12/12...two years since I left England! time flies!
12/12...two years since I left England! time flies!
Member since:02.02.2007
Reviews:86
Members who trust:380
While the British people are enjoying their GOOD weather and I mean Good, with some nice sunny days and spring like summer….I'm burning here in Spain with temperature over 31 degrees Celsius! The weather is hot like hell, the sun is looking very close and you need to have a COLD shower 3 times a day or more! Even the ice cubes are melting the moment you put them in your drink so no refreshing drink can cool you down . . . I'm really missing the British weather!
Looking for something else cool, refreshing and at the same time sweet and tasty, I found that . . . an ice cream . . . is an alternative!
There are so many ice creams and ice lollies available worldwide in the market; there are so many different flavours, shapes and prices! But, in my experience, not every type is edible; some of them are a complete waste of money (and ruin your taste buds: even my cat refused it)!
I admit I'm a fussy and picky person; especially when it comes to choosing an ice cream. I have to confess that I HAVE NEVER tried any cheap, or supermarket value ice cream or even tried a cheap ice lolly or a "choc ice" . . . and I don't think I will; I'd rather pay extra to indulge myself than to eat something made from nasty cheap ingredients or an extra-sugary fatty lump of fat ice cream. Some of these have used animal fat which is really disgusting; some are purely water and sugar!
So take my advice: pay a little more and gain a pleasure!
One of these "a pleasure to eat" ice creams is Häagen-Dazs!
Häagen-Dazs, not surprisingly, is an American brand of ice cream, established by Reuben and Rose Mattus in The Bronx, New York in 1959. They started with only three basic flavours: vanilla (the nation's favourite!), chocolate (my favourite!), and coffee (which was
a pretty new flavour and was much in demand; especially by the youngsters). Their brand became very popular and is sold in shops in more than 54 other countries around the world. My country is one of them!!
Häagen-Dazs produces ice cream, ice cream bars, sorbet, and frozen yogurt all in unique flavours but still having that Häagen-Dazs signature.
The name?
I have searched the internet for the origin of this name; there is no such definition for it. Your first instinct may make you think it's a Scandinavian name because of the way they make sounds. They have used the ä and the zs to make the name more foreign to the ear when pronounced, as most people love FOREIGN things, tastes and flavours! . . . Or to be completely honest . . . it's another way to fool people into buying something they THINK is special!
So this name bears no relation to Scandinavian languages or any other language; it's just a made-up name to attract buyers! And surely it did, the name was the main reason for their success; it opened so many doors!!
Vanilla Swiss Almond Ice Cream
One of these Häagen-Dazs flavours I am mainly interested in is Pistachio and the other one is the Vanilla Swiss Almond ice cream which I'm reviewing here.
It is a new and different flavour. We all know that vanilla on its own can be the plainest, most boring flavour I have ever come across, but when you add Swiss almond and just a hint of chocolate; this is neither plain nor boring!
Why Swiss almond?
There are mainly two kinds of almond; bitter and sweet. Swiss almond is the sweetest; it is used in deserts and especially in macaroons recipes, cake recipes and some sour recipes where it is mixed with cheese.
Going back to the point, "why Swiss almond?" - It is used simply because of its sweet and distinctively fragrant flavour. Some companies go for the cheaper bitter almond which can taste nasty, especially in ice cream . . . I have tried some almond ice creams before where I found that the nut is hard to chew and very sticky and some of them taste really strange!
In Häagen-Dazs ice cream, it's completely a different story and I enjoy eating these almonds bits and some times I've got a nice surprise…a whole nut (un-chopped!) covered in chocolate!
The almond is dry roasted so that all the natural oils are blending in and so that the nut is cooked with its own oil. It is very crispy and crunchy and still tastes very fresh even if it's frozen and that is one of their secrets.
Another Ingredient . . . The Chocolate
The chocolate used is very sweet; I wish it was a little less sugary. It is very milky but the chocolate is also Superior. I rate it highly; it didn't taste buttery, waxy or soapy like some others do. Using the finest chocolate here is an advantage although, as I said, the sweetness is a let down.
It was very clever using thin layers of chocolate wrapping the almonds giving it the extra special taste, dipping those almonds in chocolate was a nice surprise. Just judging by the look of it, I initially thought they were a little mean by only using thin layers and not adding extra chocolate, but after having tasted it I knew why! Because of the sweetness and because the chocolate texture is syrupy, they were right, sometimes less is more!
The main ingredient VANILLA . . .
The ice cream is a very thick and creamy texture but still soft; you can taste the gorgeous vanilla extract very well without the bitterness; it is extremely rich and just the right sweetness so the whole thing is balanced. I tend to taste every ingredient on its own; first the almonds then the chocolate followed by the vanilla then judge the whole thing at the end.
It has a lovely beige-cappuccino colour, very attractive to the eye. When mixed with the chocolate nuts; it completed the picture. When I tried it, I noticed a slight hint of chocolate. Maybe that is the reason why it has this sort of colour.
WHAT'S MY VERDICT?
Taste . . .
The combination of the sweet almond, chocolate and vanilla made a perfect match. Spoiling myself with such flavours made me feel like a little child again! It is Very indulgent, refreshing and delightful. Using a traditional flavour (which is vanilla) blending it with almond (a famous nut) and covering it with the ladies' favourite . . . (chocolate!) they have created a winner!
Appearance . . .
Most cheap ice creams use milk; or even semi-skimmed milk, which can lead to making the ice cream a bit hard to scoop and when melted the milk may become separated and become very un-pleasant to eat or look at but not Häagen-Dazs: they used REAL fresh cream instead which makes it extra smooth and that creamy texture and taste, melting instantly in my mouth. It is an absolute pleasure to see and eat. It can be scooped easily so I don't have to BEAT it with the spoon!
Smell . . .
The smell is pleasantly powerful. I can smell the fresh buttery cream (a bit like clotted cream) and the vanilla; also the Swiss almonds have their own sweet aroma. All these smells merge together to make one extra tempting fragrance (if I could say so). The smell the taste and appearance are making the most perfect ice cream I have tried yet!
VERY IMPORTANT Notes . . .
Before you run to the nearest supermarket, I have few things to point out. I know this may sound disappointing but as a part of my review I have to mention these negative points and warnings.
Please note that it has NUTS in it so it's not suitable for nut allergy sufferers.
also, it has milk and milk products; so it's not suitable for lactose intolerance sufferers.
In 106g serving, it has 21g sugar! So it's obviously not for diabetics as well.
If you are calorie dietary plan, you should know that it has a whooping 300 calories per serving; maybe you need to cut down on something else to eat it (or maybe live with your guilty conscience all night)!
PRICES AND AVAILABILITY
As far as I know this luxury ice cream is available in either a 'single serving' miniature tub (cinema serving) or a 500ml tub (supposedly 4 - 5 servings).
It is available in most supermarkets and good shops. When I first bought it, it was on Morrison's at a very special offer; buy one and get one free (good old Morrison's!) but currently you can also often find it in some supermarkets at a special price or offer. The normal price varies from one place to another but it's roughly between £3.27 to a breathtaking £3.89 for 500 ml TUB!
It is on the expensive side but it's worth it.
Conclusion
I buy myself the 500ml pot, which is still quite a small size really, (4-5 serving per pot according to them!) - As for me I don't share it with anyone, sorry if I sound a bit selfish but I really don't! I have my own tub straight from the fridge and I eat it with the smallest spoon. There is nothing better than sitting out in the back garden under the scorching sun and letting your naughty side comes out! It feels good. Why do I just scoop it from the tub? It tastes better that way and saves time washing up!
Is it really worth it?
In my opinion it will have to be a big YES!! If you pay the extra money you will have a special product in return.
You can buy 2 litres of cheap and tasteless ice cream for little more than a pound and torture yourself with it! Or simply give it to your mother in law (an easy and quick way to get your own back?) and keep the good things for yourself.
So do you prefer the tasteless 2 litre ice-cream or the luxurious Häagen-Dazs ice cream with yummy milk chocolate wrapping around the almond? You can decide but as I said before I would definitely prefer the Häagen-Dazs.
I highly rate this product and recommend it for every one who wants an extra fine ice cream and also needs a kick of luxury!
I would rate it 9.5 out of ten because it is really tasty, the taste is really rich and it is the only way to pamper and spoil myself. Go on girls: ask your husband's/boyfriend's to move their butts and go to the nearest supermarket. They may get a heart attack for spending nearly £4.00, but let them show you how much they love you! Be treated like a queen!
exceptional by (53%):
very helpful by (47%):
