Latest news with #LauraStott
The Sun
4 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Eight quirky ways to stop the ageing process from how you should stand to what type of music to listen to
THEY say age is just a number – but how old you feel does not correlate to the number of candles on your birthday cake. A new study found 36 years old is the age when most of us notice we are no longer in the first flush of youth. But there are plenty of ways to continue to feel young at heart. Here Laura Stott suggests ways to turn back time in a flash, whatever your age . . . CHALLENGE YOURSELF 10 Whether it's a fun run, starting dance lessons or walking 10,000 steps a day, set a target that is achievable. Completing a task that stretches your capabilities has been shown to build confidence and provide a sense of accomplishment, which makes us feel more youthful. Feeling physically fitter puts a youthful spring in your step, too. SAY CHEESE 10 Forget Botox or going under the knife, if you want to take decades off in an instant, then just smile more. Research has found that people with happy faces are perceived as younger than they are, and also feel it. One study found that images of cheery faces were considered much to be more youthful-looking than those with neutral expressions. PUT ON RECORDS YOU LOVED IN YOUR YOUTH 10 Whether these are rave tunes or power ballads might depend on how many decades have passed – and whether you first heard them on CD, vinyl or cassette. But whatever, listening to those songs can turn back the years in your mind. My DIY wrinkle cream is all natural - I only need 5 grocery store items, it stimulates collagen and removes age spots Studies show that favourite sounds activate a region of the brain linked to autobiographical memories. HAVE MORE SEX 10 Making love can leave you looking and feeling five years younger, according to one study. The research, for the charity Age UK, revealed that keeping busy between the sheets makes older adults both look and feel years younger. Experts believe this is because sex releases feelgood hormones, endorphin s. Another UK study even found that regular sex can make you look up to seven years younger. STAND UP STRAIGHT 10 As we get older, practising good posture is a proven way to look and feel younger. Keeping your spine tall, shoulders down and core strong will stop your skeleton from looking outwardly old, by preventing stooping or sagging. It can make us feel more confident which also turns back the clock cognitively. Whether sitting, standing or walking, pay attention to posture, to harness its instant anti-ageing benefits. TRY NEW FOODS If you always eat the same foods, change things up a bit. Whether that means a cuisine you've never tasted, at a new restaurant, or just varying your mealtime routine, these new experiences should make you feel open-minded. Even if you don't enjoy the flavours, breaking a dietary rut should make you feel younger. STAY ORGANISED 10 From filing your paperwork, to sorting your wardrobe, good housekeeping has been proven to make people feel younger. Researchers in 2019 concluded that the more ordered people's homes were, the more youthful they felt – with a structured environment boosting their optimism and improving memory, even longevity. GET SOME KIP Studies show that tiredness from a lack of quality shut-eye can make us feel ten years older. Participants who did not have sufficient sleep reported feeling older than their real age. In contrast, research in Sweden, at Stockholm University, found that being well rested can make us feel up to four years younger. YOUNG AT HEART Embracing a youthful mindset can also work wonders. Don't dismiss activities or opportunities as not being for you because of your age – challenge those ideas. Whether it's downloading TikTok, a new hobby or wearing this summer's latest trend, remain curious about new things – whatever your age. How to reverse ageing in just 2 weeks, according to royal go-to nutritionist LONDON -based Gabriela Peacock, who has helped the likes of Prince Harry and Princess Eugenie prepare for their weddings. She told Fabulous: 'The science is evident that we all have the power to make simple life changing alterations to better our future selves - no matter what genetic hand we might have been dealt with. 'The reality is, we all sometimes indulge in unhealthy eating habits like processed foods, smoking cigarettes, drinking too much alcohol, inhaling city pollutants, and even drinking water from plastic bottles – none of this is good for us. 'All this does is promote the ageing process, but we all have the potential to change this.' It may be hard, but try to keep away from sugary carbohydrates, because they feed chronic inflammation, which is one of the worst enemies of reversing ageing. Now only will you end up putting on weight if you consume them regularly, but your energy and hormonal levels will be affected and this will influence how you look and feel. Whatever your age or state of health, it's never too late to reverse how quickly you are ageing and embrace the energy and vigour of a younger you. Antioxidants, such as vitamins A, C, and E, are essential in neutralising free radicals—the culprits behind premature ageing. Integrating a spectrum of colourful fruits and vegetables into your diet provides a potent source of antioxidants. Omega-3 fatty acids, abundant in fatty fish like salmon and flaxseeds, are vital for maintaining skin elasticity and hydration. Omega-3s act as nourishment for your skin, locking in moisture and diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. Collagen, a structural protein dwindling with age, can be replenished through collagen-rich foods like bone broth and lean protein sources.
Scottish Sun
21-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
I tried all the supermarket chilli-infused honeys – the £2.80 winner is sweet, spicy and packs powerful heat
Scroll down to find out which is the best brand for summer barbecues HOT STUFF! I tried all the supermarket chilli-infused honeys – the £2.80 winner is sweet, spicy and packs powerful heat WHATEVER would Winnie the Pooh have thought of the latest, newfangled honey – infused with chilli. He may or may not have fancied dipping his paw in, but foodies cannot get enough of the stuff this summer. 9 Laura Stott has tested all the supermarket chilli-infused honeys Credit: Damien McFadden Whether for marinading, dipping or drizzling, it is top of the dollops. Most big stores are in on the act, after Aldi recently joined the party. Here, Laura Stott tastes their offerings and rates each out of five. Bramwells Hot Honey - 340g, £1.69, Aldi 9 This is sweet to the taste but not the spiciest Credit: Bramwells THERE'S no doubt what this should taste like, as it packs 99 per cent honey and one per cent chilli flakes. I liked that the sweet infusion doesn't contain any unnecessary additives or flavours, so it delivers exactly what a hot honey should. The squeezy bottle made it easy to distribute exact amounts – ideal if you're using it to glaze meats or even top a pizza. This is quite a runny honey so a little goes quite a long way, which also saves cash. Very nice added to a salad dressing for a bit of a kick, and would also be good with a bacon sarnie. Family's horror discovery as colony of almost 200,000 BEES found in ceiling after children heard buzzing Sweet to the taste, and not the spiciest so won't leave your mouth on fire – but delivers a gentle buzz. Rating: 4/5 The Best Hot Honey Chilli Sauce - 310g, £2, Morrisons 9 Morrison's offering has a surprisingly low honey count but lots of sugar and glucose-fructose syrup Credit: Damien McFadden PERHAPS akin to a sweet chilli sauce you may already own, this is made with Spanish honey and bird's eye chillies – famed for extra punch – as well as dried red peppers and garlic. The packaging claims it can add heat to stir-fries, chicken and pizza, but it would also make a useful dip for chips or crackers and a great glaze for barbecuing or grilling. Despite containing some of the punchiest peppers you can buy, though, this tastes rather mild – it's very sweet and while I was braced for watering eyes, what I actually got was a tiny tingle. There is also a surprisingly low honey count – just three per cent – but lots of sugar and glucose-fructose syrup. A dash of normal honey and some plain chilli would be just as good – and probably better for you. Rating: 2/5 Sauce Shop Honey Sriracha - 190g, £2.80, Tesco 9 This one is sweet, spicy and packs powerful heat Credit: Damien McFadden IF you want to awaken the tastebuds, this potent party piece should do the trick. Made with 35 per cent honey and a whopping 28 per cent aged jalapeno chilli peppers, along with vinegar, salt, sugar and garlic, it is nicely balanced. You can see the chilli seeds – famed for being the fiercest part of the pepper – running through the mix and it more than delivers in the mouth. It's sweet, spicy and packs powerful heat – so if you love hot, this won't disappoint. A smooth texture, it pairs perfectly with pretty much anything. This honey went beautifully with scrambled eggs but would also be delicious in sarnies, on pasta, to dunk fries into – or even in a Bloody Mary. Spicy, but you do still taste the honey. Rating: 5/5 Hilltop Hot Honey - 340g, £3, Iceland 9 This one's mild flavour makes it an interesting addition to puds such as ice cream Credit: Damien McFadden CONTAINS 99.98 per cent honey and 0.02 per cent chilli extract so should be categorised as lukewarm honey rather than hot. But if you are new to the flavour, or not a big fan of chilli, it's a good way to give this new foodie trend a try. While it doesn't really taste that spicy, it's good honey – thick and runny with a golden sheen. The mild flavour makes it an interesting addition to puds such as ice cream. Or drizzle on to fruit and yoghurt, or even pancakes, to liven up your brekkie. It would also be fun to use when baking. Although my personal preference would be for something a little punchier, this would be a useful addition to your kitchen cupboard – and it's quality nectar. Rating: 3/5 Hot Honey - 250g, £2.25, Sainsbury's 9 This is rather thick in texture so would be great as a glaze or dripped on to dough Credit: Damien McFadden QUITE a pricey option considering how little you get for your money. The label says the honey has been combined with bird's eye chilli, which should deliver a decent hit of heat, but I would probably describe the warmth level as moderate. This product could easily be used for enhancing any dish, either sweet or savoury. It's rather thick in texture so would be great as a glaze or dripped on to dough. But it wouldn't overwhelm sweeter flavours, either, should you wish to try. Nice enough, but more heat and a lower price tag would maybe help to win me around. Rating: 2/5 Bramwells Honey Sriracha Hot Sauce - 155ml, £1.39, Aldi 9 This would be fabulous for adding to meat or fish before it's cooked over charcoal on the barbecue Credit: Damien McFadden ANOTHER hot honey offering from Aldi, at another great price, but this one comes in a much smaller bottle so may not last long. Concocted with 40 per cent honey, it's infused with a selection of spicy friends that should make your tastebuds sizzle. With ten per cent pickled chillies, and habanero puree, there is no shortage of zing in this sauce and there's also a nice hum of paprika for an interesting smoky note Would be fabulous for adding to meat or fish before it's cooked over charcoal on the barbecue. Or use it to liven up some roasted vegetables or dipping chips. Full of spice and really rather nice. Rating: 4/5 Hot Honey - 250g, Tesco, £1.75 9 Tesco's offering is mild enough to add to almost anything you want to perk up with a touch of heat Credit: Damien McFadden THIS smallish bottle of liquid gold is at least rather pleasingly priced. The honey and chilli-extract combo tastes remarkably similar to Sainsbury's offering but will set you back a lot less at the till. At this price, it's a useful addition to spice up your weekly shop, whether you simply fancy trying something different or want to see what the hot-honey buzz is all about. Again, it's mild enough to add to almost anything you want to perk up with a touch of heat, from dressings to stir-fries, or just drizzled on toast. If you like more chilli taste than this delivers, you could add some real-deal red peppers for more of a kick. Rating: 3/5 Groovy Food Company Hot Agave Nectar - 150ml, £3.25, 9 This is perfect on a posh wood-fired pizza or added to pretty much anything you are cooking on the barbie Credit: Damien McFadden IF you want artisan flavour but at a decent price, this lively little number could be a sweet addition to your condiments collection. The real difference here lies in the honey itself – this agave nectar really does taste a cut above the usual. Smooth and delicious, with a gorgeous amber hue, it smells sensational and there's a proper sting in the tail from the red jalapeno puree and additional capsicum extract. Perfect on a posh wood-fired pizza or added to pretty much anything you are cooking on the barbie. Not cheap – but if you take your chilli and honey seriously, get stuck right in here. Rating: 4/5 Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
The Sun
21-05-2025
- Lifestyle
- The Sun
I tried all the supermarket chilli-infused honeys – the £2.80 winner is sweet, spicy and packs powerful heat
WHATEVER would Winnie the Pooh have thought of the latest, newfangled honey – infused with chilli. He may or may not have fancied dipping his paw in, but foodies cannot get enough of the stuff this summer. Whether for marinading, dipping or drizzling, it is top of the dollops. Most big stores are in on the act, after Aldi recently joined the party. Here, Laura Stott tastes their offerings and rates each out of five. Bramwells Hot Honey - 340g, £1.69, Aldi THERE'S no doubt what this should taste like, as it packs 99 per cent honey and one per cent chilli flakes. I liked that the sweet infusion doesn't contain any unnecessary additives or flavours, so it delivers exactly what a hot honey should. The squeezy bottle made it easy to distribute exact amounts – ideal if you're using it to glaze meats or even top a pizza. This is quite a runny honey so a little goes quite a long way, which also saves cash. Very nice added to a salad dressing for a bit of a kick, and would also be good with a bacon sarnie. Family's horror discovery as colony of almost 200,000 BEES found in ceiling after children heard buzzing Sweet to the taste, and not the spiciest so won't leave your mouth on fire – but delivers a gentle buzz. Rating: 4/5 The Best Hot Honey Chilli Sauce - 310g, £2, Morrisons PERHAPS akin to a sweet chilli sauce you may already own, this is made with Spanish honey and bird's eye chillies – famed for extra punch – as well as dried red peppers and garlic. The packaging claims it can add heat to stir-fries, chicken and pizza, but it would also make a useful dip for chips or crackers and a great glaze for barbecuing or grilling. Despite containing some of the punchiest peppers you can buy, though, this tastes rather mild – it's very sweet and while I was braced for watering eyes, what I actually got was a tiny tingle. There is also a surprisingly low honey count – just three per cent – but lots of sugar and glucose-fructose syrup. A dash of normal honey and some plain chilli would be just as good – and probably better for you. Rating: 2/5 Sauce Shop Honey Sriracha - 190g, £2.80, Tesco IF you want to awaken the tastebuds, this potent party piece should do the trick. Made with 35 per cent honey and a whopping 28 per cent aged jalapeno chilli peppers, along with vinegar, salt, sugar and garlic, it is nicely balanced. You can see the chilli seeds – famed for being the fiercest part of the pepper – running through the mix and it more than delivers in the mouth. It's sweet, spicy and packs powerful heat – so if you love hot, this won't disappoint. A smooth texture, it pairs perfectly with pretty much anything. This honey went beautifully with scrambled eggs but would also be delicious in sarnies, on pasta, to dunk fries into – or even in a Bloody Mary. Spicy, but you do still taste the honey. Rating: 5/5 Hilltop Hot Honey - 340g, £3, Iceland CONTAINS 99.98 per cent honey and 0.02 per cent chilli extract so should be categorised as lukewarm honey rather than hot. But if you are new to the flavour, or not a big fan of chilli, it's a good way to give this new foodie trend a try. While it doesn't really taste that spicy, it's good honey – thick and runny with a golden sheen. The mild flavour makes it an interesting addition to puds such as ice cream. Or drizzle on to fruit and yoghurt, or even pancakes, to liven up your brekkie. It would also be fun to use when baking. Although my personal preference would be for something a little punchier, this would be a useful addition to your kitchen cupboard – and it's quality nectar. Rating: 3/5 Hot Honey - 250g, £2.25, Sainsbury's QUITE a pricey option considering how little you get for your money. The label says the honey has been combined with bird's eye chilli, which should deliver a decent hit of heat, but I would probably describe the warmth level as moderate. This product could easily be used for enhancing any dish, either sweet or savoury. It's rather thick in texture so would be great as a glaze or dripped on to dough. But it wouldn't overwhelm sweeter flavours, either, should you wish to try. Nice enough, but more heat and a lower price tag would maybe help to win me around. Rating: 2/5 Bramwells Honey Sriracha Hot Sauce - 155ml, £1.39, Aldi ANOTHER hot honey offering from Aldi, at another great price, but this one comes in a much smaller bottle so may not last long. Concocted with 40 per cent honey, it's infused with a selection of spicy friends that should make your tastebuds sizzle. With ten per cent pickled chillies, and habanero puree, there is no shortage of zing in this sauce and there's also a nice hum of paprika for an interesting smoky note Would be fabulous for adding to meat or fish before it's cooked over charcoal on the barbecue. Or use it to liven up some roasted vegetables or dipping chips. Full of spice and really rather nice. Rating: 4/5 Hot Honey - 250g, Tesco, £1.75 9 THIS smallish bottle of liquid gold is at least rather pleasingly priced. The honey and chilli-extract combo tastes remarkably similar to Sainsbury's offering but will set you back a lot less at the till. At this price, it's a useful addition to spice up your weekly shop, whether you simply fancy trying something different or want to see what the hot-honey buzz is all about. Again, it's mild enough to add to almost anything you want to perk up with a touch of heat, from dressings to stir-fries, or just drizzled on toast. If you like more chilli taste than this delivers, you could add some real-deal red peppers for more of a kick. Rating: 3/5 Groovy Food Company Hot Agave Nectar - 150ml, £3.25, IF you want artisan flavour but at a decent price, this lively little number could be a sweet addition to your condiments collection. The real difference here lies in the honey itself – this agave nectar really does taste a cut above the usual. Smooth and delicious, with a gorgeous amber hue, it smells sensational and there's a proper sting in the tail from the red jalapeno puree and additional capsicum extract. Perfect on a posh wood-fired pizza or added to pretty much anything you are cooking on the barbie. Not cheap – but if you take your chilli and honey seriously, get stuck right in here.
Business Mayor
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Mayor
I tried ice creams & lollies with boozy twist… the best was a £1.70 spritz on a stick but top brand was a frozen flop
WHAT could be better than a refreshing ice lolly on a hot summer's day? How about one with an added measure of your favourite booze? 10 A refreshing ice cream or lolly is perfect for a hot summer's day Credit: Getty 10 Laura Stott tastes and rates a range of adult-only frozen puds Credit: Damien McFadden Supermarket Aldi has just introduced a range of 'hard' desserts in the form of vodka and rum-laced cocktail-flavour sorbet pots. And if that's not enough to make you feel merry in the freezer aisle, the good news is that they aren't the only alcoholic afters available. From feisty, funky ice pops to sloshed sorbets, here Laura Stott tastes and rates a range of adult-only frozen puds. Carte D'Or Rum & Raisin 825ml, £4.50, Morrisons 0.18% rum – 1/5 LIKE a hint of alcohol but not too much of the real thing? This ice cream, which contains only the tiniest amount of rum, might hit the perfect frozen spot for you. 10 Carte D'Or Rum & Raisin scored 1 out of 5 Credit: Damien McFadden There are a few rum-flavoured components, including the chocolate sauce and the raisins themselves, but the tipple taste is barely detectable. The ice cream itself was okay, but for this high price I think it could and should be a lot better – it was more of a 'whippy'-style vanilla with a light, aerated texture, and no taste or sight of the black flecks of the real bean. It also melted quickly as it's very thin. The chocolate sauce was poor quality and the cake pieces scattered over the top were dry and tasteless. You'd be better having a scoop of a decent vanilla and pouring a shot of your preferred rum over the top. Major UK airline unveils new limited edition 'snail and garlic' ice cream for holidaymakers Shuda Passion Fruit Martini Flavour Alcoholic Sorbet 250ml, £1, Iceland, 4% vodka – 3/5 PORNSTAR martini fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of slurping these boozy, slushy cocktails that are delivered in a frozen pouch. The pre-mixed sachets come as a liquid and you have to freeze them for a few hours, then cut them open and squeeze gently to enjoy a slushy sorbet-style vodka-laced fruity glugger. 10 Pornstar martini fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of slurping these boozy, slushy cocktails Sitting somewhere in the middle of a sorbet and a boozy, iced punch, it feels more like you're sipping a drink than eating a dessert but is no less enjoyable as a result. It has a nice fruity flavour but I did find them rather sweet and quite messy. They also seemed to melt rather quickly. I think they'd be best squeezed out into a bowl and slurped up that way – with an extra shot of booze added should you fancy one. Tipsies Cocktail Pops 12 x 70ml, £19.99, 5% rum, vodka and others – 3/5 IF you loved ice pops as a kid then these are the intoxicating adult equivalent. The alcohol-laced 5% abv freezer pops aren't called Tipsies for nothing. 10 Tipsies Cocktail Pops scored 3 out of 5 Each box of 12 contains a cocktail menu selection including mojito, passion fruit martini and pina colada, so you can pick your tipple and enjoy in frozen form. Details of the exact percentage of spirits included in each squiffy suck aren't given but all come in at 5% abv and are made with the real spirit the drink equivalent is based on. My favourite was the zesty and refreshing mojito flavour, which had a real kick of rum and vanished far too fast! Jude's Rum & Raisin Ice Cream 460ml, £5, Sainsburys, or £3, 4% rum – 5/5 YO ho ho and a bottle of . . . ice cream? If you want to round off your meal with a scoop or two of something that will make you feel merry then this is definitely the ice cream to opt for. 10 Jude's Rum & Raisin Ice Cream scored full marks Containing 4% rum, this pirate-friendly pud offered the second most generous measures of neat booze of all the drunken desserts I tried, and it's not subtle either – you really can taste and smell the spirit in every spoonful of this potent frozen pud. Booze aside, this is also a wonderful tasting tub. Made with fresh cream there's a melt-in-the-mouth richness that certainly tastes a cut above, and that's before you savour the masses of juicy raisins and yet more rum and raisin sauce. Watch out if you scoff the lot as you might be unable to walk straight afterwards. Baileys Ice Cream 825ml, £4.50, most supermarkets 0.21% Baileys – 2/5 BAILEYS fans will be in pudding paradise with this ice cream laced with the Irish cream liqueur. The idea of turning the famous tipple into a dessert makes a lot of sense as the sweet, rich and creamy choc and vanilla-flavoured glug – served in a glass with lots of ice – is already as good as a pud for many sippers. 10 Baileys fans will be in pudding paradise with this ice cream laced with the Irish cream liqueur Freezing it and putting it in a tub to eat with a spoon seems a logical next step. Flavour-wise the results are mixed, however. What you end up with is essentially Baileys vanilla ice cream, decorated with dark choc flakes on top and throughout. The main component giving you the liqueur flavour is the 22 per cent caramel sauce, and there is an awful lot of this gloopy mix – which is great if you enjoy the toffee taste. I personally found it rather sickly, but in fairness it is precisely what a lot of Baileys fans will want. Read More Global Counsel cleared of failing to disclose Qatari work Gianni's Cocktail Mini Pots 4 x 110ml, £2.99, Aldi 1% vodka or rum – 3/5 DON'T be fooled by the innocent appearance of these frozen cocktail pots from Aldi. They are small but the 1% booze in each tiny tub means they pack a pretty powerful punch. 10 Gianni's Cocktail Mini Pots scored 3 out of 5 Each box contains two different flavours of frozen drinks – passion fruit martini and mojito. The former contains a shot of 1% vodka and the latter 1% rum, making them a refreshing option for a warm day that will also give you a bit of a buzz. Tipsy qualities aside these mini-tipple treats are also rather tasty. My favourite was the smooth, mellow passion fruit flavour which slipped down a treat. Scoff too many of these and you might start to feel a bit squiffy. Remeo Malfy Spritz Sorbetto Lolly 3 x 70ml, £5, 5% Prosecco, 2% gin – 5/5 IF your idea of bliss is glugging an Aperol spritz or a similar bitters-themed boozy refresher in the sunshine then this aperitif on a stick should be a must in your freezer this summer. The lolly equivalent of sipping something sharp and refreshing while nibbling on some olives, this sophisticated abv sucker is classy, grown-up and really rather chic. 10 Remeo Malfy Spritz Sorbetto scored full marks For such a simple little eat with minimal ingredients, the flavours are fabulous, concentrated and extremely potent. It's made with 45 per cent blood orange along with a whopping 5% Italian sparkling wine and an added 2% orange flavour gin on top. If you love the drink you can't go wrong. Considering how much booze you get, they are great value too. Tiramisu Gelato 380g, £4.50, Sainsburys 0.5% Marsala Wine – 4/5 WITH thick coffee sauce, mascarpone ice cream, a thick cocoa dusting and a strong waft of sweet wine, merely looking at this gorgeous gelato for grown-ups was enough to make my mouth water. If you thought tiramisu – the classic Italian pud made with sponge, chocolate, coffee, soft cheese cream and Marsala wine – couldn't be beaten then you haven't tried it as an ice cream yet. 10 Tiramisu Gelato scored 4 out of 5 This drool-worthy tub doesn't just look incredible. When you get your spoon into it, the flavours are just as good too. The gelato is smooth and creamy, the thick layer of chocolate powder on top isn't too sweet and there's just enough kick from the 0.5% marsala wine. Shame you don't get much in the container.
Scottish Sun
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
I tried ice creams & lollies with boozy twist… the best was a £1.70 spritz on a stick but top brand was a frozen flop
WHAT could be better than a refreshing ice lolly on a hot summer's day? How about one with an added measure of your favourite booze? 10 A refreshing ice cream or lolly is perfect for a hot summer's day Credit: Getty 10 Laura Stott tastes and rates a range of adult-only frozen puds Credit: Damien McFadden Supermarket Aldi has just introduced a range of 'hard' desserts in the form of vodka and rum-laced cocktail-flavour sorbet pots. And if that's not enough to make you feel merry in the freezer aisle, the good news is that they aren't the only alcoholic afters available. From feisty, funky ice pops to sloshed sorbets, here Laura Stott tastes and rates a range of adult-only frozen puds. Carte D'Or Rum & Raisin 825ml, £4.50, Morrisons 0.18% rum - 1/5 LIKE a hint of alcohol but not too much of the real thing? This ice cream, which contains only the tiniest amount of rum, might hit the perfect frozen spot for you. 10 Carte D'Or Rum & Raisin scored 1 out of 5 Credit: Damien McFadden There are a few rum-flavoured components, including the chocolate sauce and the raisins themselves, but the tipple taste is barely detectable. The ice cream itself was okay, but for this high price I think it could and should be a lot better – it was more of a 'whippy'-style vanilla with a light, aerated texture, and no taste or sight of the black flecks of the real bean. It also melted quickly as it's very thin. The chocolate sauce was poor quality and the cake pieces scattered over the top were dry and tasteless. You'd be better having a scoop of a decent vanilla and pouring a shot of your preferred rum over the top. Major UK airline unveils new limited edition 'snail and garlic' ice cream for holidaymakers Shuda Passion Fruit Martini Flavour Alcoholic Sorbet 250ml, £1, Iceland, 4% vodka - 3/5 PORNSTAR martini fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of slurping these boozy, slushy cocktails that are delivered in a frozen pouch. The pre-mixed sachets come as a liquid and you have to freeze them for a few hours, then cut them open and squeeze gently to enjoy a slushy sorbet-style vodka-laced fruity glugger. 10 Pornstar martini fans will be licking their lips at the prospect of slurping these boozy, slushy cocktails Sitting somewhere in the middle of a sorbet and a boozy, iced punch, it feels more like you're sipping a drink than eating a dessert but is no less enjoyable as a result. It has a nice fruity flavour but I did find them rather sweet and quite messy. They also seemed to melt rather quickly. I think they'd be best squeezed out into a bowl and slurped up that way – with an extra shot of booze added should you fancy one. Tipsies Cocktail Pops 12 x 70ml, £19.99, 5% rum, vodka and others - 3/5 IF you loved ice pops as a kid then these are the intoxicating adult equivalent. The alcohol-laced 5% abv freezer pops aren't called Tipsies for nothing. 10 Tipsies Cocktail Pops scored 3 out of 5 Each box of 12 contains a cocktail menu selection including mojito, passion fruit martini and pina colada, so you can pick your tipple and enjoy in frozen form. Details of the exact percentage of spirits included in each squiffy suck aren't given but all come in at 5% abv and are made with the real spirit the drink equivalent is based on. My favourite was the zesty and refreshing mojito flavour, which had a real kick of rum and vanished far too fast! Jude's Rum & Raisin Ice Cream 460ml, £5, Sainsburys, or £3, 4% rum - 5/5 YO ho ho and a bottle of . . . ice cream? If you want to round off your meal with a scoop or two of something that will make you feel merry then this is definitely the ice cream to opt for. 10 Jude's Rum & Raisin Ice Cream scored full marks Containing 4% rum, this pirate-friendly pud offered the second most generous measures of neat booze of all the drunken desserts I tried, and it's not subtle either – you really can taste and smell the spirit in every spoonful of this potent frozen pud. Booze aside, this is also a wonderful tasting tub. Made with fresh cream there's a melt-in-the-mouth richness that certainly tastes a cut above, and that's before you savour the masses of juicy raisins and yet more rum and raisin sauce. Watch out if you scoff the lot as you might be unable to walk straight afterwards. Baileys Ice Cream 825ml, £4.50, most supermarkets 0.21% Baileys - 2/5 BAILEYS fans will be in pudding paradise with this ice cream laced with the Irish cream liqueur. The idea of turning the famous tipple into a dessert makes a lot of sense as the sweet, rich and creamy choc and vanilla-flavoured glug – served in a glass with lots of ice – is already as good as a pud for many sippers. 10 Baileys fans will be in pudding paradise with this ice cream laced with the Irish cream liqueur Freezing it and putting it in a tub to eat with a spoon seems a logical next step. Flavour-wise the results are mixed, however. What you end up with is essentially Baileys vanilla ice cream, decorated with dark choc flakes on top and throughout. The main component giving you the liqueur flavour is the 22 per cent caramel sauce, and there is an awful lot of this gloopy mix – which is great if you enjoy the toffee taste. I personally found it rather sickly, but in fairness it is precisely what a lot of Baileys fans will want. Gianni's Cocktail Mini Pots 4 x 110ml, £2.99, Aldi 1% vodka or rum - 3/5 DON'T be fooled by the innocent appearance of these frozen cocktail pots from Aldi. They are small but the 1% booze in each tiny tub means they pack a pretty powerful punch. 10 Gianni's Cocktail Mini Pots scored 3 out of 5 Each box contains two different flavours of frozen drinks – passion fruit martini and mojito. The former contains a shot of 1% vodka and the latter 1% rum, making them a refreshing option for a warm day that will also give you a bit of a buzz. Tipsy qualities aside these mini-tipple treats are also rather tasty. My favourite was the smooth, mellow passion fruit flavour which slipped down a treat. Scoff too many of these and you might start to feel a bit squiffy. Remeo Malfy Spritz Sorbetto Lolly 3 x 70ml, £5, 5% Prosecco, 2% gin - 5/5 IF your idea of bliss is glugging an Aperol spritz or a similar bitters-themed boozy refresher in the sunshine then this aperitif on a stick should be a must in your freezer this summer. The lolly equivalent of sipping something sharp and refreshing while nibbling on some olives, this sophisticated abv sucker is classy, grown-up and really rather chic. 10 Remeo Malfy Spritz Sorbetto scored full marks For such a simple little eat with minimal ingredients, the flavours are fabulous, concentrated and extremely potent. It's made with 45 per cent blood orange along with a whopping 5% Italian sparkling wine and an added 2% orange flavour gin on top. If you love the drink you can't go wrong. Considering how much booze you get, they are great value too. Tiramisu Gelato 380g, £4.50, Sainsburys 0.5% Marsala Wine - 4/5 WITH thick coffee sauce, mascarpone ice cream, a thick cocoa dusting and a strong waft of sweet wine, merely looking at this gorgeous gelato for grown-ups was enough to make my mouth water. If you thought tiramisu – the classic Italian pud made with sponge, chocolate, coffee, soft cheese cream and Marsala wine – couldn't be beaten then you haven't tried it as an ice cream yet. 10 Tiramisu Gelato scored 4 out of 5 This drool-worthy tub doesn't just look incredible. When you get your spoon into it, the flavours are just as good too. The gelato is smooth and creamy, the thick layer of chocolate powder on top isn't too sweet and there's just enough kick from the 0.5% marsala wine. Shame you don't get much in the container.
