I guess it is fitting that I review this Italian snack a day after Italy won the 2006 World Cup but the big question is : Is it a winner?

The puffs come in a satiny foil which gives the product a luxurious feel despite the less than $5 price tag for a pack of 6. The wrapper opens with very little effort. VERY GOOD because I am prone to wrap rage!

The dusting of sugar on pastry was just nice and the pastry, light and flaky It wasn’t dry but it did not leave an oily aftertaste — NICE! However I had to take three bites before getting to the hazelnut cream center, which was a tad dry. The filling tasted ok — like a grown up Kinder Bueno — darker, slightly less sweet.

Before long, I’ve consumed a whole bar and was yearning for another one. At 132 calories a piece, I had to restrain myself from going overboard with the “tasting” and stop at three bars(!) or I wouldn’t have room for another snack… heh :)

There wasn’t much to complain about: it’s a pleasant-tasting snack and the price pretty much neutralized its negative points.

Photo, top: Vicenzi Biscotti; bottom: Snacktimes

Very good snack

I love Italian dishes. I’ve been a fan since I first saw a polpette bouncing precariously off a pile of dripping, wet spaghetti 14 years ago. But enough about Italian footballers and their long, greasy hair, we’re talking snacks here, and today we have an “Italian fine pastry”.

The plastic packaging looks cheap. Had I not have reviewed this before, I’d give it a pass. But because I have, and positively so, I’m curious to see whether the outer covering has any correlation with the taste of the product inside. Oh, look, “Registered lid ensures quality” it says on the front of the pack. What is this “registered lid”? I wondered.

Answer: A covered plastic tray. The tray prevents people like me, from crushing the pastry to test its crunchiness. I know, I’m annoyed with people like myself too. Anyway, let’s open it. Ah, an inviting buttery aroma.

The stick is evenly browned with a soft dusting of sugar. Look at the beautifully shiny top and layers of buttery flake. Let’s not think about calories for a moment. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into this pound of fatty goodness.

Mmmm… The puff is so meltingly crumbly my lap now is covered with pastry flecks. Interlaced within the airy slivers is a rich taste of creamy butter. The balance of sweetness with the mildly salty base is spot on. If there was ever love at first bite, this is it. What’s the serving size, I wonder? Wait a minute, they’ve left it out! How can they do this? How do I know when to stop?

No matter, even if they had put a recommended serving size, I would most definitely eat triple the amount, as I’m now on my seventh piece and still going strong. So, so very good. Congratulations, Vicenzi, you’ve done Italy proud.

Photo: Vicenzi Biscotti

Buttery, flaky and sweet - better than watching Italian football.