Sausage rolls

Sausage rolls, a generic crowd pleaser that you can’t go wrong with. Our taste test reveals that the Superquinn sausage is the secret ingredient in the SuperValu cocktail sausage roll

SuperValu Cocktail sausages (€2.75)

With a crumbly pastry that had a nice crunch, the SuperValu sausage rolls interested us from the first bite. However, it was the meaty Superquinn sausage inside that really helped put this product in the top spot. A good proportion of sausage to pastry, this product won on taste alone.

However, beware as it gets messy. Probably more a party food to enjoy with family rather than canapés at a dinner party.

Marks & Spencer Mini sausage rolls (€5.99)

The Marks & Spencer sausage roll are better suited if offering canapés at a bigger party. They are neat and more bite-sized.

While they weren’t as meaty as the SuperValu range, the filling did have a nice spice, which worked well with the crusty pastry.

Tesco Finest Sausage rolls (€3.29)

Now these are mega meaty sausage rolls. Perfect to impress a group of teenage lads sitting around the table playing cards at Christmas, not so great for giving to a lady that is trying to balance a glass of wine in one hand and a sausage roll in the other.

Unfortunately, the crust was a little soggy in comparison with the other two. If you’re looking for something more bite-sized, check out the Tesco frozen party range which offers 50 sausage rolls for €1.65. Not as nice, but a great bargain.

Spring rolls

With a little bit of spice, the Marks & Spencer spring roll collection trumped the rest

Marks & Spencer Vegetable spring rolls (€3.69)

What gave the Marks & Spencer spring rolls the top place in this taste test was the filling. You could see that there were actual beansprouts and noodles in the product,

instead of a bit of mush. It had a spicy black bean taste to the sauce that made you reach out for more. Also size-wise, they were the largest but still not too big for finger food. Bonus point for not being too greasy.

Tesco Finest Spring roll selection (€6, also available in the two for €8 special offer)

The little bit of greasiness was the downfall for the Tesco spring rolls for us. However, it wasn’t a bad product. They were wrapped in sesame seeds on one side, which gave them a really nice, unique crunch. Also, the pack contained a selection of spring rolls, including prawn and coriander, duck and plum sauce, and chicken and black beans. Unfortunately though, it was hard to differentiate the flavours when they came out of the oven.

SuperValu Spring rolls – as part of SuperValu Chinese selection – (€4.50, also in the two for €5 special offer available from 11 December)

SuperValu may have won the taste test in the sausage roll category. Unfortunately though, when it came to its spring rolls there was only one word for them – bland.

A good crunch to the pastry, but the filling was dry and tasteless.

Tempura prawns

You can’t beat a bit of Tempura Prawns and with the perfect balance of prawn and batter, Tesco takes the top spot in this category.

Tesco Finest Tempura king prawns (10 pack – €6, available in the two for €8 special offer)

With the three categories laid out, the Tesco tempura prawns were medium sized. However, when you bite in, they have the perfect balance of prawn versus batter. You could really taste the prawns and the coating was quite crisp.

Marks & Spencer Tempura king prawns (10 pack – €7.49)

On appearances alone, this product definitely looked the most attractive. However, there was far more coating than prawns. That’s not to say that the prawns weren’t a decent size, they were significantly bigger than the Lidl product, but the juiciness of the prawn was consumed by the batter.

Lidl Deluxe Tempura king prawns with chilli dip (12 pack – €2.99)

Although this product came in last, it wasn’t necessarily bad. It was just the prawns were much smaller than the other two. At a good price point, they are a handy product to have in the freezer if people call over and the accompanying sweet chilli dip definitely gave it that extra zing that the other two products didn’t have. However, they aren’t very meaty.

Puff pastry

With a tasty deep filling and a crunchy bite, Marks & Spencer took the top spot when it came to puff pastry.

Marks & Spencer Mini vol au vent selection (€7.49)

Although Marks & Spencer got the top spot in this category, it did encounter tough competition from SuperValu. Top marks were gained for the crunchy puff pastry, which crisped up beautifully in the oven, as well as the deep filling. The bacon and mushroom variety had lots of flavour, especially from the mushrooms. The salmon taste came up lovely, especially when fused with watercress. It lost marks for the chicken and asparagus variety. The asparagus overpowered the chicken and the green colour was not very attractive.

SuperValu Chicken and mushroom vol au vents (€4.50)

The SuperValu selection was more consistent, but it lost out on the top spot as the chicken and mushroom flavour was a bit bland compared with the winning flavour in the Marks & Spencer range. A bit of black pepper helps bring out the flavour. You really get a good bite out of these vol au vents and there is plenty of filling, but the pastry is very buttery. A not too bad option that will keep your guests happy.

Dunnes Stores Puff pastry selection (€2)

There is no denying that at €2, the Dunnes Stores Puff Pastry selection is good value. If you’re feeding the masses, they are an option worth considering. However, if you have a small party and you’re out to impress, they just won’t fit the bill. The puff pastry in the vol au vents is very flat and filling is minimum. In fact, the filling in the cheese puffs had a congealed taste.