I had passed on this barrel of Blue Bell a few times, but it wasn't until reading the description on their website that I decided to invest in a full half gallon. The trifecta of cookies in Christmas Cookies in July had no problems winning me over, so as I break down the bevy of goodies involved in this flavor I'm hopeful this can claim the top Blue Bell spot on the blog.
Powerhouses such as chocolate chip cookies, pecan brownies, chocolate-coated cake and a swirl of chocolate sauce come together inside their vanilla ice cream to create one incredible-sounding rundown. The quality of their vanilla is unquestioned, and having crossed a few variations of some of the other ingredients involved, I have no problem preparing for something special out of Dessert Trio. Tossing the brown lid aside, I'm left looking at an off-white base marbled with a swirl of rich, chocolate sauce. Utilizing a higher concentration of swirl than I had originally expected, it appears that a mixture of chocolate and vanilla base ice creams were used.
Much like it was in their Coconut Fudge flavor, the chocolate sauce swirls out of control. It breaches the top layer and remains constant throughout the entire container. This thick, ganache-like chocolate works it's way into every nearly every bite. A pretty impressive ingredient on it's own, the chocolate sauce soon gets overlooked as I hit my first piece of pecan brownie. These cubes of brownie are moist, dense and the addition of pecans bring some complexity to boot.
The oddly-shaped chocolate chip cookie squares were just as incredible as their round counterparts from Christmas Cookies in July. Providing additional density and a chewy texture, these cookies added some butter to the equation as well. But fate definitely saved the best for last. Large chunks of chocolate-coated cake filled in the gaps missed by the brownies and cookies. These were much more dense than the others, providing a stiff chocolate coating surrounding the soft, moist cake inside.
The amount of mix-ins in this container was outlandish. Every bite included a lot more than just vanilla ice cream. And it wasn't a mashup of mediocrity either. Every component was relevant, distinguishable and worked perfectly with one another. The unassuming name of Dessert Trio gives little hint at what's contained inside this tub.
Where I Found It: Super Wal-Mart
Grade: A
