I'm a total sucker for limited edition ice cream flavors - especially those produced by my favorite brands. So when Perry's announced that it would be releasing a new Sponge Candy Ice Cream to celebrate its 95th anniversary, this flavor immediately shot up on my radar. And lo and behold, several weeks later I found myself happily staring at a carton of this new concoction on a pilgrimage to Wegmans.
The flavor is described as "caramel sugar flavored ice cream with caramelized sugar swirls and sponge candy pieces." Now I'm going to be honest for a second here: Before I actually sampled this flavor, I didn't really know what Perry's meant by "sponge candy." From the picture on the carton, it looked like something chocolate-based, but I really didn't know what to expect. Still, I figured anything with the word "candy" in it couldn't be too bad.
When I first peeled back the lid, I was greeted by a nice caramel swirl and several pieces of that mystery sponge candy poking through the top. And the deeper into the carton I dug, the more impressed I grew with the ratio of mix-ins.
Now let's talk flavor. The caramel base offers the creamy richness Perry's is known for. Before I got a chance to try the ice cream, I found myself wondering whether the caramel base combined with the caramel swirl would prove to be too sweet for my taste, but that most definitely didn't end up being the case. The base boasts a nice caramel flavor without coming off as too sugary, and the sponge candy pieces add a really nice level of contrast.
So about that sponge candy: If you've ever been fortunate enough to sample a Cadbury Crunchie bar, you'll know exactly what to expect. The candy pieces basically taste like hard carmelized sugar coated with rich milk chocolate. The great thing about sponge candy, so I've discovered, is that the center sort of melts in your mouth before the chocolate completely dissolves, leaving you with a very indulgent aftertaste. And although the sponge candy pieces featured in this flavor are darn good in their own right, the caramel ice cream takes the concept to a whole new level.
So there you have it: I'm officially a fan of sponge candy, and of Perry's Sponge Candy ice cream. If you're able to get your hands on this limited edition find, it's well worth your while.
Where Mo Found It: Wegmans (Manalapan, NJ)
Mo's Grade: A
