Woolworths
R 34.95 for 430g
Sell by date 7 days from date of purchase
Use by date 9 days from date of purchase
Heat: Microwave (2 1/2 minutes) or Oven (180 Celsius for 15 minutes)
1329 kJ per 100g
Suitable for freezing – use within one month
Halaal
Cholesterol 74mg
Carbs 45.8 per 100g
Protein 3.6g per 100g
Flavour: First taste – butter. Tastes like it contains dates, although no dates are listed in the ingredients. It basically tastes like a Cape Brandy Pudding, but with the brandy replaced with butter.
Texture: Moist throughout. Texture not like a traditional Malva Pudding, again, more like a Cape Brandy Pudding.
Presentation: The container is nice looking, not the “usual” foil container. It’s presentable for the dinner table.
Score as traditional Malva Pudding: 2/5
Score in comparison to others bought: 4/5
Pick ‘n Pay
R 32.49 for 450g
Sell by date 1 day from date of purchase
Use by date 1 day from date of purchase
Heat: Microwave (3-4 minutes) or Oven (180 Celsius for 8 – 10 minutes)
1575 kJ per 100g
Suitable for freezing – use within three month
Halaal
Cholesterol – no indication
Carbs 46.1 per 100g
Protein 4.1g per 100g
Flavour: Very syrupy, more like a sticky toffee pudding or a caramel muffin soaked with golden syrup.
Texture: Wet, almost soggy on the outer edges, dry in the middle. Very dense and heavy – stodgy.
Presentation: Acceptable – but not necessarily what you would like to serve to your guests.
Score as traditional Malva Pudding: 1/5
Score in comparison to others bought: 2/5
Spar
R 29.99 – no weight given
Sell by date 4 days from date of purchase
Use by date 5 days from date of purchase
Heat: No heating instructions given
No nutritional information given
No freezing instructions given
Cholesterol – no indication
Flavour: Tastes like vanilla, but no indication in list of ingredients. It basically tastes like they took vanilla cake mix and poured a simple syrup over it.
Texture: Like a vanilla cake with syrup poured over. Relatively dry, especially in the middle.
Presentation: Acceptable – but not necessarily what you would like to serve to your guests.
Score as traditional Malva Pudding: 0/5
Score in comparison to others bought: 1/5
Checkers
R 13.47 for 270g
Sell by date 1 day from date of purchase
No use by date
Heat: No heating instructions given
No nutritional information given
No freezing instructions given
Cholesterol – no indication
Flavour: Tastes like it was made from an instant mix for tipsy tart.
Texture: Very dry. No sauce to speak of
Presentation: Not what you’d serve to guests as they dish up from their deli counter and doesn’t come in pre-packs.
Score as traditional Malva Pudding: 0/5
Score in comparison to others bought: 1/5
Summary:
None of these could be considered even close to a traditional Malva Pudding. But as far as nice, store bought baked puddings go, the Woolworths one was head and shoulders above the rest. The others I wouldn’t recommend even giving a try, not worth spending the money.
For the best Malva Pudding Recipe click here
