READER REVIEW: Derek's Review of Haagen Dazs White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle

Where I am from in Central Pennsylvania there are only 2 super premium ice creams available in grocery stores. Being the mix-in junkie that I am, I often stick with Ben and Jerry’s and leave the “traditional” flavor offerings of Haagen Dazs to everyone else. With that said, I have had a good run with some of their special edition flavors so I decided to venture out and grab one of their more unique offerings. I picked up a pint of their White Chocolate Raspberry Truffle which is eloquently described as A truly exquisite ice cream inspired by fine chocolate truffles. We begin with pure white chocolate ice cream and swirl in satisfying chunks of chocolaty fudge truffles and a tangy raspberry ribbon. After reading that description I couldn’t wait to remove the lid, rip off the seal and see what they had to offer.

I have to be honest, fruit in ice cream isn’t something I normally get excited for. Yet, upon seeing the hint of the tangy swirl right at the very top I got a little giddy. Something about the adjective tangy with the thought of both white chocolate and fudge just seems to be a winning combo. First I tackle the base by itself. As usual with Haagen Dazs the base is dense, rich and creamier than just about anything else out there. The white chocolate flavor is faint. It definitively is there, but much more subdued they I would have liked. Still, Haagen Das lives by their supreme bases and this foundation is solid enough. Onto the chocolaty truffles. All of the truffles at the top are small, but wow do they pack a punch. These chocolate chip size truffles melt in your mouth to unleash a sweet, fudge flavor far beyond their small stature.

I delve deeper to find larger truffles before I really get into the tangy swirl I am so excited for. Just under the surface the fudge chips more resemble the quarter-inch sized truffles I was expecting, and wow do they take fudgy to a new level. I wouldn’t call these truffles though, as they just seem like giant hunks of delicious, creamy fudge than the chocolate filled chunks one would normally think of. I’m not complaining though as they are one of the best chocolate mix-ins I’ve ever had. Last comes the raspberry swirl. It has a distinct fruity aroma and hits the tangy, sweet notes I was looking for to offset the rich nature of the 2 chocolate companions.

Halfway through the pint and the mix-ins really start to take over. The fudge “truffles” and the tangy swirl are prevalent in every single bite. While the base was smooth and mild in flavor at the beginning, I now find it completely drowned out by both of the other components. Is this terrible? Normally for me it’s actually what I hope for. Unfortunately, Haagen Dazs is known for their rich bases and I’m a little sad that if even a small chunk of the truffle makes it onto my spoon the solid base gets completely masked. The 2 mix-ins definitely score and “A”, but their dominance of the flavor profile knocks the overall score down to a “B”. With that said, this is a great, unique flavor offering that will definitely keep a permanent spot in my freezer when I’m looking for a tangy kick.

Where Derek Found It: Giant Food
Derek's Grade: B