Buon Natale a tutti!

Everyone knows and loves Italian desserts like classic cookies and panettone at Christmastime (the jenga-like panettone displays that make their annual appearances at supermarkets here on the island are marvelous!), but there’s another Italian-made Christmas sweet that is truly special for anyone who is a fan of Kit Kats.

I’ve been SO stoked to finally unwrap this addition to the festive snack stash that has been waiting to be tasted: my first Kit Kat from Italy! After tasting Kit Kats that are made in Australia, the UK, the US, Japan, and Malaysia, I can finally say I’ve tasted an Italian-made Kit Kat!

This Kit Kat has a cool name too: it’s the ‘Christmas Break’ edition! That’s a festive play on their “Have a Break, Have a Kit Kat” slogan and it can’t be more perfect for the holidays – which is why I saved it for a Christmas weekend break! Initially, reading the words ‘Pause de Noël’ (‘Christmas Break’ in French) led me to believe that they’re made in a French-speaking country. It turns out that these Kit Kats which are available on shelves in the Lion City are identical to the ones that are sold in Canada, hence the French translation! Without further ado, it’s time to say “Buon Natale” to Babbo Natale in the form of chocolate!

I’ve never, ever seen a Kit Kat like this before. Instead of the regular wafer fingers, these chocolates are shaped like Santa! “Wow!” was my first reaction as I examined my impressive treat – every little detail has been executed perfectly, from Santa’s blissful expression to his signature outfit.

There’s another reason for my excitement: having watched the creations of cute confections on my favorite Christmas TV shows this year – Sugar Rush Christmas and Christmas Bake Off – I am delighted to have some super-cute bites to munch on at home. I did, however, face the same dilemma that the judges faced… as much as I wanted to taste them, I didn’t want to destroy the masterpieces! Oh well, a foodie’s gotta do what a foodie’s gotta do!

This is the simplest description I can think of: Kit Kats, re-imagined. If I was doing a blind-tasting, I don’t think I’d think of Kit Kats! The shape may be different, but Kit Kat’s soul is present in the ‘crunch department’. Little crunchy wafer balls are sprinkled throughout a smooth and beautifully-rich milk chocolate filling. The filling, which reminds me of truffles as it’s a bit softer, is close to the chocolate you’d taste in a regular Kit Kat. Solid milk chocolate is thick on the outside, and it echoes the taste of milk chocolate that coats Kit Kat ‘fingers’. Another difference between these Santa Kit Kats and regular Kits Kats is that chocolate isn’t held back whatsoever, because there’s more chocolate than wafer bits.

All in all, these are some of the most memorable Kit Kats I’ve ever had. I hope they’ll be back next year for more festive fun!