Tag: Ice Cream

QUICK REVIEW: Baskin-Robbins Dunkin’ Donuts French Vanilla Coffee Ice Cream

Meghan

Baskin Robbins Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla Coffee Ice Cream

What is it?

A marriage between my two greatest loves in life: coffee and ice cream.

In other words, this is another one of Dunkin’ Brands’s attempts at co-branding, and it combines Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee Flavored Ice Cream with French Vanilla Ice Cream.

How is it?

Baskin Robbins Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla Coffee Ice Cream 2

Just as good as you would expect a frozen dessert with Baskin-Robbins’s pedigree to be! The creamy sweetness of the vanilla worked well alongside the subtle bitterness and slightly icy nature of the coffee portion. Both of them were well combined in my not-quite-a-pint, so I got a nice combination of both flavors in each spoonful.

When I ate the two together, the overall effect reminded me of a frozen vanilla latte. Considering that I’m always trying to figure out a way to get more caffeine and ice cream into my day, this flavor certainly kills two birds with one stone.

Baskin Robbins Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla Coffee Ice Cream 3

As far as density is concerned, I wouldn’t consider this to be a hefty snack. Despite how small the container is, this ice cream isn’t nearly as rich and heavy as Haagen-Dazs or Ben & Jerry’s is, so I’d compare it to be more similar to Edy’s/Dreyer’s Grand or Blue Bunny in the texture department.

Is there anything else I need to know?

Baskin Robbins Dunkin Donuts French Vanilla Coffee Ice Cream 4

Since this flavor is inspired by French vanilla coffee, it’s not surprising that heating a cup over the stove produces an AMAZING result. Melting it down into a hot drink makes probably the most indulgent coffee that you’re likely to ever drink at home, and it’s absolutely an acceptable replacement for a real vanilla latte if you’re ever too lazy to drive to an actual Dunkin’ Donuts.

Conclusion:

Baskin-Robbins Dunkin’ Donuts French Vanilla Coffee Ice Cream’s versatility as both a dessert and as an emergency caffeine fix make it a definite must-have if you love coffee and ice cream as much as I do. Just don’t expect something super indulgent if you decide to go the frozen route.

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 14 fl. oz.
Purchased at: Food Lion
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 190 calories, 90 calories from fat, 10 grams of fat, 7 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 40 milligrams of cholesterol, 75 milligrams of sodium, 21 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 18 grams of total sugars, 3 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s It’s Dough Time Cinn-DOUGH-rella Ice Cream

Meghan 2 Comments

Ben Jerry s Cinn DOUGH rella Ice Cream

As much as I love being able to spoon an entire Ben & Jerry’s pint into my mouth while watching Netflix, there’s something to be said about the magical nature of eating Ben & Jerry’s in an actual Scoop Shop.

See, whereas the whole pint/couch combination has convenience, the Scoop Shop has atmosphere. There’s the sweet fragrance of perfectly tempered ice cream circulating in the air, a seemingly endless buffet of delicious choices in the cooler, and a smiling ice cream scooper eagerly awaiting your decision.

Plus, Scoop Shops have exclusive flavors like Ben & Jerry’s new Cinn-DOUGH-rella, which continues Ben & Jerry’s tradition of including everything-plus-the-kitchen-sink by featuring, “Cinnamon and Caramel Ice Creams with Cinnamon Bun Dough, Shortbread Cookies, & Oatmeal Cinnamon Cookie Swirls.”

Ben Jerry s Cinn DOUGH rella Ice Cream 2

Unlike other ice creams that try to tame cinnamon’s natural spiciness to please delicate palates, this variety brought it out right from the get-go. The two ice creams came together in a way that allowed them to shine and complement one another, and the resulting combination was reminiscent of pouring icing onto fresh cinnamon rolls.

Ben Jerry s Cinn DOUGH rella Ice Cream 5

Ben & Jerry’s handled the cinnamon bun dough pieces nicely, too. They were abundant in my scoop, and they provided an extra-strong cinnamon hit that made me want to keep digging through my bowl to find more.

The swirl, while not particularly impressive looking, more than made up for its lackluster appearance in the taste department! It added even more flavor into what was already a Cinna-Bonanza, and the oat cookie swirls brought a subtle grittiness that helped to shake up the texture of the entire experience.

To be honest, the mix-ins are what I enjoyed the most about this variety. In fact, I liked the flavor of the cinnamon bun dough and oatmeal cookie swirl so much that I actually forgot about the shortbread cookie pieces, which were M.I.A. in my scoop. Not that it needed them anyway, because this flavor was busy enough.

Ben Jerry s Cinn DOUGH rella Ice Cream 3

One thing’s for sure: this is a flavor for the Cinna-Maniacs out there. Fans of Ben & Jerry’s Cinnamon Buns would love this. In fact, I’d go as far to say that this new flavor is everything the classic flavor wishes it could be. It’s almost as though the Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Gurus decided to dress up Cinnamon Buns to attend a Scoop Shop Ball, turning it into a cinnamon lover’s ultimate dream.

I only hope that Ben & Jerry’s decides to extend their Scoop-Shop-Exclusive party to the grocery store because I don’t think that downing a pint of Cinnamon Buns is going to satisfy my cravings for the sweet spice after getting a taste of such extravagant ice cream royalty!

(Nutrition Facts – 1 Scoop – 240 calories, 14 grams of total fat, 6 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 55 milligrams of cholesterol, 105 milligrams of sodium, 27 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 21 grams of total sugars, 3 grams of protein.)

Purchased Price: $2.99
Size: 1 scoop
Purchased at: Ben & Jerry’s Scoop Shop
Rating: 9 out of 10
Pros: Getting to enjoy that Scoop Shop atmosphere. Not being afraid to show off bold cinnamon flavor. Worthy of being ice cream royalty in both flavor and name.
Cons: Missing shortbread cookie pieces. Exclusive only to Scoop Shops. Me not living anywhere close to a Scoop Shop. Not being able to inhale by the pint while watching Netflix.

QUICK REVIEW: Great Value Associates Choice Apple Pie Ice Cream

Mike 3 Comments

Great Value Associates Choice Apple Pie Ice Cream

What is it?

Great Value Associates Choice Apple Pie Ice Cream features vanilla custard flavored ice cream with an apple butter ribbon and cinnamon sugar shortbread pieces.

You know that small diner down the street? The one that will totally blend up a piece of their apple pie in a milkshake if you ask? Ideally, that’s what this is, just in your grocer’s freezer instead.

How is it?

I’m not sure what the difference between vanilla ice cream, frozen vanilla custard, and “vanilla custard flavored ice cream” is, but this tastes like plain vanilla ice cream to me. It’s good ice cream with a mild cinnamon spice flavor, but vanilla ice cream nonetheless. After it gets a bit melty, a very subtle apple flavor appears and completes the pie flavor.

Great Value Associates Choice Apple Pie Ice Cream 2

The shortbread pieces have a 50/50 shot of being either impressively crispy or as soggy as you’d expect. Their flavor contribution is modest in either case.

Is there anything else I need to know?

The apple butter ribbon is almost completely absent, which is a shame because it’s an unconventional ice cream inclusion that could’ve elevated it above other store brand ice creams.

Great Value Associates Choice Apple Pie Ice Cream 3

Plus, I really like apple butter, so I was looking for it. Believe me, I dug as greedily and fervently as the Dwarves of Moria. If I had delved any deeper into that carton, a Balrog of Morgoth may have been awakened. Then my ice cream would’ve melted.

Conclusion:

Great Values Associates should be a bit choosier. It’s not a bad product, but some shortcomings keep it from achieving its full potential.

Purchased Price: $4.49
Size: 48 fl. oz.
Purchased at: Walmart
Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (68 grams) 150 calories, 7 grams grams of fat, 4.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 50 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 19 grams of carbohydrates, 0 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.

REVIEW: Dreyer’s-Edy’s DC Comics Ice Cream

Meghan 4 Comments

Dreyer s Edy s DC Comics Ice Cream

Remember when ordering “Superman” ice cream meant that you were:

1) Between the ages of four and ten years old.
2) Going to get a scoop of generic red/blue/yellow ice cream that tasted like tooty-fruity vanilla?

Those days are long over! Since America’s officially comic book crazy right now, you can get your hands on superhero-themed anything — shirts, binders, socks, gummies. Just name it! Up until now, though, there hasn’t been an officially licensed superhero-themed ice cream.

Rising to duty’s call, Edy’s/Dreyer’s has partnered with DC Comics to come up with not one, not two, but THREE official DC-inspired ice creams, just in time to save civilians everywhere from the sweltering summer heat!

Edy’s/Dreyer’s decided to represent DC Comics’s three most iconic superheroes with their light ice cream offerings: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. Aquaman, being the least popular of the Super Friends, wasn’t good enough to make the cut, I suppose. In any case, I decided to try all three flavors.

Krypton Cookie Dough

Dreyer s Edy s DC Comics Ice Cream Krypton 2

After removing the lid from this Superman-inspired ice cream, I realized that this is a far cry from the Superman ice cream that I remember eating as a kid. Instead of using an eye-catching rainbow swirl, Edy’s/Dreyer’s went in the exact opposite direction by making this quart a single boring shade of vanilla, with a few pale chunks to break up the monotony.

What’s the deal with everyone being so scared of color? It seems like everything that I’ve bought lately has just had the color bleached out of it. Would putting a little more dye into the mix-ins really cost Edy’s/Dreyer’s that much more money?

The taste of this stuff is about as plain as it looks. Unlike its tooty-fruity step-brother, this Superman ice cream is the kind of vanilla that only works well as a canvas for crazy swirls and jam-packed mix-ins. The problem is, this flavor doesn’t have either of those things. The blue sprinkles don’t taste any different from the ice cream’s base, and the red and yellow cookie dough pieces are so sparse that I only found three of them in my entire bowl.

Rating: 4 out of 10
Nutrition Facts (1/2 cup): 120 calories, 3 grams of fat, 2 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 10 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 14 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein)

Dark Knight Brownie Bite

Dreyer s Edy s DC Comics Ice Cream Dark Knight Brownie Bite 2

I gotta say that this Batman-inspired flavor surprised me. Upon first glance, it may not be the prettiest ice cream ever, but it more than makes up for its lack of visual appeal in taste.

Digging in, it’s got that soft, whipped texture that pretty much all light ice creams have, and it actually works pretty well here. It keeps the chocolate from being too dense and heavy, and the overall effect makes the ice cream feel like a sort of frozen chocolate mousse or something. The downside to that is that the ice cream melts pretty fast, but I found myself not really minding too much.

Edy’s/Dreyer’s decided to get creative with the chunks in this flavor by shaping them into miniature bats. They’re cute, and they give a nice crunch to the base. There still aren’t nearly enough brownie pieces, but the ones that I could find were pretty yummy, and they reminded me of frozen Cosmic Brownies. The fudge swirl is nearly absent, but I found that the brownie chunks and the chocolate bats were enough to keep my taste buds entertained.

Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts (1/2 cup): 130 calories, 3.5 grams of total fat, 2.5 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 45 milligrams of sodium, 22 grams of total carbohydrates, 1 gram of dietary fiber, 17 grams of sugar, 3 grams of protein)

Golden Lasso Twirl

Dreyer s Edy s DC Comics Ice Cream Golden Lasso 2

Last up is an ice cream designed for the ladies!

Honestly, this one doesn’t look too different from Krypton Cookie Dough. The base is a little tanner, and the chunks changed color from blue to gold, but that’s about it. Chowing down, it doesn’t really even taste much different from Krypton Cookie Dough, either. The ice cream is almost identical, using the same plain ol’ vanilla to showcase the mix-ins and swirl.

Most of the caramel flavor comes from the chunks. There’s plenty of chunks to go around here, but I don’t think that they’re enough to carry the caramel flavor by themselves. The graham cracker “swirl” is similarly plentiful and tasty, but I don’t know that I’d really call it a swirl. In my opinion, swirls are supposed to be somewhere in-between gooey and semisolid, and these are definitely solid graham cracker pieces.

I’m a sucker for anything with graham crackers, so this was probably my favorite of the three, and I wouldn’t mind buying this flavor again. Next time, I’ll just make sure to buy extra caramel sauce to put on top.

Rating: 7 out of 10
Nutrition Facts (1/2 cup): 130 calories, 4.5 grams of total fat, 3 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 5 milligrams of cholesterol, 50 milligrams of sodium, 20 grams of total carbohydrates, 0 grams of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar, 2 grams of protein)

Overall, I feel that all three DC-inspired ice creams were pretty standard for something that would come from Edy’s/Dreyer’s light offerings. No single flavor was spectacular, and all of them had points that they could improve on, but the packaging on them is fun, and any of the flavors would make for a cheap and yummy way to cool off on a hot day. Besides, what kid wouldn’t love getting to eat superhero-themed ice cream?

Now, if only Marvel would team up with Breyer’s to make Avenger-inspired flavors!

Purchased Price: $3.00 (on sale)
Size: 1.5 quarts
Purchased at: Kroger
Pros: Super-fun art on the carton. Cheap and yummy way to cool off on a hot day. Fun mix-ins. Official, licensed, superhero-inspired flavors.
Cons: Not as visually appealing as generic “Superman” ice cream. Not enough mix-ins overall. Missing swirls. Nothing all that unique taste-wise from Edy’s/Dreyer’s other light ice cream offerings.

QUICK REVIEW: Ben & Jerry’s Exclusive Flavor Glampfire Trail Mix Ice Cream

Marvo 4 Comments

Ben Jerry s Glampfire Trail Mix Ice Cream

What is it?

A Target-exclusive pint filled with chocolate ice cream, crunchy pretzel swirls, marshmallow swirls, and fudge-covered almonds.

How is it?

I might be wrong, but I think this is the first time Ben & Jerry’s has used a pretzel swirl. My pint didn’t have much of the salty swirl, but I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not. When I did taste it, it didn’t make me think of pretzels. Instead, there were savory bursts in my mouth that I’d describe as too salty for an ice cream…or any food.

But, the saltiness lingers in subsequent spoonfuls and adds a pleasant light savoriness that goes well with the sweet chocolate ice cream, marshmallow swirls, and fudge-covered almonds.

Ben Jerry s Glampfire Trail Mix Ice Cream 2

Since there weren’t a lot of crunchy pretzel swirls, the pint reminded me of rocky road ice cream, which I didn’t mind at all. However, if there were as many pretzel swirls as there were marshmallow ones, then I would mind. The salt explosions in my mouth from them would be annoying and unpleasant.

Is there anything else I need to know?

I was confused about the name “Glampfire” at first. I had to look up on Urban Dictionary “glamping,” which, surprisingly, is also listed in a real dictionary. Apparently, dictionaries have lowered their standards.

Glamping is camping outdoors, but in comfort and luxury. For example, instead of sleeping in a tent with sleeping bags, glampers spend the night in a cottage on a Casper mattress with 4,000 thread count sheets and an almost extinct exotic bird down comforter.

Conclusion:

The saltiness is a bit much, but even though there might be pretzel swirls waiting for me at the bottom of the pint, I will finish it. Again, it’s rocky road-like, so it’s good as long as I don’t scoop up too much of the salty swirls. But, overall, this is one of my least favorite Ben & Jerry’s experiences.

DISCLOSURE: I received a sample from Ben & Jerry’s. Getting it didn’t influence my review in any way.

Purchased Price: FREE
Size: 1 pint
Purchased at: Received from Ben & Jerry’s
Rating: 6 out of 10
Nutrition Facts: (1/2 cup) 290 calories, 140 calories from fat, 16 grams of fat, 8 grams of saturated fat, 0 grams of trans fat, 45 milligrams of cholesterol, 160 milligrams of sodium, 33 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, 25 grams of sugar, and 4 grams of protein.