Milkjam Creamery - Masala Holla

Masala Holla - Garam Masala Spice Blend (Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Allspice, Ginger, Peppercorns and Cardamom) spun into a Dairy-Free Base with Oat and Coconut Milks

Today is another flavor from the Milkjam Creamery of Minneapolis.  This flavor is called Masala Holla (instagram link here).  It is a dairy-free flavor made with oat and coconut milks and then seasoned with a garam masala spice blend.  I have had two ice creams specifically billed as 'masala', one from McConnell's and one from Pumphouse.  That said, this specific spice blend is very similar to that of "5-spice" or even the "spice" of "pumpkin spice", so it would appear that many cultures have discovered that cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and ginger go well together.  Masala Holla was part of Milkjam's "Silk Road" series from the month of January, but I found a pint in their freezer case just a couple of weeks ago.  It is not unusual for pints to continue to be available after they've cycled the flavor out of their scooping pints.  Let's check it out!

Removing the lid, the ice cream has a off-white color consistent with oatmeal.  Knowing that oat milk was used may have led me to use that description, I might have used a linen color.  Digging in, the base is sweeter than I expected.  Not candy sweet, but almost a cereal-milk type of sweetness to it.  I do taste the masala spice blend in the mix, but it is surprisingly mild.  'Garam' means 'hot', so perhaps this is just masala.  The texture of the non-dairy base is interesting.  It has a bit of gritty oiliness to it.  It is not extreme -- it is still pleasing to eat -- but I do note the difference when I compare it to dairy bases.  The texture reminded me a bit of Indian or Thai desserts -- cold, sweet with a little bit of graininess in there.

I enjoyed this flavor.  It was not nearly as spicy as I was expecting for a masala flavor, but it was still cool and refreshing.