If you want to liven up breakfast time, a new product might just do the trick.
One of the UK’s first ever spicy cereals has been unveiled by Kellogg’s, who have added a hot kick to their popular Crunchy Nut.
The product promises golden honey–coated curls with a ‘gentle chilli warmth’ that blends both sweet and spicy flavours.
It follows a recent rise in the popularity of ‘swicy’ dishes, with hot honey being added to everything from pizzas to chicken and even popcorn.
Freya Knight, Marketing Manager for Crunchy Nut, said the brand has ‘always been about making breakfast more exciting’.
‘Sweet meets spicy is a flavour combo that’s on the rise, so why not go bold at breakfast too?’ she said.
‘As one of the UK’s first swicy breakfast cereals, Hot Honey Crunchies deliver a gentle kick of heat balanced with the golden honey flavour fans already adore.’
Kellogg’s was kind enough to send me a box to try – and I can’t believe how strong the unexpected kick was.
I’m usually alright with spice, so decided to give this ‘sweet and spicy’ hot honey cereal a go ahead of its general release
The product promises golden honey–coated curls with a ‘gentle chilli warmth’ that blends both sweet and spicy flavours
At first glance, the cereal box looks innocent enough and features a design very similar to traditional Crunchy Nut packaging.
But on closer inspection you notice something different – red flames coming out of the bowl and the addition of a chopped chilli pepper alongside it.
The back of the box also features a thermometer, with the tagline ‘Sweet meets spicy’.
Now to the fine print – the description reads: ‘Corn, wheat and oat cereal with honey, flavoured with chilli and fortified with vitamins.’
While traditional Crunchy Nut pieces appear covered in a light glaze, these seem to have less of a shine.
A quick sniff test doesn’t raise any suspicions, so the next step was to pour a big bowl and get on with it.
As colleagues watched me wolf down a mouthful, there was a five second pause when I was worried the product I’d been sent was a bit of a dud.
But then, after I’d eventually munched through my bite and swallowed, the heat hit me – and it was a lot more powerful than I was expecting.
While traditional Crunchy Nut pieces appear covered in a light glaze, these seem to have less of a shine
At first I couldn’t taste any spice at all and thought it hadn’t worked – but this is when the heat finally kicked in
This photo above shows the moment the spice kicked in, and my surprise is clear to see.
While I was expecting perhaps a tiny hint of heat, I was hit by a generous wave of chilli that genuinely warmed me up.
Spicy chillies contain a compound called capsaicin that binds to receptors in our tastebuds, causing that burning sensation when we eat spicy food.
But in a ‘swicy’ dish, such as this, the heat is tempered by sugar, which coats the tongue and helps quench the fire.
This leaves a sweet, pleasant after–taste that really does leave you wanting more.
The addition of cold milk in the bowl also made me want to keep eating, as it helped cool down my tongue.
Later in the day I attempted to eat a handful of the cereal on its own and felt like the spicy taste lasted much longer on my tongue.
Colleagues who also tried a spoonful demonstrated the exact same reaction – several seconds of looking confused before the ‘Eureka!’ moment of the spice kicking in.
While I wouldn’t have it for breakfast every day, it’s a nice winter warmer that provides a bit of heat on those extra–chilly mornings
As the spice levels are – for most people – manageable, there are no urgent warnings or safety notices on the box.
You certainly don’t need to sign a waiver or prove your age – like my colleagues have done in previous spice tests.
But it could make for an interesting breakfast if you give it to your children or partner accidentally.
If you fancy giving it a go, the £3.50 cereal will be available nationwide from January 1 across major UK supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Morrisons.
