GATO & Co Healthy Desserts Review
GATO & Co is a young company developed by friends Charlotte and Kim. Charlotte was born in the south of France and was inspired by her experience studying patisserie at the renowned Cordon Bleu cookery school to develop delicious healthy puddings. Kim joined her a year later after falling in love with the brand and they've gone from strength to strength ever since, now stocking their free-from confections in several nationwide stores. I was thrilled to be sent a selection of their 'feel good puds' to put to the test.
Gooey Chocolate & Coconut Brownie
The first pud that I tried was the chocolate and coconut brownie. These puds are best eaten warm and there are heating instructions on the packaging.
Once the dessert was successfully warmed, I got stuck in. It was absolutely delicious! The melting chocolate topping makes this pudding so decadent and the coconut accents mean the indulgent chocolate isn't too overpowering. It's incredible to think that this gorgeously gooey brownie has no butter, sugar or flour in its recipe, and is instead sweetened with creamed coconut and honey. The fact it has 50% less sugar than similar products is a real winner as it's just as delicious (if not more) than other brownies that I've had. I couldn't get enough!
Velvety Chocolate Fondant
After sampling the coconut and chocolate brownie, the bar was set pretty high and I wasn't sure what to expect from the velvety chocolate fondant. I've had experience with health food brands before where the reduced sugar and alternative ingredients sadly compromise the flavour and enjoyment of the product. Well, that definitely wasn't the case here. Charlotte's expertise from Le Cordon Bleu school really shines through in this fondant as it is absolutely perfect! The texture is thick without being too dense or rich and the flavour is exceptional. It's truly velvety and tastes very luxurious. I could eat it all day, especially as it's so much healthier than other chocolate fondants.
It's so clever of the girls to have developed a recipe using aubergine instead of butter and ground almonds instead of flour so those on a gluten-free diet can enjoy it. This dessert is another winner for me!
Sticky Toffee Pudding
The final flavour that I tried was the sticky toffee pudding. I'm a fan of this classic dessert any day of the week but I would go so far as to say this was the best sticky toffee pudding I've ever had! It has a very complex flavour profile and the use of real maple syrup puts a sophisticated twist on a classic. Sticky toffee pudding has a tendency to be too sweet and sickly but this pud was just right thanks to the whole, healthy ingredients. I could've happily eaten this all day and still can't believe it contains no refined sugar, flour, or butter and is somewhat healthy. What a winner!
Verdict
I've been completely blown away by the products that the girls behind GATO & Co have developed. Charlotte's incredibly impressive cookery skills really shine through and her professional training has clearly had a huge impact on these recipes. To find a range of delicious puddings that are also healthy is a rare find and I think GATO & Co should be very proud of themselves. A resounding 10 out of 10 from me for these feel-good puds!
Buy your own delicious healthy desserts on the GATO & Co website.
