Before Publix could even phase out their holiday limited edition lineup, new, unannounced options have infiltrated my Publix freezer section. Appearing to rip off the idea from Ben & Jerry's Chubby Hubby flavor, Publix Premium's Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Sensation follows a very similar recipe. Although they've dumped the malt vanilla base for their own rich chocolate ice cream, they've incorporated the same milk chocolate coated pretzel balls, sans peanut butter filling, as well as peanut butter ripples. Hopefully that'll be enough to offset the creepy joker on the front of the container.
Fortunately for us, where Ben & Jerry's version comes in at 340 calories per serving, this tips the scales at only 220. As I begin to scoop some of the dense chocolate ice cream into a bowl, the abundant pretzel balls and large flowing layers of peanut butter bode well for this flavor's fate. With such an incredible amount of mix-ins, it's difficult do grab the base by itself. When I finally manage to sample some, my first impression of the chocolate base comes from the overall mildness. This chocolate ice cream isn't overly rich or dense, just a nice combination of thickness and flavor to accentuate the accompanying ingredients. The peanut butter ripple makes it's way through every nook and cranny the fudge covered pretzels seem to miss. The stiff swirl was among the densest I've ever seen. So thick in fact, that at some points the layer seems to have been spread with a knife. Although most peanut butter swirls are impressive, this is far superior to the ones found in Breyer's Blasts Peanut Butter & Jelly and Reese's Chocolate.
Although they lack the peanut butter filling of the ones included in Chubby Hubby, these fudge covered pretzels come in at the perfect consistency. After the milk chocolate coating melts away, the soft pretzel provides a crunch that drowns out all other noise, leaving a nice mixture of cocoa and saltiness to finish off the flavor of each bite. When dripping with chocolate ice cream and surrounded by a substantial swirl, this trio outperforms most generics and comes close to knocking off it's big brother from Ben & Jerry's. Especially considering the much lower calorie count, this could certainly serve as a sufficient stand-in when Chubby Hubby isn't readily available and you have a hankering for peanut butter, chocolate and pretzels.
Where I Found It: Publix Super Markets
Grade: A
