Cadbury Philadelphia

Despite the 'Chocolate Philly? Don't be Silly' strapline that Kraft have adopted for their chocolate flavoured Philadelphia, I have never thought the rich, gooey cream would be anything other than a sweet moutful of sticky bliss.

For some reason, every time you mention this product to someone, shock and revulsion cross their face and the old 'Chocolate and Cheese?' argument inevitably begins. But Philadelphia has never really been a proper cheese; it's just a creamy pot of smooth paste that somehow manages to be both satisfyingly cloying but also light and refreshing. If anything I would argue Philadelphia is bland in the most heavingly way possible; it complements whatever you put it with.

I've spread it across a puffy pillow of a bagel with flakes of coral smoked salmon shining on top and I've blended it with lemon curd to make a zingy and refreshing filling for a tart to be adorned with a treasure trove of fruits. Philadelphia works so well with everything, hence why Kraft have even produced recipe books for it, demonstrating its versatility. I've seen it used with all sorts, from pasta to fish dishes, and surely we've all made a cheesecake with it? And I bet a large proportion of those have been chocolate cheesecakes so surely there should not be an issue with combining it with Cadbury chocolate?

There isn't. This is a heavenly mix of the thick, cooling properties of Philadelphia with a subtly sweet chocolate flavouring permeating every pore of the cream cheese. It's beautifully thick; smearing it across bread is satisfying  and, like peanut butter, the product clings onto the knife, coating it in its dark gloss. When you taste Chocolate Philadelphia, it blankets your tongue in creamy, soothing chocolate bliss. But it is also subtle and not overpoweringly chocolatey or sweet.

Actually Chocolate Philadelphia is surprisingly light at only 86 calories per 30g serving. And I personally would never use 30g in one go. A light spread across a digestive biscuit provides you with an instant chocolate cheesecake that feels and tastes like a real indulgent treat but without all the guilt. It makes a perfect substitute for a chocolate bar or a handful of biscuits.

Frankly, the only thing Silly about Chocolate Philly is that people will not even give it a chance. Try it, you won't regret it.