Ben and Jerry's Greek Frozen Yogurt

Perusing the ice cream aisle of my local supermarket the other day I spotted an old dog's new trick. Ben and Jerry have always kept me quite satisfied in that they never fail to release a few limited edition flavors each year, and I was delighted to see that they have decided to dabble in a whole new variety of frozen dessert. Already boasting some fairly delicious frozen yogurt options including lighter takes on the very popular Cherry Garcia and Half Baked flavors, this hallmark ice cream company has picked up on a budding trend and hit it out of the park. It must be noted that Benjamin and Jerome have never actually produced a healthier version of anything. Some of their flavors tip the scales at a dangerous 350 calories per half cup, and even their frozen yogurt (Greek and otherwise) is more fattening than most premium ice creams on the market. For instance, Edy's Grand Chocolate Ice Cream is 140 calories per half cup while Ben and Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie Frozen Yogurt is 160 per halfcup. The Greek frozen yogurt in question is still more rich than its (presumably) American counterpart, at around 200 calories per half cup serving. Be that as it may, the stuff is delicious, creamy and rich yet true to its tangy Greek yogurt inspiration in flavor. I believe the more generous nutrition fact figures Ben and Jerry's offers might just have something to do with their treats' consistently irresistible texture and taste.

As hinted several times already, the products being reviewed today are no exception. Intrigued by the descriptions of "Banana Greek Frozen Yogurt with Peanut Butter Swirls" as well as "Blueberry and Vanilla Greek Frozen Yogurt with a Graham Cracker Swirl" I chose these two flavors out of the four available. The there are two more flavors, Strawberry Shortcake (Strawberry Greek Fro Yo with Shortbread Pieces) and Raspberry Fudge Chunk (Raspberry Fro Yo with Fudge Chunks). I will be sampling those as well but I'm a sucker for anything with a swirl - though to be honest what I like most about Ben and Jerry's flavors is that they're wonderfully busy, typically encompassing both a swirl of some kind as well as some type of piece or chunk or chip.

But I can forgive them for sticking with one or the other in this particular line of treats, because the buttery crumble of the graham cracker complimented the sweet, delicious, creamy blueberry and slightly tangy vanilla perfectly. In fact, this reminded me very strongly of blueberry cheesecake. The banana yogurt was intensely flavorful yet in no way artificial and was also elevated by its honeyed, slightly salty peanut butter swirl. Both pints were devoured with gusto, each mouthful a deliciously balanced pleasure all its own.

Everyone with any love for dessert that lives in the freezer should give these a try. Not quite ice cream but  absolutely fantastic fro yo. I'm proud to say I tried them before they had even been revealed on Ben and Jer's website, though they've since made their debut. Let's hope they don't end up in the Flavor Graveyard too soon.

Lindt Amarena Cherry Creme

Mostly because of their variety and frequent limited edition releases, I can't resist sampling new products by Hershey, Mars, and other such mainstream companies whose offerings I do not hold to a very high standard. And to be honest, for every such item that I've thrown out after the first bite, I've sung the praises of an unexpected triumph. Still, my love affair with confectionery centers on a never ending quest for truly good quality chocolate. I am a frugal person in all other aspects, but when it comes to gourmet potential I will find the money to try a what could be a revelation. Right between convenience store fare and boutique chic bonbons lies the realm of Lindt, Godiva, Harry and David and the like. These goodies are often a bit overpriced and overhyped, but my opinion of whether they measure up to their reputation always comes down to a chocolate by chocolate judgment call. I will probably never buy Godiva assortments because their contents do not justify their price - but I do shell out $4 on a regular basis for a teeny-tiny box of their Milk Chocolate Covered Dried Strawberries because they are the 8th wonder of the world (at least my world). Some of these brands make more worthwhile treats than others, and in my opinion Lindt is one of them. Today's review looks at a rare bar from Lindt. When I first spotted the Amarena Cherry Creme bar, I didn't know what to expect - just that I was extremely interested. For one thing, the presentation was beautiful  as usual, from the box to the foil to the chocolate itself.

I must give credit where credit is due - fantastic, silky smooth milk chocolate with a perfectly balanced sweetness and luxurious creamy texture. This is no shock, as Lindt has always provided devotees with high grade chocolate. Unfortunately the filling is, for lack of a better word, odd. Its taste is vaguely reminiscent of cherry cough syrup. As to the consistency, to my mind the closest thing to it I've ever encountered is stale frosting or perhaps toothpaste.

To make matters worse, this pasty stuff is studded with what appears to be bits of freeze dried cherry, each of which is only a more intense bite of the aforementioned off putting flavor. i had some hope that these morsels of berry would elevate the product if not save it, but alas, they only reiterated its shortcomings. As the box suggested, I tried to 'enjoy chilled' and did not find it much improved. If anything, the cream was only more crumbly and stale tasting cold. I'm actually a great lover of cherry and strawberry flavor paired with chocolate, but I was definitely disappointed here, especially given that I have great respect for Lindt. To me, this is a tried and true brand whose products rarely fall short of delectable, and which actually deserves its high regard within the chocolate market. I'm glad I got this bar on sale, as I consent to drop ridiculous money at the Lindt shop only because I expect the quality to match. Even if this bar was offered to me for free, I would not eat it again. But if you love Lindt or berry flavor or both, I'm sure you'll want to judge for yourself - just don't hold your breath.

Hershey's Raspberry Hugs

 

More Valentine's Day special goodies abound, and I was absolutely unable to resist this one. In general I find Hershey's chocolate to taste mediocre. It's very sweet, overrated by the children of America but underrated by the chocolate snobs of the world. All I know is that I've had far better chocolate but I've had far worse, and I cannot deny that Hershey's is enjoyable. Much like a white bread peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it's something we all know to be far from gourmet but love to munch on once in a while anyway.

I have no qualms about picking up a bag of kisses (or hugs) every once in a while, simply because the sheer variety of this particular Hershey's offering compensates for the somewhat lacking quality detailed above. Curiosity always weakens my standards as far as what I simply must try. 

 And I do not regret falling slave to the intrigue and tasting these Hershey's Raspberry Hugs. Each one is a lovely little bite. The white chocolate is of decent quality, which is rare in mainstream products. It's on the super sugary side, sure, but not in an off putting way and there is none of the dreaded oily aftertaste of crummy white chocolate. As a general rule, if I'm looking for white chocolate to bake with or eat in pure form (i.e. a bar or truffles) I only buy those products that boast a considerable cocoa butter content, because without it, the white chocolate isn't chocolate at all. Compare a Lindt white chocolate bar with Nestle white chocolate morsels and you'll note how unpleasant the latter tastes. While Hershey's did not opt for a new high standard of white chocolate in this product, the flavor is surprisingly nice. The raspberry swirl element tastes somewhat artificial, which might have been a major flaw but thankfully the it is quite subtle, melds well with the chocolate, and is very pleasant. The milk chocolate center is reminiscent of a chocolate truffle - the texture is solid, but there is a distinct deep ganache flavor to it. All together the morsel is delicious, more than I usually expect of Hershey. I'll be buying another bag, as I live with a great lover of all things raspberry and I highly recommend it to fellow enthusiasts.

Russell Stover Caramel Heart

 Up for review today is another holiday-themed offering, though the Russell Stover Caramel Heart honors Valentine's Day and is thus slightly more calendar appropriate than the previous post's premature Easter bunny. While Russell Stover boxed assortments are far from impressive in my opinion - the quality of the chocolate is never very good and where one would hope to find every piece a delightful surprise there are more disappointing fillings than acceptable ones - over the years I have come to the conclusion that their various seasonal goodies are without fail quite tasty. It's quite strange, really, as though they have a completely separate team of confectionery geniuses at work creating raspberry whip and maple cream for their Santas, Eggs, and Hearts, not to mention a far superior chocolate recipe to be used exclusively for those offerings. Why, Russell, why? Why not improve your sales year-round by making the good stuff you are clearly capable of the standard, rather than the exception? Well, on to the heart of the matter, as after all I am not a business consultant but a mere candy counselor. This token of love (love of sweets, that is) is surprisingly satisfying for its size. I believe this is largely owing to the dense, luscious caramel hiding within.

Russell Stover Caramel Heart broken,
revealing a filling that does not leak,
nor even edge out of its shell over time.
It simply waits for the tempted to
discover its lovely, thick richness.

Quite sweet but not cloying, delectably thick but not chewy, the filling is rich in flavor and texture. The milk chocolate is simply the best that could be hoped for from a mainstream product. Creamy and packing a subtle but unmistakable cocoa taste, the chocolate shell melts and mingles with the caramel for a euphoric experience. This heart won mine and I can't imagine it disappointing any caramel connoisseur. I have bought several for my own resident caramel lover.

Milky Way Simply Caramel Bunny

Seasonal treats are always exciting, I think that may be why they often arrive on shelves months in advance of the occasion. My boyfriend recently pointed out that grocery stores and convenience shops must be at a loss in the summer months, with no candy-laden holidays in sight between Easter and Halloween. But let us not dwell on that time of year and instead consider the Milky Way Simply Caramel Bunny.
In the UK, Cadbury lovers have long been enjoying the Cadbury Caramel Bunny each spring, and finally America has produced a counterpart. I must say that I find the Milky Way Simply Caramel fairly tasty, provided that the bar hasn't been collecting dust for a while - the mouthfeel of the caramel really suffers if even the least bit stale.


Simply Caramel at best, soft

Simply Caramel at worst, stale

Simply Caramel Bunny, bleeding runny caramel

Fortunately, the Bunny version of the Simply Caramel appears to have a particularly runny version of the caramel inside. And that takes all the potential of the original bar's flavor and brings it to the next level - chewy caramel can be quite good, but in this case the sweet ooze is just perfect.
The flavor profile of the caramel is not very complex, even a little flat, though there is a very subtle note of brown sugar. Sometimes simple is best, and I'd like to think that's why this treat has 'simple' in its name. Ok, there's also the fact that it's a Milky Way without the nougat. The chocolate encasing the caramel filling of this bunny is nothing very special. I find that with mainstream bars by Mars, like Snickers and Milky Way, the chocolate is never intense or gourmet but usually pretty yummy in an uncomplicated chocolate-milk-in-solid-form kind of way. In this particular case, it could stand to have slightly more cocoa flavor to better compliment the straight sugar taste of the caramel. The only major drawback of this Easter offering is its design. I've never been a fan of the murderously giddy Nesquik Bunny take on rabbits. Edible bunnies are supposed to be adorable to the point of making one hesitate to bite their cute little ears. These little rascals look like they need a shot of sedative. At least I don't feel any qualms about ingesting them and wiping the insane grins off their faces.

More serial killer than lovable fluffy animal, really

In all, I found this treat too interesting to pass up and it turned out to be decent, by no means unpleasant, but nothing to write home about either. Then again, I guess I did write about it...

The first one

Blogging is not for me. But taste testing all confectionary in existence is. And with all the blogs that review candy, I'm never able to find one that keeps up with all the new goodies I spy. So it seems I must step up to the plate, set aside any misgivings about running a blog and get posting.
It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it.