Talenti - Peanut Butter Fudge

 

Peanut Butter Fudge - Peanut Butter Sorbetto with Fudge Swirls

 

Today I return to Talenti Gelato for one of their dairy-free sorbettos.  This one is called Peanut Butter Fudge.  This flavor is a bit hard to find as I don't usually see it at Lund's or Target.  I found it at the Fresh Thyme market in Vadnais Heights.  I know that's an odd location, but I was out there for another errand.  I have not checked the other Fresh Thyme locations in the metro area.  This flavor is a sorbet, so it is dairy free by design -- no imitation dairy, just the ingredients mixed with ice and then churned.  That said, because this is made with peanut butter it has its own 'creaminess' that a sorbet made with fruit would not have.  It is hard to believe, but this is my first peanut butter sorbet, so I am looking forward to checking this out.

Unscrewing the lid, I see beautiful fudge swirls against the orangish-brown color of the peanut butter base.  Digging in, the peanut butter flavor is quite strong.  This is thick and heavy peanut butter.  It is quite delicious, but I just want people to be prepared for it as I have noted on several recent flavors that the peanut butter ice cream is made lighter than expected.  That is not the case here.  Because there is so much peanut butter, the texture is quite creamy.  This is one of the creamier sorbets that I have ever had.  The fudge swirls are most prominent on the top and sides of the pint.  This is common with Talenti flavors -- Vanilla Caramel Swirl and Southern Butter Pecan being two examples.  I can still taste a bit of chocolate in the mix, but it is not nearly as much as I would guess looking at the top and sides.  For thick swirls with Talenti, you have to get the layers pints like Peanut Butter Vanilla Fudge, but those are made with gelatos and not sorbets.

This is a rich and delicious peanut butter sorbet from Talenti.  I quibble a bit above about there not being as much fudge as expected, but if you expect a peanut butter-centric pint then you won't be disappointed.  This is thick and strong peanut butter and is quite tasty.  Peanut butter lovers should definitely check this out -- especially those interested in non-dairy options.

 

 

 

Bebe Zito - Brazilian Brigadeiro Chocolate

Brazilian Brigadeiro Chocolate - Chocolate from South America and Gabby’s Brigadeiro Truffle Recipe. Topped with Chocolate Puff Sprinkles

 

Today we return to the Minneapolis-based Bebe Zito for their Brazilian Brigadeiro Chocolate flavor.  This flavor is based on the brigadeiro dessert made with cocoa and condensed milk which comes from Brazil.  One of the founders of Bebe Zito, Gabriella Grant, has Brazilian heritage, so that's the connection there.  This is actually not the first brigadeiro themed flavor that I have had.  Häagen-Dazs had a line of artisanal flavors a while back and one of them was called Tres Leches Brigadeiro.  There, the brigadeiro chocolate served as the swirl in a tres leches base, but here's it's a brigadeiro-themed base with some chocolate puff sprinkles.  Let's check it out!

Removing the lid, the brigadeiro chocolate base is quite dark and there are a lot of the colorful chocolate puff sprinkles on top.  They are sphere-shaped instead of cylindrical like most sprinkles.  Digging in, the chocolate is quite strong and rich.  The condensed milk appears to make it creamier yet still thick.  I guess it's a lot like a brigadeiro dessert, but if you have had that, then I would say it is similar to a frozen pudding.  It is quite good.  The sprinkles are small and hard.  They provide a little bit of crunch in an otherwise smooth pint, but they don't provide much of their own flavor.  This is fine because it is good chocolate.

I enjoyed this pint quite a bit.  The chocolate is strong enough that I would recommend this for chocoholics, but the brigadeiro theme means that it is delivered in a unique way relative to most chocoholic flavors.  It is strong chocolate like a dark chocolate, but it has condensed milk so it's got plenty of milk.

 

 

Pumphouse Creamery - Speckled Milk Chocolate

Speckled Milk Chocolate - Speckled Milk Chocolate featuring Terroir Chocolate

Today I return to the Pumphouse Creamery of south Minneapolis for a new flavor that they introduced this fall.  This flavor is called Speckled Milk Chocolate featuring Terroir Chocolate.  Terroir Chocolate or TC Chocolate is a local chocolate company located in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.  This flavor intrigues me.  What they mean by 'speckled'?  Is it like chocolate chocolate chip?  Let's check it out.

Removing the lid, the chocolate base has a relatively light color.  I see some of the 'speckles' right away.  These are quite small pieces of chocolate.  Digging in, the chocolate flavor is very delicious.  It is a little lighter than most chocolate bases, but it has a nice unique flavor.  I wish I had better words to describe it.  Usually I can describe a chocolate as being a 'frozen hot cocoa' chocolate or a 'candy bar' chocolate.  This is not either of those, but it is still delicious.  The speckles are quite interesting.  These are smaller and softer than the usual 'chip' so they blend better with the base while still providing a slight change in texture.  The closest I have seen in other pints is Häagen-Dazs's Belgian Chocolate flavor (now called Double Belgian Chocolate Chip) -- which I also liked.

I enjoyed this Speckled Milk Chocolate flavor from Pumphouse very much.  In some respects, it is just chocolate, but it very interesting, unique and well done.  It is not one of those pints for chocoholics looking for something super strong, but if you're a fan of something lighter and more nuanced then check this one out.

Grand Ole Creamery - Winter Wonderland

Winter Wonderland - Peppermint Ice Cream with Red and Green Peppermint Candies

 

Today is another holiday flavor from the Grand Ole Creamery of Saint Paul.  The flavor is called Winter Wonderland and I got it hand-packed at their scoop shop on Grand Avenue.  This is a peppermint and peppermint candy flavor similar to the Candy Cane flavor that I recently got at Sebastian Joe's, but this flavor uses both red and green candies so it is going to have a different aesthetic.  Because of this, they name it after a classic holiday song instead of candy cane.  Let's check it out.

Opening the pint, I see the off-white color of the peppermint base with lots red and especially green coloring on the top.  Digging in, I taste a lot of peppermint.  This is a stronger peppermint flavor than my recent pint at Sebastian Joe's.  Also, the coloring of the candies gets more distinct as I dig in.  The murky color blending is just a surface effect -- which I have seen before.  The red and green candies each taste the same.  They are relatively soft, but not quite totally melted like some peppermint candy mix-ins.

Winter Wonderland is a simple, fun and delicious holiday peppermint pint from Grand Ole Creamery.  Compared to the Candy Cane flavor from Sebastian Joe's that I had earlier this week, this one is a bit mintier.  Because of this, I like Winter Wonderland a bit better.  It's a good choice if you are at Grand Ole Creamery and in the mood for holiday peppermint.

 

 

Sebastian Joe's - Candy Cane

Candy Cane - Peppermint Ice Cream with Candy Cane Pieces

 

Today I return to Sebastian Joe's of Minneapolis for another holiday flavor.  Last week was Egg Nog, today is Candy Cane.  The flavor is simple.  Candy cane flavored (peppermint) ice cream with candy cane pieces.  Several brands have a similar flavor.  McConnell's famously has a Peppermint Stick flavor year round, Graeter's has the same flavor during the holidays and I have also reviewed an old Izzy's implementation from back when they had scoop shops.  Let's see how this compares.

Cracking open the lid, the ice cream is overflowing the container!  Sebastian Joe's often does this and I really like it.  The base ice cream has a light pink flavor with some darker pink candy cane pieces visible.  Digging in, the ice cream has a refreshing peppermint flavor which is not too strong.  The peppermint pieces have melted a bit and end up being small pockets of peppermint syrup embedded in the ice cream.  This actually happens in every implementation of this flavor.  Evidently, ice cream melts peppermint.  I like it.

This is a fun holiday pint from Sebastian Joe's.  The peppermint flavor is a little bit milder than I like it --   McConnell's & Graeter's are still the gold standard here -- but it is still quite delicious.  If you're in a candy cane mood, this flavor will do the trick.

Milkjam Creamery - Midnight Kiss

Midnight Kiss - Blood Orange & Sparkling Wine Sorbet

 

Today is the last of the four December flavors from Milkjam Creamery in south Minneapolis.  It is called Midnight Kiss (instagram link here) and I got it by curbside pickup at their scoop shop.  So, with the previous flavor F 2020, we turned our backs on the old year (I don't want to give the year a 'farewell') and this flavor I guess is a reference to how people say hello to the new year.  This flavor is a sorbet -- churned flavoring and ice -- and is flavored with a mixture of blood orange and sparkling wine.  I have had a few blood orange flavors before.  The two that are most similar to this flavor are Sweet Science's Blood Orange Cream uses a blood orange sorbet as a swirl in a vanilla ice cream to create a blood orange dreamsicle-like flavor and McConnell's Blood Orange which is a homogenous flavor but it's a dairy ice cream and not a sorbet.  Let's see how today's flavor tastes!

Opening the pint, the sorbet as a pinkish orange color.  Digging in, the sorbet has a very thick and slushy texture.  You can definitely tell this is a sorbet and not an ice cream.  The first spoonful tastes quite good.  I can taste the blood orange flavor.  I can also tell that there is a bit of wine mixed in.  I think the white makes the blood orange a bit less tart.  It is a good blend is is quite delicious.  As far as 'sparkling' goes.  I did not notice any bubbles.  In a recent Jeni's flavor, they managed to create the sensation of bubbles in the sorbet.  I did not see that here.

I enjoyed this fruit and wine sorbet from Milkjam Creamery.  Blood orange is such a great flavor which is well balanced here with the wine.  It is very pleasant and agreeable and not at all boozy.  If you feel like ringing in the new year with a refreshing winter citrus sorbet, check this out.  Happy New Year everyone!

 

Grand Ole Creamery - Egg Nog

Egg Nog - Egg Nog Ice Cream with Nutmeg

 

I return to the Grand Ole Creamery for the first time in a while.  They had a couple of holiday flavors at the scoop shop on Grand Avenue in Saint Paul, so I had them hand-packed and took them home.  The first of those is Egg Nog.  Recently a reader asked for egg nog implementations, so I reviewed flavors from Milkjam and Sebastian Joe's.  Well, here is another egg nog!  I have written before that egg nog and custard have very similar ingredients.  The act of sweetening, thickening and churning the egg nog basically changes it into a custard -- and everyone likes custard!  Let's see how the Grand Ole Creamery's implementation compares to the other two local brands.

Opening the pint, I see scoop marks.  That's a good sign.  This ice cream is likely quite thick and the hand-packer had to work a bit to get it into the container.  I also see speckling within the ice cream.  It looks like a generous amount of nutmeg is used here.  Digging in, I am correct!  I do taste the nutmeg right away.  It is quite delicious.  The egg nog base is also thick and creamy.  The texture is good.  It stays very thick on my spoon but it gets a little buttery when it melts in my mouth.  I have noticed that with Grand Ole Creamery ice cream before.  I do not know what causes that, but I approve.  I do not notice any alcohol or rum flavor in this pint.

This is an excellent implementation of an egg nog flavor from Grand Ole Creamery.  It is heavy on the nutmeg, so if you would like a nutmeg custard then you would like this.  Interestingly, all three egg nog implementations that I have had this month have been quite different.  Milkjam was booziest, Sebastian Joe's was the eggiest (most custardy) with a bit of rum flavor and Grand Ole Creamery was the spiciest with no rum flavor.  Something for everyone!

Milkjam Creamery - F 2020

F 2020 - Rich Dark Chocolate with Boozy Cherries

 

The third December flavor from the Minneapolis-based Milkjam Creamery is called "F 2020" (instagram link is here).  The flavor name is a reference to what we should say to the past year as we ring in 2021.  The flavor features a dark chocolate base with "boozy cherries".  Cherry and chocolate are a common flavor combination, but it's rare that a chocolate base is used.  The only examples in my archives are Talenti's Dark Chocolate Cherry layers flavor and a special limited batch twist on a Ben & Jerry's classic called Chocolate Cherry Garcia.  Also, today's flavor features "boozy" cherries.  Sounds fun.  Let's check it out.

Cracking open the pint, the dark chocolate base is indeed quite dark.  I do not see any mix-ins yet.  Digging in, it is a rich thick base with a rich and delicious dark chocolate flavor.  Milkjam is actually famous for their non-dairy chocolate flavor called Black -- which is a unique and amazing flavor.  I am not saying that today's base could replace Black, but it does show that Milkjam can do a pretty good dairy version of a dark chocolate base as well.  It is quite delicious.  As I continue eating my way I encounter the occasional cherry.  They are not bad, but they are not at all boozy and the flavor does tends to get lost in the chocolate.

This dark chocolate base for this flavor is quite delicious, but the cherries were not as common or as boozy as I expected, so I can't really give this a great review.  Maybe I got a weak batch?  Or maybe it is another case of 2020 getting the better of me (F 2020!).

Ben & Jerry's - Punch Line

Punch Line - A Comedic Duo of Brown Butter Bourbon & Almond Ice Creams with Roasted Almonds & Chuckles of Cherries

 

Ben & Jerry's has a new flavor!  This flavor is called Punch Line and I found it at the Target in the Midway neighborhood of Saint Paul.  Punch Line is another limited batch flavor in their "Netflix" line of flavors -- other flavors include the Netflix & Chilll'd, Chip Happens and Boots on the Moooo'n.  Each flavor in the Netflix line is either linked to the streaming service itself or one of the shows which is available on it.  Punch Line is a reference to their comedy program.  The lid has the phrase "NETFLIX IS A JOKE" on it which is the name of their comedy based social media feeds.  At first I thought this was going to be for their stand-up specials, but it might be more generic than that (sitcoms, etc).  

Anyhow, enough free advertising for Netflix!  This ice cream has a dual base -- brown butter bourbon and almond and it has roasted almond and cherries for mix-ins.  That's a lot of ingredients.  Let's see how it all comes together.

Removing the lid, I can actually see everything right away.  The brown butter bourbon and almond bases are similar in color, but are both distinctly visible if you look closely.  Even in mass production, Ben & Jerry's is able to finely marble their bases like this.  I see a couple of the cherries and I see hints of some of the almond pieces.  Digging in, I immediately taste the almond flavor of the the almond base.  The flavor of almond extract is quite strong, but it is not overdone.  I do not distinctly taste a lot of brown butter bourbon -- there is no bite, it is not at all boozy.  This particular base is very subtle and here it serves to cut the almond base a bit.  The almond mix-ins are small, but crunchy.  Flavor-wise it does not compete with the almond base, but I like the crunchy texture.  The cherry mix-ins are quite good.  The pieces are of a good size and the flavor goes well with the almonds.  This is delicious.

I liked this flavor from Ben & Jerry's quite a bit.  It is a very good almond-and-cherries flavor.  You have to like the flavor of almond extract to enjoy this pint, but if you do, then this is quite enjoyable.  The flavor it reminds me the most of is one of Ben & Jerry's cookie dough core flavors called Sweet Like Sugar.  That flavor also had almonds and cherries but also had a lot of sugar cookie dough.

Milkjam Creamery - The Great American Bake-Off

The Great American Bake-Off - Gingerbread Ice Cream with a Pumpkin Pie Custard Swirl

 

Today is the second of the four December flavors from the Minneapolis-based Milkjam Creamery.  This one is called The Great American Bake-Off.  An instagram link to the December flavors is here.  This flavor has a gingerbread-flavored base with a swirl of pumpkin pie custard.  The flavor title is a reference the popular show The Great British Bake Off.  I like gingerbread and I like pumpkin, so I am looking forward to this.

Cracking open the lid, the gingerbread-base has brown sugar color to it.  I can see a hint of a pumpkin swirl on top already.  Digging in, the flavor of the gingerbread is quite tasty.  It tastes like gingerbread -- which is mainly brown sugar and molasses, but with healthy dose of spices as well.  I soon encounter that first bit of pumpkin pie custard swirl.  It is quite good.  It tastes like the batter of my family pumpkin bread.  As I continue to eat my way down, I do not encounter as much of the pumpkin pie custard as I expect.  Perhaps the swirls got blended into the base during the churning process?

This is a flavorful and delicious gingerbread-based flavor from Milkjam Creamery.  It was primary gingerbread, though, not that much of the pumpkin pie swirl.  Perhaps this varies from batch to batch and I got a low-pumpkin batch?  That said, if you are a fan of gingerbread (or spiced brown sugar & molasses), then you will still like this pint.

Sebastian Joe's - Egg Nog

Egg Nog - Egg Nog Ice Cream flavored with Rum

 

As mentioned in a recent review, there has been a reader request for egg nog!  In that post, I reviewed Milkjam Creamery's Spiked Egg Nog flavor.  Today I try Sebastian Joe's version of Egg Nog.  I got it at their scoop job on Franklin and Hennepin in south Minneapolis -- just across the "wedge" from Milkjam.  Let's check it out!

Removing the lid, the egg nog base is a deep yellow color.  Lots of egg yolks went into making this, no doubt.  Digging in, it has a very thick and creamy texture.  Sebastian Joe's ice cream is often quite dense.  The flavor is just like egg custard.  I have written before about how people who are not huge fans of egg nog the drink should not fear egg nog-flavored desserts because once the nog is reduced into something that you work into a dessert, it basically transforms into custard.  This implementation is one of the most custard-like that I have tried so far.  As for the rum, I notice it most in the 'finish' -- there is a bit of a bite to the flavor after each swallow.  It is not very "boozy", but the flavor is noticeable.

This egg nog implementation is quite good.  It is quite interesting to compare it to the Milkjam pint that I had earlier this week.  The Sebastian Joe's pint is thicker, eggy-er (more custardy) with a more a more distinct bite of rum flavor.  The Milkjam pint flooded my mouth with the aroma of an alcoholic drink while still maintaining and easily scoopable consistency.  It's hard for me to pick a favorite.  If I were you, I would try both!  I guess I like Milkjam's for being so unique and I really like how they make it feel boozier than the average pint.  That said, this Sebastian Joe's pint is more of the standard implementation -- and it is really well done!

 

Jeni's - Sparkling Berry Punch

Sparkling Berry Punch - Sorbet make with Black Currant, Blackberry, Raspberry and Chandon Brut Sparkling Wine

 

Today's flavor is the fourth and final flavor from my recent online shipment from Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream.  This flavor is called Sparkling Berry Punch.  It is a sorbet made with several different types of berries (black currant, blackberry, raspbery) and also sparkling wine.  The side of the carton even lists which sparkling wine is used.  It is Chandon Brut sparkling wine made in California.  A note to local readers that I do not believe this is available in Minnesota grocery stores.  Unlike the other flavors in my shipment, this is not specifically part of a holiday collection, but was also released this fall.  I will add a reminder here that as a sorbet, this flavor is dairy free by design -- it's flavorings and ice churned to similate a 'creamy' texture.  I am looking forward to checking this out.

Popping off the lid and peeling back the protective label, the sorbet has a deep purplish red color.  If I am feeling extra descriptive, I might call it 'fuschsia'.  It reminds me of the color of a Blackberry Sorbet that I had from Sweet Science a while back.  Digging in, it has a strong berry flavor that I expect from something that contains this many berries, but I can also taste right away that it is "bubbly".  Nothing severe, but a small tingling sensation that I get on my tongue as I eat it.  I can tell that there is wine in here, but it is nothing too strong -- certainly nothing boozy.  It balances the tartness of the berries quite well.  It's delicious.  The texture is quite good for a sorbet.  I can tell it does not contain cream, but it's not icy or slushy.

I enjoyed this berry sorbet from Jeni's.  Personally, I associate sorbets more with summer, but the bubbly-ness added a little bit of a New Years Eve type of feel to it.  Give it a try if you're in the mood for berries and bubbles in a sorbet.

Milkjam Creamery - Spiked Egg Nog

Spiked Egg Nog - Egg Nog Ice Cream Spiked with Rum

 

I do not normally get requests, so when I did get one in the comment section of a recent post for egg nog flavors, it inspired me.  After all, most of the previous egg nog implementations in my review archive are either from out-of-town brands or are no longer available.  One exception would be Talenti which is usually stocked by Kowalski's (though I have not checked this year).  So, I went on a quest and found two pints of egg nog ice cream:  one from Milkjam Creamery and one from Sebastian Joe's.  Today, I will try the pint from Milkjam.

This pint from the Mineapolis-based Milkjam Creamery is called Spiked Eggnog (instagram link here).  I picked it up at their scoop shop on Lyndale.  Due to the pandemic, it was curbside-pick up only, but the online ordering was fairly easy and the ice cream was walked out to my car in just a few minutes.  This is a egg nog ice cream with rum and "dark spices" which I assume means things like nutmeg.  This pint is one of their four limited batch flavors for December (instagram link here), the other flavors are the Great American Bake Off (gingerbread pumpkin), Midnight Kiss (blood orange & wine sorbet) and F-2020 (chocolate and boozy cherries).  I picked up all four and will be reviewing them in the next couple of weeks.

On to today's flavor!  Removing the lid, the top of the pint is a light beige color.  Digging in, I can taste the egg nog.  Egg nog has almost the same ingredients as custard so an egg-nog-themed dessert is usually pretty close to an egg custard.  I can also tell that it is spiked.  It's not the that rum has an overpowering flavor but it brings a lot of distinctive alcohol aroma that fills up your mouth as you eat each spoonful.  It is quite good.  As far as spices go, I think it is lightly spiced.  Nothing to distract from the egg nog or the alcohol.

I enjoyed this egg nog flavor from Milkjam quite a bit.  It is good custard-like egg nog flavor with more than a little of the smell of rum.  I like this aroma effect quite a bit.  It's why I enjoy the Häagen-Dazs Spirits Collection flavors so much.  Your mouth is filled with flavor, but it does not burn. I also does not affect the consistency of the ice cream.  Alcohol has a low melting point, so homemade ice cream spiked with alcohol can sometimes be a little runny.  The texture here was excellent.  This flavor is a good one.  Enjoy.