Sweet Science - Almond Toffee Ganache

Almond Toffee Ganache - Light Caramel Ice Cream with Almond Toffee and Chewy Creamy Chocolate Ganache

Another new flavor from Sweet Science!  They've been creative during this pandemic lockdown.  I picked up this pint as part of a four-pack which I got curbside pickup outside of the Keg & Case Market in Saint Paul.  Today's flavor is called Almond Toffee Ganache.  It reminds me of a flavor from my previous pickup called Cherry Almond Ganache which I did like.  Let's dig in.

After removing the lid, I see that the base ice cream has a light beige color to it.  The side of the carton labels this as a light caramel and this is indeed lighter than their Salted Caramel flavor.  Both types of mix-ins are visible right away.  The toffee pieces have a tan color which is noticeably darker than that light caramel base and I see pieces of ganache similar to those that are in the Cherry Almond Ganache pint.  There I wrote that I had never seen solid chunks of ganache which you could chew on -- it usually has a thick sauce-like textures -- but that I liked it and it tastes very good!  Digging in, the light caramel base is indeed lighter.  That's not unexpected though because their Salted Caramel flavor is quite strong and salter.  This is a milder flavor which allows more focus on the mix-ins.  The toffee is quite interesting.  It is a bit crunchy, but not in a jaw-breaking way like some toffees.  It broke apart pretty easily when I chewed on it.  I had a decent nutty flavor to it, but not super strong like a marzepan.  I liked it.  It went well with the light caramel base.  The ganache was excellent again like last time.  There was noticeably less of it than in the previous pint, but the amount here is a good balance.  Here the ganache complements the almond toffee and caramel and does not dominate the pint.

I enjoyed this pint from Sweet Science.  It's is a pretty good toffee and caramel pint with some of this tasty chewy ganache.  Checking my review archive, I see a couple of toffee and chocolate combinations that don't include coffee or other ingredients.  Graeter's Toffee Chocolate Chip contains Heath Bar pieces (a harder toffee) and Graeters' distinctive chocolate chips (which are chewy and can be large).  The closest match that I can find appears to be a limited-batch Phish-themed pint from Ben & Jerry's called It's...Ice Cream.  Very close!  Malted caramel instead of light caramel and fudge fish instead of chewy ganache.  If this flavor combination sounds interesting and you encounter this Sweet Science flavor as things open up later this summer, check it out.

Lick - Tres Leches

Tres Leches - Dulce de Leche Ice Cream with Sponge Cake Pieces soaked in Three Milks (Evaporated Milk, Sweetened Condensed Milk and Cream)

Today if the fourth pint from my recent six-pint shipment from the Austin-based Lick Honest Ice Cream.  This flavor is called Tres Leches after the popular cake made with 'three milks': evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk and cream.  It was a seasonal flavor for the spring.  A note to local readers that this is not available in Twin Cities grocery stores.  I have had Tres Leches flavors twice before -- both from Häagen-Dazs,  The first was an old retired Artisan-line flavor Tres Leches Brigadeiro which added the Brazilian brigadeiro dessert as a mix-in and the current Spirits-line Rum Tres Leches flavor which includes rum into the mix.  The twist here from Lick is the use of a dulce de leche (caramelized milk) base for the soaked-cake mix-ins.  Let's check it out!

Removing the lid, I see that the base has an off-white color and a few cake pieces are visible right away.  Digging in, the dulce de leche in the base has a fairly mild flavor.  I think this is one of those bases that serves primarily as the vehicle for the mix-ins.  They both contain the word 'leche' -- it does make some sense that a caramelized milk could serve as the base for cake pieces dipped in three milks.  Continuing to eat, the cake pieces are soft and sweet.  I can taste the tres leches effect.  It creates a soft, moist cache that melts in your mouth as you eat it. 

This is a solid pint from Lick Honest Ice Creams.  The soaked sponge-cake mix-ins are soft, moist and sweet.  The flavor of tres leches is basically 'sweet and milky' which is sort of just the flavor of ice cream itself.  So the flavor was a lot simpler than I anticipated.  I can see why Häagen-Dazs added extra things in both of their implemenations.  Often, simple flavors are good, though and there certainly is a place for a straight tres leches implementation out there.  If this is one of your favorite desserts and you are in the Austin/San Antonion area check this one out.

Sweet Science - Peach Sorbet with Raspberry Ripple

Peach Sorbet with Raspberry Ripple - White Peach Sorbet with a Ripple of Raspberry Compote

I am back reviewing Saint Paul's Sweet Science Ice Cream again.  I got this pint as part of one of their weekly curbside pick-ups at the Keg & Case Market.  Sweet Science has been busy during this lockdown period coming out with all sorts of new flavors.  That's great because it lowers the number of trips that I take to grocery stores to try to find new flavors.  Today's flavor is a sorbet -- a non-dairy flavor-in-churned-ice dessert.  It is a white peach sorbet with a swirl of raspberry compote.  I did not realize until I got home and read the label, but I have had this flavor combination once before.  Last fall, I had a flavor from the Milkjam Creamery called Peach's Castle.  See that review for a discussion on the differences between white peach and regular peach.  It will be fun to compare the two local brands' implementation of this flavor.

Opening the pint, I see quite a bit of the raspberry swirl right away.  This compote is like a thick jam -- I guess that's what compote is, but it is very striking here.  The white peach sorbet base is a lighter pink color.  Digging in, I taste the raspberry first and it is quite delicious.  There are large sections of peach, though as well.  In these compote-free sections, I can taste the white peach flavor.  It does not have the distinctly peachy flavor of a yellow peach, but it does taste sweet and fruity.  Reminds me a little bit of pear, but it's definitely not pear either.  It tastes good and it blends well with the churned ice -- that is, it makes a good sorbet flavor.  The thick raspberry swirls are present throughout the pint and they go well with the white peach flavor.

I enjoyed this sorbet from Sweet Science.  Comparing it to Milkjam's Peach Castle, I liked this pint a little better because the flavors are more separated within the pint.  The raspberry swirl here was thicker and more distinct while Milkjam's was more half-blended.  This allowed me to enjoy the peach flavor on its own while getting an occasional jolt of raspberry instead of a mostly raspberry pint with under-notes of peach.  You can't go wrong with either, though, and perhaps the level of mixing varies from batch to batch.  I am just trying to describe the difference as I perceive it.  If you're up for a fruity sorbet this summer, check this one out.

Lick - Carrot Cake

Carrot Cake - Cream Cheese Ice Cream with Spiced Carrot Cake Pieces

The third pint in my recent six-pint shipment from the Austin-based Lick Honest Ice Cream is called Carrot Cake.  It was a seasonal flavor for spring.  A note to local readers that I got this shipment in the mail and I am not aware that this brand is available in Twin Cities grocery stores.  Here, pieces of carrot cake are the mix-ins and the base ice cream is cream cheese flavored.  I have had carrot cake-themed pints twice before, once from Sweet Science which has a cream chese base with a carrot ice cream swirl (no 'cake') and one from Izzy's where the flavors are combined differently (spices in the base, cream cheese frosting as a mix-in, plus walnuts).  Let's see how this Lick flavor compares!

Removing the lid, I see quite a lot of cake pieces on the top already.  It looks like the cake has been shredded into fairly small pieces but not so small that you cannot tell that they are cake.  The cream cheese base underneath as an off-white color.  Digging in, I taste the spices of the cake right away.  They use cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.  Cinnamon has the strongest flavor but I do taste the others.  One of my own spiced-cake recipes calls for cloves which can give a nice 'kick' to the spice flavor and I can definitely taste a bit of that here.  These cake pieces are quite delicious.  The cream cheese base does not have a strong flavor itself, it does not have that distinctive cream-cheese or cheesecake flavor that some cream cheese bases have.  I can tell it is not vanilla, though, and it serves as a good vehicle for delivering the carrot cake pieces.  The texture of the ice cream is interesting.  It is not the softest or airiest ice cream.  It has a bit more texture to it that I normally see.  Also, as I am finishing the pint, I notice that melts into a liquid rather than getting gooey.  I eat fast enough, so it was only a little bit of milky liquid at the end  This does make more clear some instructions that came with the pint.  They told me to scoop out only what I was planning to eat rather than eating out of the pint and then putting the pint back in the freezer.  Not a problem for me -- I ate the pint in one sitting -- but it is a good reminder not to try to refreeze melted ice cream.

This is a solid implementation of a carrot cake from from Lick Ice Cream.  I liked the spicy carrot cake pieces quite a bit and the cream cheese base was a good way of delivering it.  Comparing to the other brands, the ingredients don't line up exactly to make a perfect comparison but this pint did quite well.  I think Sweet Science had smoother and tastier ice creams but there were no cake pieces and it was not as spicy.  Izzy's had more of a complex mixture, cake pieces, spices in the base, cream cheese frosting and nuts.  I liked it quite a bit but I also appreciate the simplicity of this Lick pint.

Van Leeuwen - Mint Chip

Mint Chip - Peppermint Ice Cream with Chocolate Chips

Today I review another flavor from the Brooklyn-based Van Leeuwen Ice Cream:  Mint Chip.  I bought it at Kowalski's on Grand in Saint Paul.  Long-time readers know that Mint Chip is my favorite ice cream flavor going back to when I was a kid.  These days, the only time I get to have it is when I find a brand whose implementation I have not yet tried.  Well, today is that day for Van Leeuwen.  Let's see how they compare!

Opening the pint, the peppermint base has an off-white color.  They've gone with natural peppermint here -- no green coloring.  Lots of chips are visible right away as well.  Digging in, the peppermint flavor is cool and refreshing and not too intense.  The texture is thick but easy to scoop.  As mentioned in previous reviews, Van Leeuwen makes "French-style" ice cream -- meaning they more egg yolks than most -- so it has an almost frozen custard-like texture to it.  The chocolate chips are dispersed throughout the pint.  The chips have a high variability to their size and density which I really like.  That brings the element of surprise into each spoonful because you never know when you'll run into a large chip or a cluster of chips.  I remember saying the same thing about McConnell's which I also really liked.

This is a very good implementation of Mint Chip ice cream from Van Leeuwen.  I don't think it has quite cracked into my inner circle of favorites (McConnell's, Graeter's), but it is still quite good.  If you have access to Van Leeuwen and are in the mood for Mint Chip then this will surely satisfy.

Sweet Science - Chocolate Peanut Butter

Chocolate Peanut Butter - Milk Chocolate Ice Cream with Ribbons of Peanut Butter

Today we return to the next pint from my recent choose-your-own-four-pack curbside pick-up from Sweet Science Ice Cream in Saint Paul.  I picked it up outside the Keg & Case Market.  The flavor is Chocolate Peanut Butter.  Chocolate and Peanut Butter are an extremely common combination in ice creams.  Sweet Science has done this combination before with a peanut butter base and chocolate mix-ins here and here.  The flavor today flips the switch -- chocolate is the base and peanut butter is the mix-in.  Let's check it out!

Removing the lid, I see the expected brown color of the chocolate base with some of the peanut butter swirls visible on top.  The texture of the top of the pint makes it look quite thick.  Digging in, I taste the milk chocolate right away and the peanut butter swirls are what makes it thick.  As swirls go, this is quite dense and chunky.  It's good peanut butter, but also quite filling!  The combination works quite well and the flavors remain complementary throughout the pint, but I must admit I am getting quite full.  I still managed to finish the pint in one sitting, but it took more effort than normal.

This is a well-done implementation of a chocolate peanut butter combination where the chocolate is the base.  Checking my reviews, the other way around is more common, but I have seen this combination a few times before.  Häagen-Dazs has this exact flavor with the same name while Ample Hills's PB Takes a Dip is quite close (a little chunkier) and Ben & Jerry's has Peanut Butter World (smoother, lighter peanut butter and an extra chocolate cookie swirl).  For the direct comparison, I did like this pint a bit better than Häagen-Dazs.  This Sweet Science pint is richer and more filling.  The other flavors have couple of more ingredients (cups, cookie swirls), so it is harder to compare.  These are all quite rich and decadent flavors, so if give this flavor a try you might want to eat a lighter dinner.

Lick - Cilantro Lime

Cilantro Lime - Cilantro Lime Ice Cream

Today is the second pint from my six pint shipment from the Austin-based Lick Ice Creams.  It is one seasonal flavors for spring -- Cilantro Lime.  Here I will make a quick aside to local readers that I bought this pint online and I am not aware that this brand is available in any Twin Cities grocery stores.  Ok, this looks like an interesting flavor.  I have never had cilantro in an ice cream before and I usually associate the cilantro-lime combination with Mexican food -- specifically the accompanying rice. 

I did not know until I started researching this article that cilantro is actually a form of coriander -- the two words come from the same Latin root.  They come from the same plant, but in English "coriander" refers to an herb derived from the dried seeds of the plant while "cilantro" refers the fresh leaves and stems of the plant.  These two different parts of the same plant have different flavors and culinary uses.  I found a cool article discussing the difference between coriander and cilantro here which I thought was very interesting.  Taking a second look at my review archive, I have had a couple coriander flavors before -- both local Minneapolis flavors:  Cereal Killers from Milkjam and Garam Masala from Pumphouse -- but this is my first cilantro flavor.  I enjoy cilantro (and cilantro-lime rice) in more savory dishes, so I'm quite curious as these flavors will turn out in an ice cream setting.

Cracking open the pint, I see the base ice cream is a bright white color.  Perhaps some yellowish tinge to it.  Plus, I see little green specks in the mix -- see the photos below.  Upon close inspection, I believe these are probably tiny bits of cilantro.  Digging in, I taste the lime right away.  It is a pleasant and soothing flavor, not too potent.  Perhaps the flavor could even be described as mild, but I do like it and find it refreshing.  The cilantro is not obvious at first, but I notice it a bit as the 'finish' flavor -- what flavor is left in your mouth after you swallow.  It's just a little bit of savoriness in an otherwise cool and fruity pint.

I enjoyed this pint quite a bit.  I like citrus flavors, so I found this flavor nice and refreshing.  The cilantro finish was interesting, but not too potent.  It is nice refreshing pint of ice cream for a hot summer day.  One more thing to add.  I've recently learned that as many as 20% of people might be genetically disposed to dislike the taste of cilantro -- I guess they think it tastes like soap!  Fascinating that they can pinpoint a gene for that!  So, if you already know that you have issues with cilantro, then this is probably not the pint for you, but if you like cilantro in other things then this is a fun pint.