Top 10: Chocolate bars - gone but not forgotten - Food Blog

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Top 10: Chocolate bars - gone but not forgotten

Posted at 12:02PM, 05 April 2012 by Roxanne Fisher - Writer/Sub-editor, bbcgoodfood.com

We're feeling nostalgic for old-fashioned chocolate - did you have a favourite bar-from-the-past?

When Cadbury's Wispa made a 'limited period' come back in 2007 nostalgia-driven chocoholics headed out in their droves to buy this old favourite. As a result Wispa bars have remained on the shelves and are more popular than ever. Power of the people or clever retro-cash-in from Cadbury's? Who cares. They're back and with them, brought to the fore are fond memories of our best-loved by-gone-bars.

With the dark stuff on the brain (it's Easter after all) we asked our Facebook and Twitter fans which stars-of-the-past they would resurrect given the chance. The answer? Quite a few it would seem! Choosing a top 10 has been a challenge...

1. Fuse
This favourite from Cadbury's comprised of nuts, raisins, crisp cereal and fudge pieces and was launched to the world on 24th September 1996. After ten years at the top Fuse was discontinued, but a series of campaigns means we're keeping everything crossed for a Wispa-style resurrection.

2. Secret
'You can't trust anyone to keep a secret' claimed the well-remembered TV advertisement in 1990. With its Walnut Whip-esque centre, Nestle's Secret was a popular choice until the complex and costly production process led to its demise.

3. Pink Panther
Who doesn't love strawberry chocolate? About the size of a Milky Way and with pink chocolate hidden under the wrapper, these little bars were one of a kind. A bargain at just 2p!

4. Spira
Did you bite the end off and use it as a straw? Seems this is the most multifunctional bar on our list and another defunct fave that is clamoring for a comeback - come on Cadbury's, we miss chocolatey tea!

5. Texan
This nougat/toffee classic covered in chocolate was most prolific in the 70s and 80s - even making a brief comeback in 2005. Die-hard fans continue to try and twist Nestle's arm for a permanent revival, after all, 'a man's gotta chew what a man's gotta chew'.

6. Aztec
A true contender to the mighty Mars, Aztec bars hit shops in 1967. However this old timer only lasted until 1978, making a much-celebrated cameo in newsagents up and down the land at the turn of the century.

7. Boost Coconut (and Peanut)
Having undergone more makeovers than Madonna, the Boost franchise may have missed the mark with their Glucose bar but struck gold with their Coconut and Peanut versions which are still sorely missed.

8. Fry's Five Boys
In its day, Fry's Five Boys milk chocolate was one of the most famous chocolate bars in the world. Launched a staggering 110 years ago it is still fondly remembered and we think this makes it the ultimate in nostalgic chocolate. Special mention also goes to Fry's Five Centres, launched in 1934 and comprising raspberry, lime, strawberry, pineapple and orange fillings covered in milk chocolate.

9. Pyramints - 'Mummies and Daddies love 'em'
1980s classics, Terry's Pyramints were dark chocolate pyramids with a mint-flavoured fondant inside. Also sold as bars with pyramid segments.

10. Old Jamaica
The ultimate rum & raisin sensation. Launched in 1970 Cadbury's Old Jamaica can apparently still be bought on the Internet but is sadly no longer sold in the UK.

Got an old favourite we haven't mentioned? Tell us about it below.

Comments

1-20 of 28 comments

Working Mum

5 April 2012, 5:21PM
Working Mum

Old Jamaica is still available in UK supermarkets, rebranded as Bournville Old Jamaica. Wish I hadn't read this article now as I would love a Fuse bar!

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Carolyn Speirs

5 April 2012, 10:08PM
Carolyn Speirs

I loved a bar called Applause _ biscuit, nuts, raisins, caramel all covered in Mars chocolate. Yum!!!

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Tom secrets!

6 April 2012, 2:46AM
Tom secrets!

I would like to see the Nestle Maverick bar back! It was like a Fuse but turned up to eleven, or failing that, I still lament the Wispaccino and Wispa Mint bars...

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shell07

6 April 2012, 7:31PM
shell07

Fry's Five Centres, I loved this bar to the point that I even emailed the company about a year ago asking them to start making it again - no joy though :-(

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runmumrun

7 April 2012, 5:34PM
runmumrun

The coconut boost was my favourite, never understand why they ditched it :( would love them to bring it back.

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LiveForFood

7 April 2012, 8:42PM
LiveForFood

Oh I loved Secrets - they were my favourites at one point! They should definitely bring those back.

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hpoet

9 April 2012, 8:04PM
hpoet

Macintosh's Prize bar was one of my favourites in the 70s. A chocolate covered fudgy bar with peanuts, raisins and caramel. it was a really chewy treat. In my imagination the fudgy stuff tasted quite coffee-ish. Haven't had one since the 70s. I found an ad on youtube for the 1978 advert for the bar, but can't seem to find any other images. There have been other bars, of course...

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Steve

10 April 2012, 1:11PM
Steve

I loved Amazin Raisin bars.

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suanni

10 April 2012, 11:04PM
suanni

Fry's Mint Creme. Delicious. Not seen for ages so I'm guessing no longer made

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Ann Clark

14 April 2012, 8:33PM
Ann Clark

I remember all these choc bars with fond memories except the Pyramints, can't remember that at all. Was it a regional thing?

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Ann Clark

14 April 2012, 8:38PM
Ann Clark

Do you remember Caramac? Flavour was supposed to be a cross between Caramel and Chocolate and turned out like neither. Made by McIntosh I think. Disgusting I thought but my kids loved it.

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Family of Five x

14 April 2012, 10:44PM
Family of Five x

Ewwww caramac, not one of my faves either!!! I really liked the Spira's and Fuse bars... mmmm x

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MsCupCake

15 April 2012, 3:05PM
MsCupCake

Pink chocolate? yuk! My family still occasionally exclaims "risk it for a swisskit" and I believe the chocolate bar in question was biscuity - but not sure! Don't think it lasted very long ..........Anybody else recall?

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cess.w

15 April 2012, 6:44PM
cess.w

I lived in scotland in the early 70's and can Distinctly remember a sweetie bar, I think it was called the â��nutty barâ�� it was a chewy toffee log coated with peanuts can anyone remember it? I live in Yorkshire now and everyone I ask about this bar has never heard of it.

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joannabewg

17 April 2012, 9:48AM
joannabewg

I used to love Banjo's which had two sticks and a kind of chocolatey nutty taste. Also loved Cabanas, sold as a really exotic treat as it had cherries and coconut in it haha.

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Ellie Reade

17 April 2012, 1:03PM
Ellie Reade

Never hear of Cabanas - but loved Cherry Ripe's from Australia which are basically a Cherry flavoured Bounty Bar... Cadbury's won't make them over here though.. Loved all 3 boost bars, but my favourite was always the biscuit ones.. hmmmm

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Kim

18 April 2012, 8:34PM
Kim

What about Amazin' "It's Amazin what raisins can do (all together) etc"

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epcarruthers

20 April 2012, 8:22AM
epcarruthers

Fry's 5 centres was a favourite, also Coffee Crisp, though I know of no-one else who remembers it

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Flutey2t

21 April 2012, 6:18PM
Flutey2t

Yum. . .peanut boost; somehow the star bar isn't the same. I miss coffee matchmakers and lots of other coffee chocolates that seem to have disappeared.

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Philb

25 May 2012, 12:24PM
Philb

Fry's five centre was the best. They do still make the mint creme, had one the other day.

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