Izzy's - Candy Cane

Candy Cane - Peppermint Candy Ice Cream 

Candy Cane ice cream seems like a great thing to eat on Christmas day.  Thankfully, I have a hand-packed 'tall cup' from Izzy's Ice Cream in Saint Paul in my freezer.  It looks like simple peppermint candy ice cream which a few brands have implementations for.  I have seen similar flavors from McConnell's and Graeter's and if you allow for a bit of white chocolate in the mix, Jeni's as well.  It will be interesting to see how Izzy's compares to those. Let's dig in!

The top of the pint has a dark pink color and I can see some specks of candy cane on top, too.  Digging in, the base ice cream is actually white with lots of pinkish red swirls in it.  I believe the top being all pink is something that happened in my freezer.  The color diffused to the surface.  I had this happen with a pint from McConnell's once.  This is not a complaint -- it is a very thin layer -- this just a scientific curiosity.  The ice cream itself has a strong peppermint flavor as expected.  Not only that, it tastes just like candy canes specifically.  I do not know how to describe that, but I can tell the difference between a candy cane and another kind of mint and this tastes like candy canes.  The red swirls are also minty.  There are no crunchy pieces in the mix.  I think peppermint candies dissolve in ice cream.  I have seen that with both of McConnell's and Graeter's brands linked above.

This is a very delicious implementation of a candy cane ice cream.  It is a thick and rich base as with other Izzy's flavors and it very accurately reproduces the flavor of candy canes.  Comparing it to McConnell's and Graeter's, this is at least as good which is high praise (I really liked both of those).  This is a great holiday flavor for kids who love candy canes and for adults that love peppermint.  I am a bit slow writing up my holiday ice cream tastings this year, so this flavor is likely cycled out by now, but next year don't hesitate to give this one a try.