Taste testing the weirdest Japanese Kit Kat of them all

SEPTEMBER 07, 2014

Tasty grilling Kit Kats fresh from Japan in a lucky 13 pack. The brown thing is supposed to be a toaster oven. Picture: Dave Krantz Source: Supplied
WHEN it comes to Kit Kat flavour choices, Aussie fans are being cruelly robbed when compared to lucky overseas chocolate-covered wafer aficionados.
The pinnacle of Kit Kat weirdness is – of course – Japan. Since 2000, manufacturer Nestle has introduced more than 200 flavours to the Japanese market, usually with limited runs and availability. Flavours include pretty much anything you can think of, from soy sauce to grilled corn and even wasabi.
When I heard about the latest Japanese Kit Kat sensation I knew I had to have some. A baked Kit Kat that you grill in the oven – how could this possibly be bad?
Luckily a colleague was conveniently heading to Japan on holiday, so I made him promise to bring back as many Kit Kats as he could, jettisoning his personal luggage if neccessary.

A variety of unusual Kit Kat flavours from Japan. Strawberry Cheesecake, Green Tea, Sakura Matcha, Strawberry and Red Bean. We didn’t ask Royce how he got these into the country – we didn’t want to know. Picture: Dave Krantz Source:Supplied
When Royce returned he had done his job like a champion. Not only did he have bags of Baked Kit Kats, he had also obtained a miscellaneous selection of other wacky non-grilling flavours including Sakura Matcha, Green Tea, Red Bean, and the slightly more pedestrian Strawberry and Strawberry Cheesecake.

A grilling Kit Kat in its natural state. Picture: Dave Krantz.Source: Supplied
The precious bounty was distributed around the office, and much debate ensued as to the best way to grill them. Obtaining a translation of the pack was not massively helpful. Phrases like “delicious when grilled”, “New snack, cook them in your toaster oven” and “put them on the grilling tray then eat them” were not all that specific.
Luckily, it was simple. A very hot grill, a baking tray and a close eye on the tasty chocolate snacks was all that was required to produce a delicious golden-brown result. Monitoring closely is advised, as they go from white to brown very quickly.

Tasty grilling Kit Kats, done to golden brown perfection. Picture: Dave Krantz Source: Supplied
Only a few incompetents wasted their sweet windfall, either cooking too low and melting them into a puddle of chocolate or cooking too much and ending up with a blackened mess.
So, was it worth it? The answer is yes. Cooking converts a bland and overly sweet white chocolate bar into a tasty caramelised treat. The crispy edges add an interesting texture and there is a tantalising hint of vanilla.
Other flavours
They’re not really weird so I won’t discuss the strawberry flavours here, save to say that they were just as delicious as you would expect.

Strawberry and Sakura Matcha. Picture: Dave Krantz Source: Supplied
Green tea
The slightly off-putting green colour of the green tea flavoured Kit Kat is soon forgotten once you eat one. A sweet bar with a very nice bittersweet undertone of green tea. The green tea taste lingers subtly after the sweetness is gone.
Sakura Matcha
A Kit Kat flavoured with cherry blossom (sakura) and green tea (matcha), available during springtime in Japan. Less intense green tea flavour than the straight green tea Kit Kat, with a floral edge and aftertaste that is very pleasant. Like the green tea flavour, it is quite sweet and a weird green in colour.

Red Bean flavour. Picture: Dave Krantz Source: Supplied
Red Bean
This one is much less subtle than the other two. The sweetness of the chocolate and red bean is overlaid with a strong earthy flavour. It does taste very much of the promised red bean, and was the least popular flavour around the office. Unlike the strawberry flavour, competition for which caused several stabbings.