Today's Review: The Original Crispy Candy Co.

Deep Fried Mars Bar. Never has such a combination of words filled me with both disgust and intrigue, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. After years of mulling over whether or not such a thing could actually be edible, let alone nice, I finally got to try one in a little fish and chip shop in the middle of a caravan resort. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't amazing. I was still very much on the fence. Until now.

Do excuse my finger.

In the heart of Camden Lock Village Market is a bright pink confectionery stand offering something a little different to the usual market fare. This is The Original Crispy Candy Co., and I've been itching to visit for a while now. They offer a selection of chocolate bars, deep fried in a special, secret buttermilk batter, which is apparently a much healthier and effective way of frying them than the old Scottish born favourite. Seeing as I wasn't a fan of the one I tried a few years ago, I was eager to see how Crispy Candy does it. Trouble was, I had a choice to make first.

See, Mars bars aren't the only treats on offer. You can choose from a selection of eight well known bars and treats, and each is displayed wonderfully with a fun name and a cross section showing how the insides look. I have heard only good things about the Ultimate Oreo, so that was my first choice.

Freshly fried, dusted with vanilla sugar, these were a great sight for my eager eyes. Inside each of these four perfectly formed batter balls is a warm, gooey Oreo whose structure has not been compromised. You'd expect that the batter would be dripping with grease, but there's something about this recipe that provides fantastic results. Each Oreo ball is soft, light and fluffy. It's almost like having an Oreo trapped inside a freshly made doughnut. The batter doesn't overwhelm the cookie inside either, the flavours blend perfectly, and I must say that warm, gooey Oreos are fantastic. I went for the simple option with the vanilla dusting, but you can also choose from cinnamon sugar, or go all out and have them served up with ice cream and more sweets on the side.

Well, I couldn't just have one thing, could I? I asked for a recommendation, and was told the Sneaky Snickers was a good choice too. It's an entire Snickers bar, skewered and battered, and it kind of looks like a corn dog. This is where the real comparison between old and new style battered bars began, and Crispy Candy wins hands down. I remember my original battered Mars experience to be messy and somewhat unsatisfying, but this Snickers was perfectly intact, warm, gooey, and surrounded by light, crispy goodness. The stick helps a lot too, no messy hands when you eat this bad boy.

If you're not quite in the mood for battered bars, Crispy Candy also offers a selection of milkshakes. While the menu isn't quite as expansive as the fried food, you can still get quirky offerings like Kinder Bueno and Oreo shakes. I couldn't resist the latter, and was presented with a perfectly blended drink. It tastes thick and creamy, but doesn't leave any of that clumpy residue you get with most shakes. The chopped up Oreos on top are a fantastic addition too. You can eat Oreos the way they should be: dipped in milk made from their blended brethren.

Everything I tried from Crispy Candy was fantastic. There's a great selection of treats, and the batter they use is top notch, giving a great deep fried taste with none of the nasty grease and sicky feelings that would come from eating a "traditional" battered Mars bar. Next time you're in Camden, this is definitely the place to go. I know I'll be going again, especially as I've heard Wispas of a new addition to the menu...

My rating: 5/5