So THAT’s Why Easter Eggs Are So Expensive This Year

Posted on 31/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Tough news for fellow chocolate lovers – consumer advocacy publication Which? says that Easter eggs are up to 50% more expensive this year.

That’s despite the fact that many of the seasonal treats have actually gotten smaller.

Chocolate prices have risen by a mammoth 16.4% in the past year, compared to an average 4.4% increase among other supermarket food and drink, they add.

So, we spoke to the former VP of International Trade at Barclays and current founder of personal finance platform Generation Money, Alex King, and Mark Owen, chief chocolatier at Pembrokeshire-based chocolate factory Wickedly Welsh Chocolate, about what was really going on.

It’s partly down to growing conditions

“Easter egg prices are noticeably higher this year, and unfortunately it’s not just a case of retailers hiking up costs – the entire chocolate industry is feeling the impact of a global cocoa crisis,” Mark told us.

“Cocoa prices have more than doubled since 2023, and we’re still paying over twice what we were just two years ago.”

Alex agreed, explaining that “Cocoa prices shot up in 2024 to record highs after three poor harvests in a row for cocoa producers in the Ivory Coast and Ghana – the world’s two largest cocoa-producing nations.

“This has had a direct impact on the price of Easter Eggs this year as cocoa is obviously a major ingredient in chocolate production.”

Dairy costs have also risen by 18%, the trading expert added.

And as if that wasn’t enough, “at the start of 2024, we also saw hedge funds pour into the cocoa market with bets that the price of cocoa would continue to rise – which it did throughout 2024.

“Although these hedge funds weren’t the main driver of increased prices, they helped to spike already, increasing prices even further.”

Oh good. Anything else?

Yup, unfortunately. Alex says energy and transport costs have risen too, affecting the supply chain and, by extension, retailers.

“Another factor hitting supermarket prices more generally in the UK is the rise in National Insurance in April, just before Easter,” he suggests.

“Retailers will have begun to increase prices in advance of this to cover the extra NI cost, so that’s another reason we’re seeing higher prices – not just in easter eggs.”

Worse news: Mark told HuffPost UK he doesn’t expect the problem to go away any time soon.

“With global stocks at an all-time low and no bumper harvest expected in the coming months, supply remains incredibly tight,” he shared.

“The reality is that chocolate makers of all sizes are being squeezed. As a small, independent factory, we’ve had to absorb as much of the cost as we can, but there’s no avoiding the fact that Easter eggs are more expensive to produce this year than ever before.”

Here’s hoping 2026 is a little easier on our wallets…

So THAT’s Why Restaurant Rice Is So Much Better

Posted on 29/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Did you know the size of your frying pan can seriously affect the texture of your omelette?

Yup – pros swear by a medium-small option to get the right mix of thick curds and fully cooked fluffiness.

These are the kinds of secrets chefs keep under their white sleeves when making restaurant-level food, and the sort I’m always keen to learn about.

So, you’d better believe I tuned in when former chef (and current YouTuber) @SenpaiKai9000 began his video by describing “why rice tastes better in restaurants.”

Why DOES rice taste better in restaurants?

The chef explained that, as with so many other gourmet “secrets,” chefs simply start off with “better-quality” rice.

It might surprise you to learn that not all rice is created equal. Lower-quality rice contains more blemishes, has more broken grains, contains the right amount of starch, and is the correct length.

The YouTuber says he prefers higher-grade basmati and jasmine rice “because they have so much more flavour” than other kinds.

Then, the former cook says it’s important to rinse rice in three to five times as much cold water to remove excess starch, “otherwise it can taste gummy or tacky.”

When cooking, he uses one part rice to 1.25 parts water and – a true chef’s trick – chucks butter into the pan.

If you’re cooking rice in a pot, allow it to boil, then let it simmer for 15 minutes and rest for at least a further five minutes with the lid on. That way, the steam continues to fluff up the rice.

But “really good restaurants will cook [rice] in the oven or rice cooker,” he added.

To cook it in the oven, the ex-chef covers a baking dish with foil and bakes the water, rice, butter, and salt together for 40-45 minutes.

“This allows the rice to cook way more evenly, because the heat source isn’t just coming hyper-aggressively from the bottom.”

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Why does butter work in rice?

The addition gives rice a fuller, richer flavour, which it then imparts onto other food,

Tasting Table says

But that’s not the only advantage of the added fat – the experts say that including it in your rice cooker or pan can also improve its fluffiness.

That’s because, as with greasing a baking dish, it prevents the starches from sticking to the sides of the pan.

So, you’ll be left with more evenly-cooked, richer-tasting grains (don’t mind if I do).

Dubai Chocolate Keeps Going Viral. So Why Hasn’t Anyone I Know Eaten It?

Posted on 26/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Don’t get me wrong, I completely understand the appeal of the viral Dubai chocolate bar.

Stuffed with pistachio cream and crunchy knafeh (crispy shredded phyllo pastry), the gooey, nutty delight feels like it’s been a social media staple for years now.

It looks delicious, and it’s meant to be so unbelievably popular that retailers Waitrose and Lidl have imposed two-per-person limits on their versions of “Dubai-style” bars.

So why don’t I know anyone who’s eaten one? I live in pretty central London next to loads of trendy food spots; I’d try the bar if I saw it on any shelves near me, but I haven’t.

Am I just too far into my 20s to know anyone cool enough to try the trend? Is the price tag (Lindt’s version will run you a tenner for 145g in Waitrose) too high for my cohort? Or is the UK’s fascination with the sweet mostly confined to our screens?

I asked as many people as I could about their experience with it; here’s what I found.

I struggled to find many people who’d actually eaten the bar in the UK

Most of the people I spoke to said they’d seen the bar more often in Europe and (duh) Dubai than they have in the UK.

Jelena Skene from PressFlow says that while she’s eaten one of the bars, she’s the only one she knows who has.

“I actually got one from my mother-in-law who went to Dubai,” she told us.

“She got it as a present (I love chocolate in any form) – she said it was incredibly hard to get because there are always queues so she ended up ordering one on Deliveroo!”

Meanwhile, Kristin Herman, a food editor at Academized, said “I’ve only got one colleague here in the UK who actually buys and eats the viral Dubai chocolate.”

But, she added, “I’ve noticed it’s more popular among my colleagues in Europe. Particularly in Germany. Over there it seems to have gained more traction.”

She agrees that the high price might be why it’s not “as mainstream” in the UK yet, though as she points out, “I do think people are eating it. It’s just circulating in different circles.”

A friend of mine thought the viral chocolate was actually from France, because that’s the only place she’d seen it in the wild.

Maybe the Lindt bar, and brands like it, will buck the trend – but as of now, I found it hard to find many people who’d actually eaten the tasty-looking dessert in the UK.

So… why?

It could just be down to taste. “Perhaps it’s a case when trends catch on at different speeds depending on the market,” Herman said.

I reckon part of the problem could lie in how the bar is made, too.

Something like a Hobnob or a Twix is pretty manufacturing-friendly; their base is usually made from inexpensive ingredients (oats, wheat, syrup) and is sturdy enough to withstand chocolate, caramel, and more.

But pistachios, which can take decades to mature, are undeniably pricey and labour-intensive; knafeh is delicate; the chocolate, which is expensive right now, must be tempered for that signature snap (no wonder Lindt’s bar cost a tenner).

Then, there’s the fact that the trend was an online one first.

Perhaps, because TikTok allows us to see crazes from around the world, I, a regular scroller, have simply gotten it into my head that everyone knows about Dubai chocolate.

Not so! UK friends without the app had to search the name online to find out what it is.

Only time will tell if the (honestly, quite gourmet) snack becomes popular enough to finally, finally break into my friend group’s cupboards…

I Tried Nigella Lawson’s Secret To The Thickest, Crumbliest Crumble Topping, And I Could Eat It By Itself

Posted on 19/03/2025 by Boris Clair

If you’ve read my thoughts on carrot cake, brownies, and rocky road, you’ll know that I’m pretty strict on my baked goods.

To be honest, that’s because I don’t see the point in dirtying dishes, losing hours of my free time, and often spending more on ingredients than I would on a supermarket cake unless the result is really amazing.

Crumble is a rare exception. It doesn’t take long to mix fruit and sugar (for berry-based versions, I don’t even bother stewing them) and place a crown of crumbly, crunchy topping over it; even if you mess it up, the result still tastes good.

But having made over 100 of them in my life, I am no longer satisfied with “good.” I want a fall-apart topping that crumbles gently away to a shortcake-like layer at its base. I want a buttery, butty, toasty-but-not-too-intense flavour that’s so good, I could eat it by itself.

And in my extensive tests, I’ve found only Nigella’s recipe will do.

A cooked crumbel on the left: with custard on the right

Please, please don’t add too many special ingredients

I’ve tried adding oats to the mix (Gordon Ramsay chucks in granola or muesli for a chew, too). I’ve whacked in darker brown sugar for a more treacle-y topping, and included a range of spices.

You can see the chewiest, most flapjack-like results I’ve found below (this is the recipe if that’s what you’re after). But, at the risk of sounding grumpy and obstinate, that is not a crumble.

For that, you’ll need to stick to the classics: Nigella uses only sugar (both caster and demerara, though I’ve achieved a happy middle with granulated many times before), butter, and plain flour for the base of her crumble.

But because I want inches of thick crust, her added ingredient – baking soda, which introduces air to the deepest layer of the topping – is key.

She rubs the butter and flour (about 74% butter to flour, one teaspoon of baking powder per 100g flour) together before adding the sugars (half-caster, half-demerara; 60% the volume of flour) to the mix and stirring.

The result is a light, fluffy, buttery but not claggy layer that becomes increasingly pie-crust-like as you spoon deeper into it.

And because of the raising agent, you can dig very, very deep.

A flapjack-like apple crisp topping on the left: fluffier, lighter crumble topping from Nigella on the right

Any changes I’d make?

Yes – though the baking powder does help to countenance the weight the demerara sugar adds, I actually prefer plain granulated or caster sugar.

That’s because I like mine so thick, though. If I wasn’t as interested in consuming basically nothing but crumble topping in the dessert, I’d probably love the caramel-y addition.

Lastly, as Nigella says, “The crumble topping can be made up to one week ahead and stored in the fridge until needed” or frozen for up to three months and taken out as needed.

I reckon that’s as good an excuse as any to do what I do; make a huge batch in one go and whip it out any time you feel a craving.

Eating These 7 Fruits Before Bed Will Seriously Improve Your Sleep

Posted on 18/03/2025 by Boris Clair

According to Mental Health UK, 1 in 5 people in the UK aren’t getting enough sleep and a lack of quality sleep can lead to health problems such as lowered concentration, being more susceptible to illness and infection as well as contributing to the effects of anxiety and depression.

However, according to Panda London’s Sleep Expert Max Kirsten, there are some foods that can aid a better, more restful sleep. This is due to a multitude of benefits such as anti-inflammatory properties, melatonin, and potassium.

Which fruits can help you sleep bettter?

According to Kirsten, having one of these fruits before bed regularly will make a huge difference to your sleep:

Pineapples contain bromelain which has anti-inflammatory properties and helps with muscle relaxation, easing you into a gentle sleep.

Cherries, particularly tart cherries, can be particularly beneficial for sleep, as this viral TikTok beverage show. This is because they are a natural source of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. According to Kirsten, eating tart cherries or even tart cherry juice can help increase melatonin levels in the body which can potentially improve sleep quality and duration.

Kirsten recommends having some tart cherries just a couple of hours before bed to trigger the sleepy feeling that helps you to drift off.

Thanks to the magnesium and potassium in bananas, the fruit can help relax muscle and promote better sleep. Kirsten adds that, “anything that contains magnesium can encourage relaxation, the best thing about eating bananas before bed is the tryptophan they contain can encourage sleepiness and aid a deep, restful sleep.”

This is because Tryptophan is an amino acid that plays a role in producing serotonin; a neurotransmitter associated with relaxation and mood regulation.

Speaking of serotonin, kiwis encourage higher levels of serotonin, which makes it ideal for just before bed. This is because you’ll find yourself more relaxed and, thanks to the vitamin C in kiwi fruit, the quality and duration of your sleep will be improved, too.

Oranges

Of course, oranges are also a great source of vitamin C. Kirsten says that the natural sugars in oranges can provide a gentle energy boost during the day and may improve moods, making it easier to unwind before bedtime.

An unlikely everyday fruit perhaps but papaya is rich in both vitamins C and E, as well as folate and potassium. Potassium, of course, helps to relax muscles and eating foods like papaya can encourage a deeper, higher quality rest. The nutrients within potassium can relax muscles and lower blood pressure, making dropping off much easier.

Finally, good old apples contain fibre and natural sugars which stabilise blood sugar levels. This helps to prevent nighttime wakefulness as well as improving general mood and wellbeing.

If you continue to have sleep problems, speak to your GP for support.

I Tried Mary Berry’s Secret To The Best Spaghetti Bolognese, And I’m Never Going Back

Posted on 15/03/2025 by Boris Clair

I try a lot of celebrity chef recipes for my job (hard-hitting journalism, you know?).

And while I love Nigella Lawson’s iconic lasagne of love, swear by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s brown butter brownies, and have even allowed Gordon Ramsay’s tips to alter my treasured rocky road recipe, my heart still lies with Mary Berry.

Her Thai-inspired tomato soup was an instant hit in my home. I tried making her 15-minute lemon curd last weekend too ― it was so good, I skipped making the rest of the pie I’d planned and made six jars instead.

So, who else would I turn to for my next spag bol? Though the dish is described as “controversial” on the BBC’s site for its, er, un-Italian star ingredient, hey ― in Mary we trust.

The chef adds cream to her bolognese

The start of Mary’s bolognese is pretty simple. She finely chops onions, celery, and carrot, and fries them over a medium-high heat until soft.

I took Nigella’s lasagne advice here; it’s just faster to whizz them up in a blender rather than chopping them to tiny, even bits.

Once those have softened, she chucks in pork and beef mince (I’ll be honest; I only had beef, and it was fine) and garlic, cooking them until the mince is browned and its liquid has evaporated.

Mary adds tomato purée to the mix and follows it up with passata, chopped tomatoes, stock, wine, and thyme.

If you take nothing else from her advice, I’d recommend the half-passata, half-chopped tomato mix for almost all tomato-based dishes now I’ve tried it. Tinned tommies can be too watery, while the paste can be too thick – this is perfect.

After seasoning it, you bake the bolognese for an hour. I placed tinfoil over my frying pan and whacked it in the oven, though I’m sure a proper Dutch oven is a better option.

Then, you stir in some cream (the controversial ingredient), put the bolognese back in for an hour, and serve it with whatever pasta you like.

Bolognese before baking (left) and after (right).

So… what’s the verdict?

I regret to inform you it’s delicious. I don’t know whether it’s the cream or the extended stay in the oven that did it, but this was the deepest, richest, most satisfying bolognese I’ve tried.

It kind of makes sense ― Nigella adds milk to her lasagne’s ragu for a subtly creamy finish, so this is sort of the same idea (only more decadent).

The two-hour bake time is annoying, but it didn’t require much actual active cooking. I work from home, so made the sauce on my lunch break and cooked it in the oven while I was working. As Mary points out, the sauce “can be made up to a day ahead and reheated.”

I ate mine with Parmesan, linguini, and a huge smile on my face ― OK, her star ingredient is “controversial”, but there’s no denying the results are delicious.

I Tried Mary Berry’s 15-Minute Lemon Curd Recipe, And I’ve Made 6 Jars Since

Posted on 10/03/2025 by Boris Clair

Ex-Great British Bake-Off host Mary Berry doesn’t just do sweet treats ― we love her sausage casserole and “Mexican lasagne” recipes for our midweek meals.

With that said, there’s a reason one of her (many) cookbooks is called The Baking Bible. When I want to make dessert, I turn to the Cordon Bleu-trained chef first.

This weekend, I craved a lemon meringue pie. So, I thought I’d give her pared-down recipe a go (I’d tried more complex recipes recently, like a pomegranate curd, and had been left with a runny disaster).

People, the pie never got made. The curd was so good, I simply slathered it on slices of bread and ate spoonfuls from the jar ― I re-made double the recipe again to stay in stock for the rest of the month.

How does Mary Berry make her lemon curd?

Her instructions are simple: whisk one egg per whole lemon zest and juice to 75g caster sugar and 56g butter together. Twice this calculation makes roughly a jar.

Then, keep whisking the lot over a gentle heat for seven to 10 minutes. Mary warns: “Do not allow the mixture to boil or it may split.”

For that reason, I made my first batch in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of boiling water (like the one you’d use for melting chocolate).

I recommend this if, like me, you’re using thin, cheap saucepans; if you have a heavy-bottomed saucepan and really good temperature control on your hob, though, a saucepan should be fine.

Once the mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon, you’re ready to spoon the curd into a sterilised jar ― it should thicken in a couple of hours, and the curd will last for a month or so in the fridge.

I loved that Mary uses the full zest and curd of all lemons. It makes a brilliantly tangy curd, and also means your kitchen smells amazing for hours.

I also think it made the curd less creamy, which I personally prefer.

Lemon curd cooking on left: jarred on the right

Any other tips?

Yes! Mary’s advice for sterilising the jars accidentally ensures they’re capable of taking in the hot curd without breaking or cracking, too.

“To sterilise jars, wash the jars in very hot, soapy water or put through the hot cycle of a dishwasher,” she writes.

Then, “place the jars onto a baking tray and slide into an oven preheated to 160C/325F/Gas 3 for 10–15 minutes”.

I spooned my curd into the jars while they were still warm(ish) from the oven. That way, you run far less risk of a shattering disaster.

I Tried Nigella Lawson’s Secret To The Best Scones, And I’m Never Going Back

Posted on 23/02/2025 by Boris Clair

Based on how strict I am about my carrot cake, brownie, and rocky road recipes, you’d be forgiven for thinking I’m against learning new tricks.

But that’s not the case! I recently found out that freezing cookie dough before cooking can help achieve that gooey, tall finish I love; I’ve adapted a chef’s habit of cooling spuds before roasting them.

I’ve even changed how I prep my American pancakes on the advice of pros.

So, of course I was willing to listen to Nigella Lawson herself when it came to scones.

Not only does the chef replace regular milk with buttermilk (a tenderising trick I grew up with in Ireland), but she uses a clever combination of fats and adds leavener-boosting ingredients too.

Having tried it, I’ve been amazed at what a difference they’ve made; they’re more tender, fluffier, taller, and more delicious than I’ve ever cooked prior.

A pitiful rubbery puck of a scone from the writer before Nigella's advice on the left: layered, golden, taller scones on thr right following the chef's tips — A pitiful rubbery puck of a scone from the writer before Nigella’s advice on the left: layered, golden, taller scones on thr right following the chef’s tips

What are Nigella’s secrets to the best scones?

The TV presenter and chef adds as much cream of tartar as she does bicarbonate of soda to her scone mix.

This, combined with the acidity of the buttermilk, leads to a steep, rapid rise ― key for fluffy and tender scones.

Additionally, most people who have tried making scones will tell you that it’s very hard to keep butter cold enough to do the job.

Like puff pastry, the fat needs to be kept as solid as possible during mixing to create flaky pockets of delicious dough.

Nigella’s suggestion is easy and elegant ― she mixes two parts butter to one part vegetable shortening, which is solid at room temperature.

She “chops” the butter before adding it to the flour, too, ensuring the warmth of your fingers has less time to melt the butter when rubbing it in.

All of those changes turned my previously hockey puck-like, rubbery creations into proud, tall, tender delights.

The writer's scones in a baking tray on the left; on a plate on the right — The writer’s scones in a baking tray on the left; on a plate on the right

Can I sub out these ingredients if I don’t have them?

I’ve been surprised by how hard buttermilk can be to find in the UK, but luckily, you can make your own by simply adding a little lemon juice to regular milk and letting it sit for up to 10 minutes.

Don’t be tempted to replace this part ― it’s key to the scone’s fluffiness.

If you don’t have vegetable shortening, Nigella’s team says lard is the next-best substitute.

But again, the chef adds the product for a reason; “Vegetable shortening gives the scones and also pastry a flaky texture which butter cannot replicate,” her site reads.

Having tried her adjustments, I regret to inform you that she’s completely right.

I’m A GI Surgeon ― When You Eat Bananas Affects Their Health Benefits

Posted on 21/02/2025 by Boris Clair

Did you know unripe bananas can have a small laxative effect?

I do, but not because I’m an expert on the fruit. I just really, really like green-tinted bananas ― life’s the best teacher, I suppose.

As bananas ripen, they become sweeter, too. That’s partly why they’re preferred for banana bread.

But according to gastrointestinal (GI) surgeon and author Dr Karan Rajan, there’s more variation in the food’s health benefits than you’d expect.

In a recent TikTok, he shared: “If you’re eating a banana… each stage offers a completely different nutritional profile.”

Which stage of banana ripeness is healthiest?

It depends on what your goals are.

In their green stage, Dr Rajan says, bananas are packed with resistant starches that work as a prebiotic (food for the healthy bacteria in our gut).

A 2021 study found that the resistant starch which is most present in the least ripe bananas can help to improve our microbiome.

Green bananas are lowest in sugar (10g per 100g) and highest in fibre (3.5g per 100g), the doctor continues.

In brown-spotted, overripe bananas, the sugar content nearly doubles to 17g per 100g. That, alongside their higher fibre content, is why less-ripe bananas might be better for those with diabetes.

Barely-ripe bananas have slightly less fibre and slightly more sugar, though as the fruit ages, “you also get more of a potassium boost.”

Fully ripe yellow bananas, meanwhile, are “packed with antioxidants,” the doctor says ― including catechins, which are great for our heart health and reducing inflammation.

It’s also got the highest vitamin C and B5 levels, and because that resistant starch we mentioned earlier has all but gone by the time the banana’s yellow, it;s far easier to digest.

That makes it perfect for a pre-workout snack, Dr Rajan suggests.

Lastly, overripe bananas have more sugar ― good for a quick, if short-term, energy hit ― and contain the least fibre.

It is also, however, “the richest in antioxidants” the fruit will ever be, as the brown spots we associate with older bananas come from those heart-healthy catechins.

How big are the differences really?

The 2021 paper we mentioned earlier said that while the types of fibre, sugar, and starch levels in bananas can change as they ripen, results from controlled studies don’t always match what’s found in store-bought bananas.

That’s partly down to “variables in the supply chain,” they say.

Besides which, all bananas have some health benefits. Turns out the best banana is often the one you like most.

Kellogg’s Say Their New Cereal Never Gets Soggy, So I Tested It At 5, 10, 20, And 30 Minutes

Posted on 18/02/2025 by Boris Clair

Recently, Kellogg’s released an all-new brand of cereal ― Oaties, available in plain and chocolate flavours ― which carried a Willy Wonka-unmeltable-ice-cream-level claim.

“Each bowl,” the company asserted, “is filled with crispy, crunchy
pillows of wholegrain oats that have been lovingly crafted to stay crunchy in milk.”

Apparently, food scientists spent months achieving the miraculous bite. The product’s tagline ― “it’s crunch time!” ― doubles down on the sog-free promise.

This, I told myself, was a case for the emptiest journalistic minds of our generation (mine). So, I thought I’d get my hands on a box, cover its contents in milk, and try it at five, 10, 15, 20, and 30-minute intervals.

And, because I take my duty seriously, let me start off with proof I really, really dunked those bad boys:

The writer dunking all the cereal which had floated to the top of the bowl under the milk with a spoon

You’re welcome.

1) After five minutes

A bowl of the Oaties cereal after 5 minutes

I left the bowl of submerged cereal on the side for five minutes.

I’ll be honest ― approaching the abandoned bowl made me arrogant. “Aha!” I thought. “Those are definitely some softer outsides.”

That was true ― the first half-millimetre of the cereal had expanded and softened after a five-minute lactose jacuzzi.

But that was all. A bite revealed that the real crunchiness of this cereal lies in its centre ― there was almost no give in the rest of the pillows.

I was confused but intrigued.

2) After 10 minutes

I was pretty surprised to note that the topmost cereals, despite my previous dunking, had remained mostly dry at this stage.

Not much to report at the ten-minute mark; a note I took in my phone read: “exactly the same as five minutes.”

Anticlimactic, but consistent.

3) After 20 minutes

The same bowl of cereal after 20 minutes

At this point, I did start to notice (and taste) a difference in texture.

About a fifth of the outside layer of the cereal was soft now, and they looked fuzzier and lumpier in the milk.

But lo and behold ― the middle part was still strong and crunchy (more on that later).

I started to wonder how these shells became so impermeable. An incredulous peek at the ingredients list returned nothing suspicious ― just oat, corn, and wheat flour with sugars and fortifiers.

4) After 30 minutes

The same bowl of cereal after half an hour

The most-dunked pillows in the bowl had definitely become softer on their outsides, even including their corners (which had more or less all stayed stiff ’til now).

But if you look at the bowl, you’ll see the outermost layer still remained unsoaked. And even a bite of the “soggiest” centre pices revealed a bone-dry, still-crunchy inside.

The cross-section of an Oatie cereal that had soaked for 30 minutes in milk reveals that while its outer layer is soft, the inside is hard and crunchy

I do not know how it’s done (though I’m on the case).

Nor do I (plot twist) particularly like crunchy cereals ― I love soggy ones.

But if you’re in the firm camp, we were pretty surprised by how well these (literally and figuratively) held up.

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