REVIEW: BKLYN Larder Chocolate Sorbetto

After my pleasant experience with BKLYN Larder’s Salted Peanut Gelato, I was ready to try the other pint they personally picked for me: Chocolate Sorbetto. Sorbets are something I usually associate with frozen fruit, but BKLYN Larder has managed to incorporate plenty of cocoa into their version. Without the addition of milk or cream, this would only be my second experience with a non-dairy frozen dessert. According to the label, this Chocolate Sorbetto is made using only cocoa, sugar, water and salt. There was no way my palate, which is biased towards super-premium ice cream, would allow me to like something containing only those ingredients. Although my skepticism had skyrocketed, my enjoyable experience with their Salted Peanut Gelato encouraged me to give this a fair opportunity.

After giving this sorbetto ample thaw time at room temperature, I opened back the lid to see a first layer that looked similar to most of the other dark chocolate ice creams I’ve covered. Although the nutrition facts aren’t available, I can’t imagine this could contain nearly the same amount of calories as a flavor featuring heavy cream and milk. I cringed a bit as my spoon pulled across the sorbetto and made the dreaded sound of a base full of ice crystals. It would make sense considering water is used in such high amounts, but to my surprise, the ice quickly melted away after the first few bites and I was left with a interestingly creamy frozen treat.

The feel of this sorbetto is even more appealing than most low-fat ice creams, but the consistency isn’t the only thing BKLYN Larder has excelled with. They’ve managed to include just the right amounts of cocoa, sugar and salt to really pack a rich, chocolate flavor without the assistance of cream or milk. Even though I came into this review as an ice cream snob, BKLYN Larder’s Chocolate Sorbetto was able to show me that with enough skill and care, you can help alleviate the need for any dairy in some frozen desserts. I'll still take my ice cream any day though.

Where I Found It: BKLYN LARDER
Grade: B

REVIEW: BKLYN Larder Salted Peanut Gelato

I was recently given the opportunity to try some products from a brand I didn’t even know existed before they emailed me. BKLYN Larder, located in Flatbush Avenue in Brooklyn, New York, doesn’t necessarily specialize in frozen goods, but they do have house-made gelato that’s made with the highest quality ingredients and spun by their very own pastry chefs. According to their website, “Bklyn Larder is a celebration of good food. A retail cheese and provisions shop specializing in sustainably produced ingredients, Bklyn Larder has been providing the Park Slope and Prospect Heights community with a welcoming place to find and enjoy hand-crafted cheeses, homemade prepared foods, and hard-to-find grocery items since its opening in June of 2009. Along with owners Francine Stephens, Andrew Feinberg and Sergio Hernandez, we are a team of dedicated and knowledgeable individuals eager to share our knowledge and passion with our customers and to bring the work of talented international and local producers of cheeses, meats, dairy products, jams, honeys, oils and more to our market.” While I passed on flavors like Malted Vanilla, Zabaglione or Mascarpone Honey, I was most interested in their Salted Peanut Gelato. If you wanted to try all four (and had deep pockets), $110 could have a 4-pack shipped to your front door.

With no real detailed information about this gelato on their website, neither a description nor nutrition facts were available, so I was going into this taste test a bit blind. The transparent pint makes it easy to see that the cream colored gelato is loaded with salty peanut pieces. As soon as I peel back the lid and look at the first layer, it’s evident this was given a little extra attention. After filling the pint to the brim, an additional layer of nuts were scattered on top to give this a handmade feel. I let the container set out for a few minutes, grabbed a spoon and dug out some of the soft gelato. The actual consistency was close to other gelatos I’ve had, but that’s where the similarities stopped. The feel of this gelato was something truly unique. BKLYN Larder’s hand spun style yielded a product that was light in density but heavy on its velvety texture.

As far as taste was concerned, the gelato was a little lacking. Although I appreciated the subtle flavoring, a little more intensity could have really helped. To help push the peanut sweet cream gelato along, BKLYN Larder also included actual peanuts to finish the job. These chunks are slightly salted and contrast the mellow sweetness found in the gelato. Bites containing both provided a one of a kind experience that I haven't had elsewhere. I imagine this to be even better when scooped out of a fresh batch made in house, but for now, I’m satisfied with my personal pint.

Where I Found It: BKLYN LARDER
Grade: B