Most of the time I try to steer well clear of chocolate, cakes and biscuits because once I start nibbling, I just can't stop. However, there are times when I absolutely crave something sweet and since discovering Warburton's Fruit Loaf with Orange, I now always have a little something in the freezer which satisfied my sugar craving without damaging the diet.


Price and availability:

I buy this from Aldi, when they have it available, for £1.09 but it's also on sale at all major supermarkets for £1.20.


What do you get for your money

Each loaf contains twelve slices, including the end slices, and each slice is well studded with fruit. Warburtons certainly don't short change their customers with regard to content. I won't list all the ingredients which include various stabilisers, preservatives and guar gum etc but the main ingredients which contribute to the delicious flavour of this fruit loaf are: wheatflour, sultanas (20%), orange flavoured pieces (4%), apple puree, orange and pear juices.

Each slice has 88 calories and 8.8 grams of sugars which is quite high but that is balanced out by being low in fat, only 0.9 grams and of which only 0.1 gram is saturated fat, so this won't exactly ruin your diet and as an added bonus, two slices not only provides that essential shot of sweetness but also Jonathan Warburton assures us it counts as one of your five a day.

This is suitable for vegetarians and allergy advice is that this loaf contains gluten and soya and is produced in a bakery which uses milk, sesame seeds and barley.


The taste experience

How it tastes can be summed up in one word - scrumdiddleumptious! The sultanas are of the large and plumptious variety and the orange is there more as a background flavour so it doesn't overwhelm the whole taste experience but you just get a hint of orange with every bite. The message from Jonathan Warburton on the pack says that "the trick was getting the right amount of orange - not too much and not too little" and he thinks they've cracked it and I have to agree. Other fruit loaves I've tried, often seem to include spices such as cinnamon in their recipes which makes the loaf taste more like a hot cross bun, but this loaf doesn't have any fancy spices, relying entirely on the fruitiness from the sultanas, orange pieces and fruit juices instead.

This can be eaten as it is from the packet, with or without butter or Flora, but it's even more tasty when toasted. Each slice is thick enough that when toasted and buttered, it stays firm even when the butter sinks into the loaf and the toasting process seems to make the sultanas swell so that they're even more plumptious.

Although I normally eat this toasted with butter, I've also used it on occasion to make bread and butter pudding which certainly seems to give the pudding an extra zing.


Storing

This loaf keeps quite well for a few days in the bread bin, although doesn't last as long during the summer months, but as it freezes very well, I tend to stick the entire loaf in the freezer and just take a couple of slices as and when I need them. That also keeps it out of temptations way!

Summing up

The legend on the pack says "Bursting with fruitiness" and it certainly is. This is quite simply the best and tastiest fruit loaf I've ever eaten and I can't find anything negative to say about it at all other than there's never enough of it. This is the fruit loaf by which all other fruit loaves should be measured. It's a five star product.