REVIEW: Talenti German Chocolate Cake (Limited Edition)

During the last few months of the year, most companies are way too preoccupied promoting their seasonal selections to ever consider pushing any other limited-edition runs through before year's end. Ben & Jerry's had introduced a non-holiday-inspired flavor in the form of their limited-batch Cannoli, but most of the other companies had played it safe. Talenti had appeared to be one of those cautious companies as they introduced their Christmas themed Old World Eggnog and Peppermint Bark, both unannounced and unpromoted. That was until last week when I ran across this transparent pint with a small limited-edition label printed on the exterior. While I had missed out on Ben & Jerry's Fair Goodness Cake, Private Selection's German Chocolate Cake had left room for improvement. Hopefully Talenti's German Chocolate Cake can pay proper homage to this worthy inspiration for ice cream.

While cake is perhaps my favorite addition to ice cream, it's not a mix-in you typically see inside a pint of Talenti. The reserved style of the majority of their flavors let their high-quality ingredients do the talking, but they're stepping outside their comfort zone with this cake-based gelato. As a result of the richer bounty inside this pint, the calorie count has jumped up to 240 calories per serving, nearly a thousand in the entire container. Twisting off the top revealed a first layer that was a light brown color, with no hints at what lie beneath. With little to no information out on this particular flavor, I had assumed I'd be seeing hunks of cake, but as I scooped out my first bite I was quickly informed otherwise.

For some reason, Talenti has opted against including actual pieces of German chocolate cake, and instead have decided to stick to just the toppings. The traditional toppings on a German chocolate cake consist of a pecan and coconut frosting, which Talenti has incorporated into their rendition. The golden frosting is thick, colorful and enticing as it strings up and out of the transparent pint. The base of this flavor seems to be comprised of their Belgium milk chocolate base, the same one found in their Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup. This chocolate gelato is smooth, slow-melting, and lacks the richness of other chocolate ice creams. It seems sweeter than their standard chocolate gelato and has a bit of cake batter undertones. Because the coconut-pecan frosting flows through at such a high volume, the texture of the entire base is affected.

The remaining coconut pulp left behind after each bite containing some of the thick, flavorful frosting, gives the gelato an interesting, pulp-filled texture, one that I've come to enjoy. The small pieces of pecan add a nice crunch to each bite thanks to their slightly-candied exterior that gives way with little effort. When all the components are brought together inside a single bite, the result is pretty accurate as far as frozen versions are concerned. Unfortunately with the lack of actual cake inside, this leaves a lot of potential on the table.

Where I Found It: Publix
Grade: B

READER REVIEW: Bob's Review of Talenti Coffee Chocolate Chip

Talenti has treated me well with the flavors I have tried in the past (Sea Salt Caramel, Southern Butter Pecan, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup), so I've heard that Coffee Chocolate Chip is a good pick up and with that said, I wanted to give it a whirl as pints were on sale for $3.00 at my local Giant Eagle (which stocks Talenti).

Upon cracking the lid its a very smooth gelato base and has tons of flecks of small chocolate chips dispersed all over the place which is always a pleasing sight. Just holding the pint in your hand you notice the shaved chocolate chip pieces which remind me of the fudge flakes in the many Ben & Jerry's Pints (think Nutty Caramel Swirl).

Upon digging into the first few bites you are overloaded by a very rich coffee flavoring. The only two other coffee ice creams I have had were Ben & Jerry's Coffee Coffee, BuzzBuzzBuzz! and I've sampled Coldstone's Coffee Ice Cream. I would have to place this at the top of those 3 after trying it. This is unique because it tastes like they took fresh beans and put the grounds right in the base. It seems as if there is a small compliment of chocolate as well that hits in the base in every bite you get.

As you work through the base, you do not really get large specs of chocolate chips like you may experience in a Graeter's pint. My only complaint is to make them a touch larger or more profound in the pint. While the small flecks are nice you really don't get a good chunk of chocolate chips since they are so small and very hard to pick up. Overall its a solid pint for a gelato, and the flavoring in the base is very good which gives it a good score. It would just be nicer if the chocolate chips were a bit thicker or had a better texture/bite to the pint.

Where Bob Found It: Giant Eagle

Bob's Grade: B

REVIEW: Talenti Old World Eggnog (Holiday Favorite Limited Edition)

Most companies dedicate a huge part of their advertising during the holiday months to promoting their seasonal flavors, but for whatever reason, Talenti strays from the norm. They've quietly rolled out two new offerings as a part of their Holiday Favorite collection. Peppermint Bark, which I recently reviewed, joins the pint above, Old World Eggnog, to incorporate the taste of the holidays inside gelato. While Peppermint Bark was somewhat straightforward, only combining peppermint gelato with dark chocolate chips, Old World Eggnog seems even more rudimentary. Edy's Eggnog received a subpar rating, but the superior feel and density of this one dimensional flavor should allow the eggnog concept to flourish.

Twisting off the top to this transparent pint, the first layer resembles a simple vanilla, allowing little hint at the velvety texture to come. The 200 calories per serving is significantly higher than it's Edy's counterpart, but as I'd soon find out, the 60 calorie difference would be well worth it. As soon as my spoon hit the eggnog gelato, my interest was peaked. The flecks of nutmeg were the only thing breaking up the all-white base as I scooped some out. Although the concept of an eggnog flavor imposes a ceiling on how incredible this could possibly be, Talenti seems to be the clear winner when it comes to taste and texture given what they were trying to embody in this gelato. The base contains little sugar, with only slight hints of nutmeg on the back end to round out the flavor profile.

The real highlight of this flavor is in the texture. Without even small shards of chocolate to interrupt, the smooth feel to this gelato is hard to compete with. My recent Talenti hiatus made the consistency even more impressive. Where the version made by Edy's is fluffy and melts away quickly, this version has hardly any air incorporated, causing the gelato to slowly dissolve, all the while releasing the subtle sweet flavoring of the coveted holiday beverage on my taste buds. Plus considering this is Talenti we're talking about, the simple, high-quality ingredients used during production improve the overall performance. If you're into sipping eggnog during the holidays, you should track down this holiday favorite before it's back to the North Pole until next year.

Where I Found It: Kroger
Grade: C

REVIEW: Talenti Peppermint Bark (Holiday Favorite Limited Edition)

Along with my recent infatuation with all things peppermint, it took a seasonal offering to entice me into trying another transparent jar of Talenti. I had fallen in love with Sea Salt Caramel, but had yet to find anything that came close to the one of a kind texture and flavor found inside that selection. Straying from the typical sepia shading, this pint had been decorated with bright red mistletoe for the holidays, something that effectively caught my eye while glancing over the contents of my grocer's freezer. The majority of my recent reviews on peppermint-inspired creations have revolved around the popular striped candy, but this will be my first flavor based on combining the candy with chocolate.

Twisting off the familiar brown lid revealed a first layer that looked strikingly similar to that of Chocolate Chip Stracciatella, also made by Talenti. Although the official description can't be found on the pint's exterior or online, it appears as they've combined their patented tiny dark chocolate chips with a bright white peppermint gelato. It's been a while since I've experienced this ice cream that I've previously referred to as crunchy. The consistency of Talenti's gelato, especially coming off a hiatus, is always impressive. After coming to terms with the fact that I'm not going to uncover another Sea Salt Caramel, it's much easier to enjoy some of Talenti's more subtle selections.

The smooth gelato peels back with ease and I get a whiff of the mint meandering upwards out of the pint. The all-white peppermint base has the same familiar cooling sensation that others possess, incorporating the precise amount of sweetness to offset the overpowering herb. Although you shouldn't expect to uncover any of the large chocolate chips found in containers of Graeter's, these flecks of top-notch chocolate are incorporated into nearly every bite. The tiny pieces give each spoonful a rich, pleasant aftertaste. For some reason, these chips meshed much better with the peppermint gelato than they did with the coffee or black raspberry bases found in other flavors.

Where I Found It: Publix
Grade: C

READER REVIEW: Matthew's Review of Talenti Fudge Brownie

Well that didn't take long. Thanks to Matthew for submitting our first Reader Review of Talenti's latest flavor:

Having recently sampled my first Talenti pint ever just a little over a month ago, I heard of a Limited Edition Fudge Brownie that was being released in Publix Supermarkets. Being thoroughly impressed with the 5 flavors I have now tried since then, I knew that I had to pick this pint up for a scoop. As I twisted the lid off of their nifty little containers, the pint revealed a darker than normal chocolate base with what appeared to be a chocolate swirl. Not being able to find a flavor description anywhere, I was unaware if there would be any brownies incorporated into the gelato.

Nonetheless, I dug in and quickly came across chunks of brownies, which changed my initial opinion for the better. The consistency of the base is just as smooth as all of the other gelato flavors I have sampled, and melts rather quickly as I dig in spoonful after spoonful. This base is easily distinguishable from the milk chocolate base incorporated into their Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup and Peanut Butter Chocolate Pretzel offering. Unable to find a flavor description, if I had to guess, this is a dark chocolate base.

The swirl is much more present than the fudge brownies in this particular pint. It is not as thick as other swirls I encountered, but still offers a great texture that sticks to your spoon while eating. When combined with the dark chocolate base, the sweetness is kicked up a notch, offering an extreme chocolate taste that is almost reminiscent of Ben & Jerry’s Chocolate Therapy.

Lastly, the fudge brownies are very rich and taste just exactly as stated, a brownie. Although they are quite small, about the size of a dime and much smaller than the fudge brownies incorporated in Ben & Jerry’s pints, they are quite flavorful. Talenti does a great job of keeping them very soft, moist, and therefore chewy, offering a perfect mix-in counterpart to the dark chocolate gelato base and chocolate swirl.

I know many people don’t have access to Publix Supermarkets, especially with the Limited Edition flavors. However, if you are an extreme chocolate fan (B&J’s Chocolate Therapy & Fudge Brownie) and can manage to get your hands on this particular flavor while grocery shopping, it is without a doubt worth a scoop. Although, I have yet to try many flavors offered by Talenti, Fudge Brownie ranks up among the best of them.

Where Matthew Found It: Publix (Leesburg, GA)
Matthew's Grade: A

READER REVIEW: Derek's Review of Talenti Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup Gelato

I’ve been on a peanut butter and chocolate kick lately, and I felt in order to cover my bases I should give Talenti’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup a try. They describe the flavor by saying “We blend our Belgium milk chocolate gelato with a rich swirl of creamy, organic peanut butter. Then, we add all-natural mini chocolate peanut butter cups for our take on a flavor everyone loves.” While I haven’t sampled much Talenti, their eloquent description ramps up my anticipation. I untwist the top and see what’s in store.

Well, there’s no peanut butter swirl or mini cups present on first glance. I table my mild disappointment and go for the light colored Belgian chocolate base. The base is easily scoopable and unbelievable smooth as expected. Unfortunately, the chocolate flavor is rather dull. It’s only mildly sweet and almost imparts more of a butter flavor than chocolate. Still, the milk chocolate flavor is there and I push on to find the much anticipated mix-ins.

A quarter of the way through the pint and the tiny peanut butter cups finally show themselves. While much later than expected, the initial layer is laden with them so I snag a few. The cups are of the high quality nature that one would expect in a Talenti pint. The chocolate and peanut butter filling are overly creamy and blend together to provide a singular flavor profile. I’m not overly impressed with them, but given my preference towards a less natural cup, such as Reese’s, this was expected. Regardless, the textural crunch of the cups combos well with the buttery base providing the contrast one looks for.

This is typically where I post another picture about halfway through the pint, highlighting the crazy amount of additions and the highly anticipated last mix-in I’ve waited to talk about. Unfortunately, neither of these things was achieved in this pint. The mix-ins were so scant I was actually physically unable to find a shot that would show any more than the mute brown base and a few mini cups. I counted 3 “chunks” of peanut butter in the whole thing, and I use the term “chunks” loosely as they were maybe the size of a quarter both in diameter and thickness. The amount of mini cups in the ladder half of the pint never matches that of the initial scattering of them. Having seen older reviews of this flavor I was expecting so much more. In fact, I was so disappointed I tabled this review to run out and buy another pint the next day from a different store. Regrettably, the exact same results were produced. This may be the saddest ice cream has ever made me. Given the quality of the product, I certainly can’t give Talenti a terrible grade, but I fear that the amazing pint this once seemed to be is no more.

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

FREEZER FINDS: Fudge Brownie, Talenti's Latest Flavor

A new Talenti Gelato flavor has started appearing in supermarkets over the past week in the form of Fudge Brownie. Hopefully someone will submit a Reader Review or I can make my way to a Publix soon to try and track down this newest addition to the Talenti lineup.

NEWS: Talenti's Holiday Favorites Peppermint Bark and Old World Eggnog Hit Shelves

As the winter months approach, Talenti has wasted no time in stocking the shelves with their holiday favorites: Peppermint Bark and Old World Eggnog. This time around they've lost the bright red accents for a more traditional look that fits in with their standard flavors.

Out with the old and in with the new

Talenti Peppermint Bark Review

Talenti Old World Eggnog Review

READER REVIEW: Bob's Review of Talenti Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup

Being a gelato based product, Talenti has been known to have some hit or miss flavors and the hit being a major seller in Sea Salt Caramel and some pretty subpar flavors as in their basic chocolate and vanilla offerings. While Talenti may be one to stray from because of its price I found this pint on sale for $3.50, which is pretty good considering it's usually around $5.00, which is comparable to buying a pint of Graeter's in the grocery store. After trying their Southern Butter Pecan and Sea Salt Caramel I have had high hopes of this product being a big peanut butter fan, but had no idea how they would implement just peanut butter cups and swirls.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup is described as "Belgium milk chocolate gelato with a rich swirl of creamy, organic peanut butter. Then, we add all-natural mini chocolate peanut butter cups for our take on a flavor everyone loves." The chocolate gelato is as smooth as you'll find as expected from a Gelato. Much like Sea Salt Caramel, the smoothness of this gelato just can't be touched by ice cream due to its very soft nature. The milk chocolate is rich, decadent and borders on the verge of being dark, but resembles more of a milk chocolate and a hint of a swiss chocolate in my opinion. Upon the first bite it was very refreshing and was quite remarkable because you also get hints of a peanut butter swirl and small little chunks of peanut butter cups, which are loaded as you continue to dig deeper.

The mini peanut butter cups aren’t that large, but they are plentiful and they also are scattered everywhere in the pint with nearly every single bite. Talenti did a very good job of combining the swiss/milk chocolate with a great peanut butter aftertaste. Not to mention the amount of peanut butter chunks/swirls you will encounter, as the above picture shows, enhances the pint and its overall flavoring. With Talenti not being shy on mix-ins and them not being hard as a rock (like Ben & Jerry's usually are), the soft peanut butter cups remind you of those coming right from a wrapper and placed right into the gelato. While it may be a stronger chocolate than PB flavoring that may be expected but overall they did a good job putting two and two together with the amount of mix-ins, peanut butter flavoring, and a rich chocolate gelato base. While it is not overwhelming and powerful like a Graeter's with flavor, it still gets some good recognition. I would have to say this is a top 3 flavor off the Talenti line and should be looked into if you are a gelato fan or enjoy peanut butter in general.

Where Bob Found It: Giant Eagle
Bob's Grade: B

READER REVIEW: Elliot's Review of Talenti Pumpkin Pie

They say pumpkin addiction is a progressive disease. You pick up each season where you left off, as though in spite of the dearth of pumpkin themed delectables available throughout the dry period of spring and summer, you never stopped finding ways to add more of the orange gourd to your diet. This year I picked up right where I left off last winter when the hoard in my cupboard and freezer finally ran out. Pumpkin is one of my preferred cinnamon and nutmeg delivery systems. Pumpkin ice cream and gelato that deliver the goods take me to "that place"..

Talenti is one of those brands that use mix-ins sparingly; sometimes so sparingly it feels like a tease. They use spices, swirls and mix-ins as accents to highlight the texture of the gelato. Their Pumpkin Pie Gelato includes a minimal dose of soft, mild "pie crust" crumbles, and showcases a well balanced blend of cinnamon and nutmeg - a real flavor disco. The soft, easy-melting texture of the gelato beckons you in with great visual appeal, and grabs hold of you when you take a taste. This creates an experience from love at first sight all the way to the scraping the bowl, or should I say heading back to the store to stock up.

Elliot's Grade: A

READER REVIEW: Derek's Review of Talenti Caramel Apple Pie

I’ll start this review with the caveat that I have only had Talenti, and gelato as a whole, one time previous to this. I definitely prefer the dense nature of a super premium ice cream, but I will keep an open mind because this concoction sounds quite tantalizing. Talenti Caramel Apple Pie is described as an abundance of real cinnamon sticks are used to make our signature cinnamon gelato. Pieces of apple and sweet flaky pie crust are blended into the cinnamon gelato. Finally a caramel swirl is added for a unique take on caramel apple pie. The caramel swirls visible through Talenti’s signature clear container certainly peak my interest. Upon removing the lid a tiny bit of caramel swirl peaks through the slightly speckled white base. Time to dig in.

The white base didn’t give my high hopes but wow, Cinnamon Buns. They somehow found a way to make a gelato equivalent of one of Ben and Jerry’s signature flavors, a flavor in which pretty much every person I know ranks among their top 5. The gelato has a creamy, almost milky texture that is hard to understand if you’ve never experienced it. At 200 calories per serving, I’m not sure I could ask for much more from this base. Gelato is amazing in the fact that in terms of weight, a serving packs the same heft as a super premium ice cream, but its soft nature makes the act of consuming it so much easier. This can make it very dangerous for those who don’t look to eat the whole pint in one sitting so be forewarned. After the initial shock from the amazing base starts to wear off, I dig deeper in pursuit of the mix-ins.

It definitely doesn’t take long to hit the mix-ins even though the surface was devoid of them. First I went for the caramel. It definitely through me for a loop because I was in full on cinnamon buns mode and was expecting a cinnamon packed swirl, but instead got a smooth natural caramel. The swirl is extremely sweet and packs the punch of a dulce de leche. The caramel immediately sent me back to childhood and the individually wrapped square caramels I used to get from by grandparents. Any ice cream that invokes nostalgia is a winner in my book. The pieces of pie crust are quite abundant immediately under the surface. Their buttery texture and slight crunch give a different mouth feel that is needed in a pint as velvety as this. How they managed to get the consistency of the crust such that it retains its “fresh out of the bakery” texture is beyond me. I think a crispy mix-in is typically vital for great ice cream so the fact that the crust pieces vary in both size and the amount of crunch is welcomed.

Halfway through the pint and I finally hit an apple. To be honest I had been so pleased with the rest of the offering I had forgotten apples were supposed to be a mix-in. The apples provide a chewy mouth feel with the consistency of partially dried fruit. The sweet, natural sugar flavor is unlike anything else in the pint and is quite distinguishable when in a spoonful with everything else. I’m slightly sad it took so long to find one, but the sudden wealth of them now makes it hard to complain. I still prefer ice cream to gelato, but the amazing base combined with 3 unique, well matched mix-ins has gone a long way toward changing my mind on what gelato has to offer.

Where Derek Found It: Weis Markets
Derek's Grade: A

NEWS: RECALL on Talenti's German Chocolate Cake

While I was browsing the aisles of Harris Teeter earlier today, I snapped a picture of a recall they had attached to their freezer. The recall is for Talenti's German Chocolate Cake Gelato and the UPC code and Best By Dates can be found below. If you have an allergy to almonds and you purchased this you're eligible for a refund.

REVIEW: Talenti Gelato Coffee Chocolate Chip

After professing my love for all things java in previous posts, it should come as no surprise that I'd be interested to see what Talenti could do with a mocha-inspired flavor. Even the not-so-tremendous flavors from Talenti are still able to showcase their high quality ingredients, so they should really be able to excel using capable components like coffee and chocolate.

In true Talenti fashion, the two stars of this selection are listed high in the ingredients. Taken from their website, they declare this as, "Assertive Italian espresso infused with bittersweet chocolate awakens rich, balanced mocha flavors."

Untwisting the top releases a stout scent of espresso. Not only was this the strongest smelling, but after having a few bites, this is also the strongest coffee taste I've encountered. The hints of espresso really take precedence over the coffee flavors I've had in the past, producing a more potent final product without being diluted down with too much cream and sugar.

The chocolate chips are the same lovely little slivers of high quality dark chocolate found in Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip and Chocolate Chip Stracciatella, adding a crunchy texture to the gelato. And just as they have in the other flavors, they provide no variation. Every bite is the same. There aren't any surprises. Your first and last bites will be identical. Although the base is respectable and I like the chocolate chip schrapnel throughout, this is best enjoyed in small doses.

Where I Found It: The Fresh Market
Grade: C