Ice Cream – Page 18 – The Impulsive Buy

REVIEW: Little Debbie Star Crunch and Unicorn Cake Ice Creams

Ann / June 24, 2022 / Reviews / 4 Comments

A few months ago, I reviewed a seven-flavor lineup of Little Debbie-themed ice creams exclusively available at Walmart. Despite a few instances of bare shelves, the original seven can now regularly be found at my local Wally World just in time for Miss Deborah and Hudsonville Creamery to grace us with two more line extensions: Star Crunch Ice Cream and Sparkling Strawberry Unicorn Cake Ice Cream.

I had high hopes for these two additions because they both contain a textural element (the crunchy rice puffs in Star Crunch and the candy sprinkles in the Unicorn Cakes).

The Star Crunch Ice Cream has a chocolate ribbon swirl and chocolate-coated puffed rice. There was also, I’ll call it, an adjacent swirl that was very similar to the chocolate but tasted a bit more like the center of the Star Crunch. That amalgam of cookie and caramel wasn’t super strong, and it didn’t hit me over the head with caramel flavor, but I liked that it didn’t seem like there was one single chocolate swirl. The chocolate-coated puffed rice pieces were crunchy, and the chocolate flavor was well balanced against the vanilla ice cream. The Star Crunch itself is a tricky flavor to make stand out in ice cream, but I think the puffed rice pieces helped elevate this without a doubt.

Next up was Unicorn Cakes, and, gosh, did it have several wow factors. Upon opening, WOW that looks like psychedelic chicken pox! Bright blue sprinkles were EVERYWHERE and stood out against a pink strawberry-flavored ice cream base. The candies were crunchy and super sweet, and I think the candy made the ice cream overwhelmingly sweet, but the crunch was an impressive texture variant.

Like the Zebra Cake, Swiss Roll, and Strawberry Shortcake Roll ice cream flavors, this one also had little vanilla cake pieces. I found them to be a little saturated but authentic.

The final wow factor in this ice cream was the bright blue swirl, representing the icing design of its cake counterpart. My inner child was delighted by the vibrant colors. The adult in me was instantly concerned for the rest of my day after realizing I was eating something that tasted remarkably like strawberry cotton candy made into ice cream. What a trip.

Overall, I think these two are welcome and unique additions to the Little Debbie ice cream lineup. I preferred the balance and texture of the Star Crunch, but I can see how Unicorn Cake could delight the masses the way only something with crazy colors and candy can.

Purchased Price: $2.50 each
Size: One pint
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 8 out of 10 (Star Crunch), 6 out of 10 (Unicorn Cakes)
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) Star Crunch – 250 calories, 13 grams of total fat, 35 milligrams of cholesterol, 95 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 grams of dietary fiber, 25 grams of total sugars, 19 grams of added sugars, and 4 gram of protein.

Unicorn Cakes – 240 calories, 12 grams of total fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 28 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 23 grams of total sugars, 18 grams of added sugars, and 4 gram of protein.

REVIEW: Van Leeuwen Summer 2022 Ice Cream Flavors at Walmart That Aren’t Grey Poupon

Brandon / June 13, 2022 / Reviews / 10 Comments

Brooklyn-based ice creamery Van Leeuwen has risen to snack food cultural prominence over the past year with its novelty offerings mimicking Mac & cheese, pizza, and most recently, Grey Poupon mustard. It also does more “normal” seasonal flavors, like the spring variety we reviewed in April. It’s back for the summer with four new selections: Summer Peach Crisp, Campfire S’mores, Espresso Fior Di Latte Chip, and Honey Cornbread with Strawberry Jam.

Espresso Fior Di Latte Chip

Okay, so confession time: I didn’t know what “Fior di Latte” was. I ate this ice cream without checking, assuming it was just several words meaning “a kind of Italian coffee.” Much to my surprise, Fior di Latte is actually several words for “a kind of Italian cheese.” I’m glad I didn’t know that going in, or I’m afraid it may have negatively colored my opinion of this delightful ice cream. Going back with my newfound knowledge, though, yes, you can definitely pick up a salty swirl from the cheese. It blends perfectly with the strong coffee flavor, and the dark chocolate chips and graham pieces interspersed throughout make this the second best pick out of the bunch.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 310 calories, 19 grams of fat, 12 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 85 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 31 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 25 grams of sugar (18 grams of added sugar), and 6 grams of protein.

Summer Peach Crisp

My first thought on this was, “oh, snap, where’s the peach?” What I didn’t yet know -— but what I subsequently learned here, and then again with the S’mores version -— is that sometimes your Van Leeuwen pint is like Roanoke Island: to get to the treasure, you’ve gotta dig deep. Once you get to the syrupy peach swirl, it’s great, but there’s far too little of it overall. The “gluten-free oat pieces” meant to approximate the crust of a crumble, however, are too abundant, and they detract from the experience. This is worth getting if it’s all you see at the store, but I wouldn’t go nuts trying to find it.

Rating: 8 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 300 calories, 16 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 95 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 29 grams of sugar (21 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.

Campfire S’mores

Though my overall favorite changes often, Rocky Road is always in my top five favorite ice cream flavors. Campfire S’mores -— which includes two key Rocky Road components -— is sinfully good. The marshmallow is inexplicably fluffy and chewy, and the rich fudge swirl defies all culinary scientific explanation by somehow remaining malleable and syrupy; this is not your grandfather’s frozen fudge ribbon. The ice cream itself purports to be “toasted marshmallow,” but it was indistinguishable from regular vanilla. Even still, this ice cream is Hall of Fame worthy, and it took considerable willpower to not down the container in a single sitting.

Rating: 10 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 310 calories, 16 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 150 milligrams of sodium, 38 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of fiber, 30 grams of sugar (20 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.

Honey Cornbread with Strawberry Jam

Look, I get that this was an attempt at adventurousness, but there’s a reason we don’t put cornbread in ice cream. The texture was gritty and off-putting and, well, very cornbread-y. Great with a Southern dinner, but maybe not in my frozen dessert. The strawberry jam was rich and strong, and while it could have potentially helped keep this tolerable, like the peach pint, there wasn’t enough of it. Of the four, this was the only one I was not compelled to save for later.

Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 310 calories, 18 grams of fat, 10 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 110 milligrams of cholesterol, 200 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 31 grams of sugar (24 grams of added sugar), and 5 grams of protein.

Except for the Cornbread variety, I would repurchase all of these. Even the cheese one. In the case of the S’mores version, I may buy a whole pallet’s worth.

All pints were $4.98 and purchased at Walmart.

Ice Cream Van Leeuwen

REVIEW: Van Leeuwen Grey Poupon Ice Cream

Julie / May 26, 2022 / Reviews / 10 Comments

When social media alerts you to Grey Poupon ice cream, there are only two possible explanations: April Fools’ Day is upon us, or the mad geniuses at Van Leeuwen are at it again.

Given that it’s late May and you are reading this review, you can probably deduce that Van Leeuwen’s Grey Poupon with Salted Pretzels Ice Cream is a very real product. Considering the brand’s propensity for wacky, experimental flavors, including Kraft Macaroni & Cheese and Pizza, we shouldn’t be surprised. Of all possible unconventional savory pairings for ice cream, why not choose mustard? Why not mustard that tastes so good, gentlemen request it from neighboring vehicles?

You may have a lot of answers to that question that you will share in the comments IN ALL CAPS, but I love mustard. I sometimes eat certain foods solely so they can serve as vehicles for mustard. Ice cream isn’t one of them, so the prospect of mustardy ice cream left me curious and considerably trepid. For the sake of adventure and sharing my experience with you, dear readers, I’m willing to put my money where my mouth is.

My mouth, overall, was not displeased with the purchase. The French ice cream base does not taste like mustard, but rather rich vanilla. The flavor is simple but very high quality: delicious, rich, and creamy. (According to the container, French ice cream contains double the egg yolks than standard ice cream, which contribute to its richness.)

Pieces of thin pretzel sticks are generously spread throughout the base. They add a hint of saltiness, but their texture is lacking. The ultra-creamy base begs for a crunchy element, but the pretzels range from soft to soggy.

At this point, I wondered if the product WAS a belated April Fools’ joke, but then I hit the bright yellow swirl running throughout the base. Mustard time. However, this swirl, which has the consistency of very loose caramel, does not share the vinegary, spicy pungency of Dijon mustard. The flavor is much more consistent with honey mustard. Honey is listed as an ingredient, which is likely lending that sweetness to the swirl’s notable mustardy tang.

The honey mustard flavor is prominent in some pockets of the pint. The thinner ribbons are more subtle; they offer just a bit of bright flavor and acidity to cut the rich base. Together, all components of the ice cream give a French- fries-and-milkshake vibe, if the French fries were replaced by pretzels lightly seasoned with honey mustard powder. The flavor is certainly unusual, and while I wouldn’t want a cone full of it, I don’t regret buying it.

Van Leeuwen’s latest creation may not inspire this devout mustard-lover to ask the ice cream truck: “Do you have any Grey Poupon?” But its adventurous blur of sweet and savory defies expectations, resulting in a surprising, interesting dessert experience. When soggy pretzels are the biggest downside of a condiment-themed ice cream, that’s a win for creativity.

Purchased Price: $4.98
Size: 14 fl oz
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 5 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (per 2/3 cup) 310 calories, 18 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 100 milligrams of cholesterol, 280 milligrams of sodium, 34 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 26 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.

Grey Poupon Ice Cream Van Leeuwen

REVIEW: Limited Batch Ben & Jerry’s Cherry Crumble Ice Cream

Sean / May 18, 2022 / Reviews / 13 Comments

Recently, most new flavors from Vermont’s most famous company have been Topped, Core’d, or brought back from the dead. But Ben & Jerry’s latest was inspired by one of the company’s all-time successes: cherries. While this pint has some major differences from Cherry Garcia, B&J’s second highest selling pint for eight years running, it will no doubt garner interest from folks who enjoy the Grateful Dead-inspired classic. Cherry Crumble switches up the formula from the brand’s more recent decadent offerings and pairs buttery ice cream with cherries and swirls of oat crumble.

I was intrigued by this pint because the container wasn’t screaming at me with mix-ins and because the base was something I don’t recall ever seeing. Described simply as “buttery,” a word often used to denote that something will be delicious, I needed to know how it tastes. Good news: it’s freakin’ awesome. Bad news: it’s kind of hard to describe. Middle news: I’m going to try!

The base is rich and decadent in a way I don’t recall ever experiencing from B&J’s sweet cream, which is probably its closest equivalent, but far superior. It has a heavy and luscious mouthfeel with buttery notes, but not nutty like browned butter, more of a clean and deep flavorful sensation, like unsalted butter and sugar on white bread. Like I said, it’s hard to describe, but it’s wonderful and has a density that screams super premium. It’s a really great, nuanced ice cream.

The cherries are also well executed. There are plenty, and they pop with a lovely bright sweetness and touch of acidity. More importantly, they do so with zero iciness. They provide the perfect balance of sugary and tartness against the rich buttery base. A jam or pie filling swirl might be more faithful to the concept of a crumble, but I enjoy the squishy flavorful chunks of fruit. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m getting older, but I’ve been having a serious cherry renaissance in the last two years, and I love this simple old-timey mix-in.

The oat crumble is where this pint could use some improvement. I still really enjoy it, but it reminds me much more of a cinnamon-y graham cracker swirl than a chunky oat crumble. When I read “crumble,” I instantly think of a crunchy, buttery, and salty topping that erupts with flavor, and while this swirl is good, it doesn’t deliver on the punchiness or texture I’m looking for. It has some pleasant grittiness with a touch of spice but no butteriness that can compete with the fantastic base.

While this pint falls a bit short in flawlessly executing a cherry crumble a la mode, it’s a very scoopable flavor that should be in anyone’s cart who enjoys a fruit-driven profile with a rich, buttery foundation.

Purchased Price: $4.99
Size: One Pint
Purchased at: Safeway
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup/140 grams) 350 calories, 21 grams of fat, 11 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of trans fat, 75 milligrams of cholesterol, 125 milligrams of sodium, 37 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 35 grams of sugar, 5 grams of protein.

Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream

REVIEW: Blue Bell Chocolate Peanut Butter Overload Ice Cream

Denis / May 5, 2022 / Reviews / 6 Comments

What is Blue Bell Chocolate Peanut Butter Overload Ice Cream?

This new flavor from Blue Bell features milk chocolate ice cream with chocolate-coated peanut butter cups and peanut butter cookie dough pieces. But is it really overloaded? I can’t tell you yet, or you might stop reading.

How is it?

It’s awesome, assuming that you like chocolate and peanut butter. The milk chocolate base is creamy and silky, and it’s the perfect complement to its two friends from the peanut butter family, cups and cookie dough pieces. The PB cups are perhaps not quite as peanut buttery as the familiar Reese’s variety, but they are still tasty and deliver a nice firm crunch when you bite down. The cookie dough pieces are quite firm as well, and they contribute a wonderful peanut butter flavor and that almost granular texture of raw dough. The mixture of these three components is certainly not ground-breaking, but it sure is good.

Anything else you need to know?

After the satisfying feeling of peeling the top off this and seeing what looked like a sparsely inhabited chocolate terrain, I was skeptical about the “overload” part of its name. But after further excavation, there were plenty of PB cups and PB cookie dough pieces (which are a little hard to see because of their color). So I can confirm that this is deserving of the overload moniker. Let me explain why I can do so with such confidence.

I visit my local frozen yogurt shop quite often. I go enough that I have developed a classification system for my fellow froyo enthusiasts. There’s The Sampler, who must try every flavor…even vanilla, because what could that possibly taste like? Then there’s The Undecided, who barely makes it to the register before their froyo turns to soup because they spent too long agonizing over whether to put Kit Kat or Twix on it. Then there’s my category, The Overloader. I put a modest amount of froyo in a cup (the largest one available, of course), and then at the toppings station, I somehow forget how basic math works and I’m stunned that my pay-per-ounce total comes to something like $16.32. Maybe nine scoops of PB cups were too much, so I know what overloaded is, and this is about as close as you can get from a store-bought product.

Conclusion:

I’m not very good at Tetris, but I’m getting ready to play the freezer version of it to see how much space I can free up so that I can stock up on this limited time ice cream. If you like chocolate and peanut butter, you need to try this.

Purchased Price: $6.98
Size: 1/2 Gallon
Purchased at: H-E-B
Rating: 9 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (2/3 cup) 280 calories, 15 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 30 milligrams of cholesterol, 100 milligrams of sodium, 32 grams of carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 27 grams of sugar, and 6 grams of protein.

Blue Bell Ice Cream