After the impressive performance of Sunday Morning, I was anxious to further explore my freezer full of Steve’s pints. I had been able to resist the temptation of flavors like BKLYN Blackout and NOLA Coffee & Donuts, but I easily succumbed to the simple sounding Salty Caramel: a caramel ice cream with sea salted caramel swirl. Although this isn’t quite as involved as some of their more intricate creations, the idea of sweet caramel ice cream with some saltiness sprinkled was enough to send this one to the front of the line. With nearly every company joining in on the recent salty caramel craze, I’m interested to taste Steve’s take on the concept. The golden stripes of sea salted caramel pressing up against the exterior of the transparent pint not only breaks up the lightly shaded ice cream, but effectively entices the consumer as well.
Although Salty Caramel is devoid of any mix-ins other than the swirl, this super-premium ice cream still clocks in at 280 calories per serving. The base used in Steve’s version comes off as mild in comparison to some of the competition, but one that I appreciated greatly. The dense, heavy consistency allows the simple flavors to really flourish. While most companies drown out the natural taste of the caramel with sugar and artificial flavoring, Steve’s takes a much different approach. They allow their natural, high-quality ingredients to take center stage and add just enough sugar to allow the tastes to fully develop. If the subtle, sophisticated flavors of their caramel ice cream hadn’t been enough to win you over, the thick, sticky salted caramel swirl was sure to seal the deal.
There’s no real pattern to how Steve’s has drizzled in their salty component, but that makes uncovering some of the larger concentrations even more exciting. Ratios are important when dealing with sweet and savory combinations and this balances both beautifully. A spoonful containing an overload of the succulent syrup provides a slight bite on the backend, but the ideal amount to compliment the caramel base. The contrast of flavors and textures provided by this stringy swirl takes Salty Caramel into the upper echelon of ice creams. While most of the salted caramel creations from other companies are enjoyable, Steve’s Salty Caramel should appeal to the purists. If you’re a fan of well-crafted, complex ice cream, this is a must-try.
Where I Found It: Steve's Ice Cream Online Store
Grade: A
