A taste test of pains au chocolat from six supermarkets crowned Marks and Spencer's version the winner, at 75p per individual pastry. The comparison included Aldi, Sainsbury's, Tesco, Lidl, Waitrose, and Marks and Spencer, with the M&S offering scoring a perfect 10 out of 10.
Tesco and Sainsbury's results
Tesco's four-pack, priced at £2.10, scored 4 out of 10. The pastries were described as incredibly dry and almost tasting past their best, despite being bought the previous evening. The chocolate filling came in a double layer, so there was no shortage of it.
Sainsbury's four-pack, also £2.10, scored 6 out of 10. While the look was very comparable to Tesco's, the Sainsbury's versions were marginally thicker and boasted more pastry layers, and crucially, they didn't have that stale quality.
Lidl, Aldi, and Waitrose compared
Lidl's eight-pack, priced at £1.39, was the cheapest of the lot and scored 2 out of 10. The taste and texture were reminiscent of a brioche, with sweetness present but more of a bread-like consistency, with no butteriness, flakiness or pastry layers. They were individually wrapped, preventing the remaining pastries from going stale.
Aldi's eight-pack, at £1.49, scored 3 out of 10. Despite packaging boasting they are made in France, they bore little resemblance to a pain au chocolat, being closer to a brioche, though surprisingly a fraction better than Lidl's.
Waitrose's four-pack, priced at £2.75, scored 7 out of 10. The pastry was soft and buttery, housing two generous sticks of dark chocolate, but an unusual aftertaste lingered, which put the reviewer off buying them again.
Marks and Spencer takes the crown
Marks and Spencer's four-pack, priced at £3, worked out at 75p per pastry and scored 10 out of 10. These were described as absolutely enormous, comfortably the largest of all the pastries sampled, crafted with all-butter pastry that delivers a flaky, indulgent exterior.
The authentic French dark chocolate within was exceptional, thick and substantial, with an abundance tucked into the centre, so the flavour is experienced with every mouthful.
