In the spirit of Easter, let’s talk more about Cadbury Creme Eggs.

Most people either love ‘em or hate ‘em. I happen to be a former hater turned lover. Whether or not you enjoy eating them, here are some fun facts for you:

• Over 300 million Cadbury Creme Eggs are made each year, with a third being exported.
• The eggs are for sale from January 1 through Easter Day each year…unless of course you count the smashed and white-speckled ones you may purchase off clearance racks every so often beyond hatching season.
• At some point during the 1980s, the eggs were sold year round, but sales proved this wasn’t eggxactly a great idea.
• At some other point through the years, eggs decreased in size. This became a big topic of discussion in 2007.
• Eggs are sold in the UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
• There’s a special Facebook page for the egg.
• Some folks actually use chocolate eggs in baking.
• Other folks make their own creme eggs!
• And there are also the folks who make deviled creme eggs…
• Scientists sometimes blow them up.
• They can be purchased individually or in different-sized boxes.

There’s something so nostalgic about Cadbury Creme Eggs. Because of their seasonal availability and affiliation with Easter, we all seem to have special memories.

As someone always turned off by real eggs, the idea of eating a chocolate one resembling a real one turned my stomach as a child. But my younger brother loved them. And I always remember how excited he would get to bite into his first one each Easter. One day, as a candy-loving adult (with a more mature, less-discriminatory, borderline-gluttonous palate), I gave the chocolate eggs a chance and enjoyed what I ended up indulging in. You love that story.

What’s your favorite memory with a Cadbury Creme Egg?

• Cadbury Creme Egg Home Page

When it comes to jellybeans, it’s hard to compete with Jelly Belly’s multitude of flavors and all-around deliciousness. Still, each year at Easter, jellybean assortments start popping up all over the place. When I spied the display of Trader Joe’s Gourmet Jellybeans, which are made “with colors from fruit & vegetable sources,” I knew I had to try them out. After all, how can I claim that Jelly Belly is best unless I’ve personally sampled all the competing brands?

I was excited to try these, but my eagerness began to wane as soon as I opened the bag and took a good whiff. Something about those fruit and vegetable sources gives the bag a mighty powerful and peculiar odor. And then, once I got the bag opened and gulped a few breaths of fresh air, it became apparent that, for the discerning snacker, these jellybeans will require time and perseverance rather than mindless face-stuffing. There are 18 flavors in the bag, which, for the sake of variety, sounds great, but for the sake of determining what the heck you’re about to taste, is maddening. There’s just one blue (blueberry) and one green (apple), so those are easy to pick out. But if you’re looking for a flavor that isn’t blue or green, then you’ve got your work cut out for you.

Raspberry, cherry, and strawberry are nearly identical in hue. Mango and pomegranate are the same shade of orange, except that mango has tiny red splotches and pomegranate has tiny yellow ones. (Then there’s passion fruit, which is also orange, only without the speckles.) Coconut is white, while lemon is tinged with only the faintest yellow. At first, I dug through the bag, muttering to myself about what color combination I wanted. Then I started holding up jellybeans to the light, one at a time, and peering at the wrapper to try to compare the jellybean with the picture I hoped it represented. Finally, I gave up all hope of ever being able to find a banana split jellybean on my own and left it to fate to deliver one to me, eventually.

My ability to discern what I was eating didn’t necessarily improve once I bit into the jellybeans, either. I never learned to differentiate between the raspberry and cherry, and not for lack of trying. I did like the ambiguous “red” flavor, though, which was both sweet and tart. Most of the oranges blurred together, too, with vaguely tropical but otherwise indistinct flavors. And the lemon jellybean tasted awfully similar to its cousin, lemon-lime. Still, some flavors did stand out. Strawberry smoothie and grape were wonderful. Tangerine had a good citrusy zip to it. And the apple was nicely fruity without the lingering floral aftertaste I got from some of the other fruit flavors.

The candies are small, about the size of Jelly Belly jellybeans, with thin shells and thick, chewy centers. I paid $3.99 for a 15-ounce bag. If you’re the sort of jellybean eater who can reach blindly into the bag and then happily chow down on whatever you might pull out, then these are worth a shot. But if you prefer that all your flavors be distinct from one another, in both taste and appearance, then Trader Joe’s Gourmet Jelly Beans probably aren’t the jellybeans for you.

• Trader Joe’s

You probably wouldn’t want to placate your mini-me with one of the twelve pieces inside See’s Easter Traditions Box for fear that it could lead to unreasonable dietary demands such as the lofty expectation of a 100% See’s chocolate smorgasbord in exchange for one fewer temper tantrum per week. Presenting this nifty little collection to a colleague, friend, or Easter-brunch hosting family member, however, could easily turn all tides in your favor, especially if you need to symbolically and/or sugarifically right a wrong.

On the surface, See’s 12 piece Easter Traditions Box may seem modest in size, but once you remove its oval-shaped, violet-tinted lid, you’ll be immediately impressed by how much sugary goodness is packed inside. Containing 8.7 ounces of actual product — the equivalent of 12 individual chocolate-covered pieces (technically 14 if you count the three milk molasses chips as separate entities) – you’ll be getting real value for the $12.55 that you spend.

Decoding the actual treats within does require a sharply tuned eye as well as the ability to compare See’s master chocolate photographs/descriptions located on their website to what your particular selection offers. I can only guess that they are intentionally vague about the contents of their Easter Traditions Box in order to ensure flexibility if and when they run out of certain pieces.

My box was purchased in the southwest, and as such, it included the following:

• Vanilla Nut Cream: A soft vanilla cream center studded with walnuts and enrobed in milk chocolate.
• Milk Molasses Chips: Crisp molasses-infused toffee dipped in milk chocolate.
• Milk Bordeaux: A brown sugar-flavored cream blanketed in milk chocolate and accented with with chocolate vermicelli.
• Milk Chocolate Butter: A chocolate based cream center enriched with butter and coated in…yup…milk chocolate.
• Dark Butterchew: Basically a chewy vanilla and brown sugar tinged caramel with a dark chocolate shell.
• Caramel: Maple, brown sugar, and butter do the tango in this crowd-pleasing, almond studded, milk chocolate-dipped caramel.
• Scotchmallow: One of See’s most frequently demanded treats, this marshmallow and caramel layered confection rightfully rocks a dark chocolate exterior.
• Divinity: This is what happens when marshmallow fluff collides with walnuts and milk chocolate – a bite size S’mores without the graham foil.
• Café Au Lait Truffle: White chocolate ganache jazzed up with java and dipped in milk chocolate.
• White Chocolate Covered Raspberry Truffle and Lemon Truffle: All dressed up in their white Easter finery, both flower-adorned selections boast a white chocolate based ganache enhanced with real fruit puree and bright flavors.

Those with Rainman sensibilities will notice that I failed to include a description of the final piece included in my Easter Traditions Box. Despite double-checking See’s website 63 times and cross referencing what I saw online with the real live chocolates staring back at me, I couldn’t discern the difference either visually or flavor-wise.

My one major pet peeve with this assortment is that, aside from the 2 Easter-inspired offerings, it seems kind of safe… veering dangerously close toward ho-hums-ville. I realize that See’s is known for their predictably reliable flavor choices, but in a 12 piece box marketed specifically for the Easter holiday, just how many caramel based and pedestrian creams is appropriate? (Apparently 3 and 4, respectively.)

When purchasing an Easter or spring-themed collection, am I the only one who eagerly anticipates indulging in seasonally-inspired flavors? I didn’t think so. Given that a mere 16.7% of See’s Easter Traditions Box consists of such legitimately festive offerings, I think that their master confectioner could easily step up their game by stepping a few feet away from their current chocolate comfort zone.

• See’s Website

Upon racing home and tearing into the package, however, three different layers of bubble wrap will leap out to reveal the actual buzz kill within. You wanna know what $12.55 really buys you at See’s Candy these days? A spartan Easter themed collection consisting of two 2.2 ounce foil wrapped hollow milk chocolate bunnies, three smallish marshmallow eggs (including two milk chocolate dipped and one Scotchmallow), three even more diminutive crème eggs, eight individual jellybeans, and three solid (albeit thumbnail-sized) milk chocolate eggs.

Now, I know that throughout the years, my candy enthusiastic colleagues have mightily praised the goodies coming off of See’s factory line, from their Awesome Nut Chew Bars to their Scotchmallow Eggs. By no means am I disputing their mutual consensus that See’s Candy produces reliably flavorful treats that are clearly high in quality — certainly, that fact alone helps to justify their higher price point.

What I do take issue with, however, is the misleading package size of this particular Easter collection. If you purchase it with the intention of dazzling your child, brace yourself for their noticeably dejected facial expression as they long for the free-for-all days of sugar gorging that only Halloween can provide. Truthfully, you’d have to purchase at least two of See’s Easter Assortments to fulfill the unbridled holiday expectations of the younger set. At that rate, your $25 could yield a far more substantial Easter basket dividend if you instead purchased all of the traditional goodies at a big box retailer.

Nevertheless, there is a place for this collection — in the hands of the person hosting the Easter soiree you plan on attending this year. For restrained adult recipients who aren’t necessarily besotted by volume but appreciative of quality, this is a respectable choice that will put a sweet little smile on their face.

Yeah, but how does See’s Easter Assortment taste? First the bad news. The jellybeans are a sugary forgettable afterthought lacking even a remote hint of real fruit flavor despite their shiny, gumball tinted exteriors. Both the foil wrapped milk chocolate mini eggs and hollow Easter bunnies should also be considered a decorative accent to the other far more worthy contents within because – at least flavor-wise — nothing about them really stands out.

As far as the good news is concerned, the two amply dipped milk chocolate covered marshmallow eggs are soft and pliable with none of the funky chemically aftertaste you might find with drug store versions. Similarly, the dark chocolate dipped Scotchmallow egg – teaming with a soft marshmallow and caramel center – is toothsome, satisfying, and will likely be a fleeting memory based on the speed with which your gift recipient will gobble it up.

Ditto for See’s three wee bitty filled eggs bursting with chocolate butter crème, vanilla chip, and strawberry centers. Yum…but heyyy, where’d they go? To be fair, they are about the same size as an average filled chocolate – just egg shaped for your holiday appreciation – but you’ll wish that they were a tad bit more substantial given the champagne dreams price tag of the complete collection and the fact that 50% of it consists of what sugar snobs like me refer to as edible filler.

Would I purchase this collection again? No sir-eeee Bob. Would I purchase something else at See’s? Most definitely – I’m still dying to try their apparently highly coveted Mayfair Egg — a pecan and glace cherry laden confection that is woefully sold out every single time I visit their brick and mortar store front! Not every chocolate assortment can make the grade, and I admit that my standards might be a bit higher than the average sugar aficionado, so if paying for extraneous packaging and filler candy doesn’t faze you, then this puppy makes the grade!

• See’s Candies Website

Easter eggs! This is the time of year when you have oodles and oodles of options. Do you want hard candy shells that protect a layer of chocolate goodness? Or maybe you prefer them filled… with peanut butter? Or marshmallow? Or fondant? Each spring, I become so embarrassingly giddy, so overwhelmed by the sheer volume of delectable eggs available for purchase, that I end up buying a veritable mountain of them – which I then hoard to get me through those long summer months when the only kinds of eggs you can buy are hard boiled or scrambled. Some Easter eggs are so delicious that I can’t imagine hoarding them for any longer than a couple of days. Sometimes, it’s all I can do to keep from ripping into the package while I’m waiting in line at the cash register. See’s Assorted Decorated Eggs are like that.

The eggs come six to a package, all milk chocolate, with three different fillings: Bordeaux, Vanilla Chip, and Chocolate Butter. They’re fairly small, from about the tip of your index finger to the middle joint. Each egg has a cute little flower on top, which the company describes as a “hand-applied decoration.” The white flowers mark the Bordeaux eggs: brown sugar buttercreams that are smooth and rich, with just a hint of caramel. The purple flowers mark the Vanilla Chip eggs, and biting into one is like sampling a mouthful of chocolate-covered batter from your favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. And the yellow flowers mark the Chocolate Butter eggs, which are extremely fudgy and sweet, like frosting, only more dense. My favorite is the Vanilla Chip, which, sadly, can be hard to come by except in an Easter mix. The box costs $5.75, so about a dollar per egg.

See’s Decorated Assorted Eggs are a fantastic indulgence, no question about it, but they’re incredibly sweet (especially the Chocolate Butter eggs!) and you’d really only want to eat one per serving. Any more than that, and your eyelids might start twitching from the sugar rush. Even though I’m normally a milk chocolate devotee, I’d be curious to taste the effect a dark chocolate coating might have on the level of sweetness for this assortment.

• See’s Assorted Decorated Eggs

Craftgossip has a cool list of 9 different crafts you can make with conversation hearts. I never really cared for the taste of them, so maybe I should start making stuff with them instead!

• 9 Conversation Hearts Crafts

Great for the special person in your life, or just to add some sweet fun to any room, our new Jellio Seat Hearts are the perfect way to show your romantic side. Choose from “Love You”, “Be Mine” or “Hug Me”.

Colors:
Pink, Plum or Yellow

Size:
24” wide x 20” deep x 17” high.

Materials:
Vinyl over foam. wooden legs

Jellio makes the kind of cool furniture I just wish I had the money to buy. Be sure and check out all of their other cool furniture too.

• Jellio Seat Hearts

If you’re at a loss for what to get your sweetheart this Valentine’s Day, don’t worry. Just drive over to your local Target or other big-box all-purpose store or pharmacy and check out their special seasonal section, which is full of tons of great candy choices. Whether you prefer your candy romantic, sweet, silly, or weird, you should find a great selection at discount store prices. Check out what I found.

Romantic Candy

Target had tons of great choices for romantic candy, and almost all the options cost no more than $10. At the top of the page is a ruffly box of Russell Stover chocolates. If your gal is slightly girly and romantic, she’ll probably love this box!

Of course, there were tons of other heart-shaped boxes of chocolate:

This box of Dove chocolates has a less-traditional shape, and is filled with delicious Dove chocolate hearts. If your sweetheart is a chocoholic, this will do the trick.

I like these boxes that look like candy hearts with messages in Spanish. They’re also filled with Russell Stover chocolates.

Or, skip the heart-shaped box of bon-bons and get a candy rose. The Toblerone box is a standard Toblerone with a cardboard rose on the box, while the Dove box has a rose made of candy coming out the top. A tip from a lady to guys who need some help choosing a Valentine’s Day gift: this is a sweet gift, but because it’s smaller, make sure you tuck something else in with this one, like a gift certificate for a pedicure.

Manly Valentine Candy

There were several fun candy options to give to the manly men in your life! How about a candy tackle box?

Or, if your man is a little more of a player, you could gamble on some Lucky in Love candy poker chips.

For your handy man, here are some milk chocolate tools. I might go back and get these for my construction-obsessed son.

Valentine Candy for Kids

Target has some fun offerings for kid valentine candy. I would have loved to get these Fun Dip valentines from a classmate back in grade school!

There are a couple different candy jewelry kits, which are perfect valentines for your little girl.

No Valentine’s Day is complete without a few boxes of Sweethearts. Have you tried the Glam version?

These Star Wars Clone Wars heart-shaped lollipops are so cool! Hearts + Star Wars = Love.

I think these gummy candy skewers are cute — especially the cupcakes!

These heart-shaped boxes of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups Miniatures come with a cute stuffed cheetah, which many kiddos would love. Or, if you want to give some special Valentine’s Day candy to a friend, co-worker, sibling, client, or someone who you don’t want to send the wrong message to, this would be a good choice.

Fun & Fantastic Valentine Candy

At first I thought this was a Valentine’s Day Voodoo doll, but when I looked at the tag, it said the toy was a “monster.” Hmm, a Valentine’s Day Monster, huh? Slightly creepy-cute, and completely perfect for your teen.

I got this Wonka Scrumdiddlyumptious Chocolate for my family to try. How could you not?

Don’t wait until Easter to get your Peeps fix! You can get marshmallow hearts and “I heart you” candy right now.

I’m a huge fan of candy sprinkles. They make everything more fun! My favorite of this group are the pink pearl nonpareils (although, the X’s and O’s are pretty cool, too). If you are the baking type, make your own Valentine’s Day sweets, and add special sprinkles to make your goodies that much more fun.

Slightly cheeky, this Spin the Bottle candy gift sends the message that you want to have a fun time with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day.

For some reason, you don’t see strawberries together with chocolate candy bars that often. In fact, these Ghirardelli Dark & Strawberry squares might be the first ones that I’ve ever seen!

This virtual tour of Target’s Valentine candy aisle should give you some inspiration about which sweet treat will be perfect for your valentine. Which of these candies caught your eye? What are you getting your sweetheart this year? Which candy do you want to receive?

Contest closed
Thanks for the winning comment, Amy! What a great memory! I once pantsed someone and am often reminded of it. ;) Here’s the winning comment:

i love the peppermint bark, but i was really intrigued by the caramel filled squares i tried last summer. great combination.

my favorite holiday tradition is getting to open one gift on christmas eve. as a kid, having to choose just the right one was soooo hard.

and i remember the year my mom gave us christmas themed underwear. each pair had rudolph or santas, etc… anyway, she told us we had to wear them, and she threatened to check later on. that was such a fun day. running around and being carefree. i miss that feeling of not having a care in the world. and the fear of being pantsed at any moment was pretty funny. oh, and she never checked. :)

Keep reading for more fun giveaways to come!
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If it’s better to give than receive, we must be excellent! We’ve got a fantastic one-day only giveaway for our readers!

THE GIVEAWAY
To celebrate the holidays, Ghirardelli wants to give one lucky Candy Addict reader a Ghirardelli Peppermint Bark Party Pack! To enter, post a comment below sharing your favorite Ghirardelli flavor and tell us about your favorite winter holiday tradition by midnight EST December 13, 2010. We’ll choose our favorite entry from all valid entries and you get the goods. Simple, eh? (Psst… we’re always interested in new ideas, so unique traditions will catch our attention. And, well, if your favorite flavor happens to be my own, you’re gonna get noticed, too!)

Be sure and use your real email address when you post a comment (it will not be shown on the site) and make sure emails from candyaddict.com don’t get labeled as SPAM. You can’t win if you can’t receive the winning email!

Offer open to U.S. residents only and prize must be shipped to a U.S. address. Limit one entry per person. Entries accepted until midnight EST, December 13, 2010. Winners must be 18 years or older to win. Void where prohibited by law. If the winner does not reply by email within 24 hours when we send the winning email, the prize will be forfeit and another winner will be chosen.

• Ghirardelli website

Which do you eat first?

• Chocolate Bunny Debate on Flashnews