavour and chocolate flavour penguinsIf you didn’t know these were from the free from range you wouldn’t have guessed they were dairy free, however, the milk chocolate style penguin tasted a little like cheap chocolate but the white chocolate penguin was really nice. Our vegan tester described it as “probably one of the best tasting white chocolates I have had.”

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ASDA Free From Christmas Chocolate Selection box£2Chocolate bar; chocolate orange bar; chocolate crispie bar; chocolate buttons and chocolate orange buttons. Gluten, wheat and dairy free alternative to milk chocolate.This comes in a nice festive box and will no doubt make a great stocking filler for someone with dairy or wheat intolerances.The chocolate orange varieties were popular, providing plenty of flavour and were very moreish. Our wheat intolerant taster tried the chocolate bar and said it had the texture and ‘snap’ of dark chocolate but with the flavour of milk chocolate. It was not very creamy or melty on the tongue and the sweetness was quite sharp and synthetic. However, it was not a bad alternative.

ASDA free from Christmas puddingASDA free from Christmas pudding
ASDA free from Christmas pudding

ASDA Free From Belgian Chocolate Tiffin£2Gluten free dark Belgian chocolate squares with sultanas and sweetened dried cranberriesOur non vegan testers said these “were not bad, considering it is free from everything.” Whilst one taster found them tasteless but not unpleasant, another found them quite rich and enjoyed the saltanas. The glitter was a nice addition to the tiffins, making them look quite festive.Our vegan taster said they were a little bland and didn’t like the texture.

Extra Special Free From Truffle Selection

£4.50A rich and indulgent selection of milk, white and dark chocolate truffles flavoured with vanilla, orange, salted caramel and strawberry. Free from dairy, wheat and gluten.These came in a beautifully presented gold box, with truffles wrapped in coloured gold foil to differentiate the flavours. The salted caramel chocolate was the favourite. One taster described them as having “rich flavour but not overpowering.” Our vegan taster said the outer chocolate was nice but the truffle filling was a bit bland.

Free from chocolate truffles£2

ASDA free from chocolate selection boxASDA free from chocolate selection box
ASDA free from chocolate selection box

Gluten, wheat and milk free chocolate flavour truffles.Some tasters were a little underwhelmed by the flavour, as they could not taste much, but another described them as “delicious” and said: “they should rename them as ‘I can’t believe it’s not dairy.’”

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ASDA Free From Christmas Pudding£3Our rich and fruity favourite with a festive glug of brandy. Gluten, wheat and dairy free Christmas pudding with sultanas, cider, raisins and brandy.This pudding was really tasty. It was hard to find what was missing from this traditional treat, so was a winner at the dining table.

ASDA 6 Mince Pies97pSix Shortcrust pastry cases with a mincemeat filling, Suitable for Vegans.Our vegan taster enjoyed these, saying they had plenty of fruit in it and the pastry was just right. They were not too sweet which can often be the taste to compensate for no butter.

ASDA Free From Christmas Cookie Kit£3Christmas Pudding-shaped chocolate cookie mix, icing mix and edible decorationsFree From: Gluten, Milk, Wheat.The packet mix said it served six, but I only managed to make five cookies. However, considering there was no milk or wheat, the cookies shaped up quite nicely. The cooking instructions were spot on, as they were not overdone and were quite soft inside, which I love when it comes to cookies. There was still a strong taste of chocolate and they were quite filling. They were also very fun to make, perfect for children.

ASDA free from chocolate penguinsASDA free from chocolate penguins
ASDA free from chocolate penguins

SAVOURY

ASDA Free From Gravy Granules£1.20Gluten, wheat and milk free, vegan Gravy granules. Vegan Society approved.The gravy was nothing special and lacked the full onion flavour, but was pleasant enough to pour on our food.

Extra Special Vegan PatePrice: £2

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Roasted parsnip, smoky chestnuts and fragrant sage pate.Our vegan tester found this tasteless at first but with a strange spicy after taste. If you like strong favours this was very mild with just a hint of parsnip flavour.

Vegan pateVegan pate
Vegan pate

Vegan cheeseGarlic & Chive Mature Cheddar£2Our vegan taster was not too keen on onions and chives in cheese, but found it very creamy and the flavour wasn’t too overpowering.

Dairy-free Wensleydale and Cranberry Alternative.£2This cranberry alternative was very nice and the non vegan tester would buy it. The cranberry was lovely, and the taste was nice although it did lack the creaminess. Our vegan taster loved this cheese and felt it was good enough to eat on it’s own.All in all a very good selection.

ASDA Extra Special Harissa Spiced Nut Selection£3A festive mix of harissa spiced almonds and cashew nuts with warming spices and roasted hazelnuts.Our non vegan testers went crazy over these nuts. They were very morish and the best of the selection of treats on offer. One taster said they had “surprisingly in-depth flavours” and were not too salty. They were also “just spicy enough.”