Over the past few months, my freezer has been packed with super-premium pints of top-notch ice cream. My current infatuation with these small-batch, handmade flavors from craft creameries across the country has left me little time to sample some of the lower-quality, mass-produced offerings. A few weeks back, Edy’s announced that it was releasing 3 limited edition flavors for the summer months. 3 Stripes You’re Out and Salted Caramel Pretzel hadn’t really caught my attention, but I made it a priority to sample their German Chocolate Cake Spectacular! Available only from May until August, Edy’s explains their latest release like this, “If you froze a German Chocolate Cake and then exploded it into a carton of chocolate ice cream, you’d end up with this amazing Limited Edition flavor. Chocolate ice cream with caramel coconut swirl and brownie pieces.”
Although I've had German chocolate cake ice cream in the past, none of them have been a lower calorie treat like this one. The 150 calories per serving for a flavor featuring chocolate, caramel and brownies seems pretty light, so I'm expecting a letdown in the density department. By simply picking up the carton straight from the freezer, the pliability of the ice cream is already evident. Before I even scoop out the deep brown base, the brownie pieces and coconut caramel swirl show themselves. Despite having a lighter, fluffier texture than I find ideal, Edy’s has still managed to pack a lot of flavor inside. The chocolate ice cream is simple, effective, and provides a suitable start to German Chocolate Cake Spectacular!
The caramel coconut swirl makes its way through the entire carton and really ramps up the sweetness. This thick sauce is golden in color, stringy in texture, full of coconut pulp and plays the role of the cake’s icing effectively. Edy’s rounds this one out by including brownies instead of cake pieces. That decision results in a denser, chewier mix-in rather than the crumbly consistency of cake. Even with the richness of the brownie bites, they've managed to avoid overpowering the palate. All three components combine to create a decent-made, low-calorie interpretation of German chocolate cake ice cream.
Where I Found It: Super Wal-Mart
Grade: C
