Soon after trying the limited edition Snickerdoodle Ice Cream Sandwiches from Skinny Cow, their Salted Caramel Pretzel Ice Cream Bars caught my attention. These were officially described as low fat vanilla ice cream topped with layers of luscious caramel and crispy, salty pretzel pieces—all enrobed in decadent chocolatey coating, and since it's nice to have some lower calorie options in the freezer, I decided to give these a go. Each box comes equipped with 5 individually wrapped bars that come in at just 160 calories a piece.
After unwrapping the first bar (and everyone after that), I was a little disappointed to see that the caramel filling had broken through the chocolate exterior and had adhered itself to the packaging. Once the wrapper had been disposed off, I cracked this bar open to see exactly what sat inside. I found a center made of bright white, vanilla ice cream holding up a thick layer of caramel that had been sprinkled with salty pretzel crumbs and then covered with a thin, chocolate outer coating. The simple, fast-melting, low-butterfat, vanilla base for this bar certainly wasn’t the highlight, but didn't ruin anything either.
Each bite of this bar began with the initial crackling of the chocolate coating that was followed by the temperature change from the cool vanilla filling. The taste and textures of the ice cream came through the strongest first, but soon melted away to leave way for the buttery caramel stripe that had been sitting on top. The sticky swirl broke down just prior to the chocolate, which added some richness to the backend before being overtaken by the pretzel pieces. These not only act as the finishing textural difference, but their salty taste cut the sweetness of the other components. While these were small and made with low fat ice cream, I'd still suggest these for someone watching their food intake. Skinny Cow has pinpointed the calorie conscious consumer and have been putting out some new, creative, options for those watching their weight.
Where I Found It: Walmart
Grade: C
