Talenti - Banana Caramel Crunch

Banana Caramel Crunch - Layers of Banana Pudding Gelato, Pie Crust Pieces, Dulce de Leche, Banana Pudding Gelato (again) and Pie Crust Pieces (again)

Today is the fourth and final new flavor for 2020 in the Layers Collection for Talenti Gelato:  Banana Caramel Crunch.  In a previous review, I noted that I saw a placeholder tag in the freezer case at the Midway Target for this flavor but that there was not any there yet.  Well, sure enough, the next time I went to the Midway Target it was there and I grabbed it and took it home.  As mentioned in previous reviews, theses 'layers' pints stack the ingredients into horizontal layers rather than mixing them or swirling them together.  Typically five layers are used.  Here the five layers are banana pudding gelato, pie crust pieces, dulce de leche, more banana gelato and more pie crust pieces.  Banana and caramel make a good combination, so I am looking forward to this pint.

Unscrewing the lid on the distinctive jars that Talenti uses, I see only the top layer of banana gelato.  Next, I take a knife and extract out a vertical slice for the photos below.  I realize that most casual ice cream eaters won't do this but it has the added benefit of making it easier to sample all the layers once I start diving in with my spoon.  Here I see the two banana gelato layers take up the most room, the dulce de leche and pie crust layers between two gelato layers are thin enough so as to have effectively mixed -- this happens a lot in these layers pints and it's usually a good thing.  Then the final layer of pie crust is on the bottom.  Digging in, the banana gelato has good flavor.  Since it based on banana pudding, it has a sweeter type of banana flavor as opposed to the more earthy flavor of banana bread.  Eating more, the dulce de leche and pie crust layers are quite delicious.  Unmixed, the dulce de leche has a burnt caramel flavor to it which I really like.  Often when Talenti swirls their dulce de leche, it gets half blended into the base ice cream which greatly mutes the flavor.  That does not happen here.  The pie crust pieces are crunchy and taste like, well, like pie crust.  Not too exciting, but they add texture and complement the banana and caramel well.

I quite liked this pint.  Banana and caramel is good combination and delivering the caramel in layer form increases its effect.   There is one other pint in the layers collection which includes a caramel swirl, Salted Caramel Truffle.  I really liked that pint, but in a lot of ways it is the chocolate truffles that make that flavor create.  Here, the caramel is allowed to stand out more.  Enjoy.