REVIEW: Häagen-Dazs Caramel Cone

When it comes to readily available super-premium ice creams, Häagen-Dazs and Ben & Jerry's seem to be the front runners. From time to time these two companies even have competing flavors, sporting nearly the same exact ingredients inside. One of Ben & Jerry's more popular pints, Americone Dream, combines a caramel swirl and fudge covered waffle cone pieces inside their vanilla ice cream. Häagen-Dazs also uses waffle cones as inspiration inside their Caramel Cone flavor, which balances a creamy blend of caramel ice cream and rich caramel swirls with the sweet crunch of chocolate cone pieces to create a sweet, harmonious bite. Americone Dream was able to secure a high score, so how would Caramel Cone compare?

Containing a hefty amount of calories with 320 per serving, the smooth, caramelized sugar ice cream that finishes with dark cocoa melting into crisp buttery waffle cone sure sounds worth the added density. Although their classic vanilla would have worked well, the decision by Häagen-Dazs to utilize their caramel base could prove to be the deciding factor. Tearing off the red lid and peeling back the plastic displays a khaki colored ice cream with bits of chocolate and hints of the caramel swirl hiding beneath. As soon as my spoon hits the initial layer, the thick feel of super-premium ice cream is confirmed. Finding it hard to dig very deep due to the large pieces of chocolate covered waffle cone, I manage to collect some of the caramel ice cream for further examination.

The caramel ice cream is a near-perfect consistency, melting away slowly in my mouth, leaving behind a sweet, buttery aftertaste. The caramel base and ribbons of actual caramel are the same ones used in their Dulce De Leche flavor, with the simple addition of the fudge covered cone pieces. Considering the fact that the only thing I really found wrong with the aforementioned flavor was the lack of an additional mix-in, these complex chunks of cone should succeed in filling that void. As I found in Dulce De Leche, the combination of thick, caramel ice cream with the substantial caramel swirl are delightful, but the large, abundant waffle cone pieces are a real game-changer.

The rich, fudge outer coating break apart from the cone slowly, adding a nice chocolate flavor to the caramel ice cream. These waffle cone chunks are large, remain crunchy throughout and add a great texture to accentuate the other caramel components. Considering Caramel Cone is created by Häagen-Dazs, who typically seem to be cautious with their ingredients, the quantity and size of this particular mix-in is surprising, but welcomed. The blend of buttery caramel ice cream, thick caramel swirl and chocolate-covered cone pieces leave me no choice but to give Caramel Cone the nod over Americone Dream.

Where I Found It: Super Wal-Mart
Grade: B

READER REVIEW: Omari's Review of Market Pantry Caramel Waffle Cone

One of my favorite ice cream novelties is Sundae Cones. I just love a good crispy waffle cone with the inside lined with bittersweet chocolate with scoops of vanilla ice cream. Let's get this straight. This ice cream is literally a deconstructed sundae cone novelty. If you were to go to the store and buy a pack of sundae cones with a caramel swirl then this is what you are getting here. Here is the description on the box, "Caramel Waffle Cone Ice Cream: Vanilla Flavored Ice Cream with Caramel Swirls & Fudge Covered Waffle Cone Pieces."

The ice cream based has a nice vanilla flavor that could be enjoyed on its own and definitely blends well with the other ingredients. It is not the best vanilla ice cream out there but it is nowhere near the worst. This has the same rich and creamy caramel that I have come to enjoy from other Market Pantry selections. When I decide to eat ice cream in a cone, I want the cone itself to be delicious. To me cones are not just containers for ice cream but are meant to add flavor and texture to the ice cream experience, These fudge cone pieces do not disappoint (blah, blah, blah...I would buy them separately) and the majority of them were crunchy and even the ones that were moist were still good. To me it seems that the Market Pantry ice creams has a focus on making the mix-ins flavorful and pairs it with a mild flavor ice cream that is good enough but not just grand. That is not a bad strategy for a low price ice cream that can definitely compete with some name brands.

Where Omari Found It: Target
Omari's Grade: A

READER REVIEW: Bob's Review of Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream

Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream is a pint of vanilla ice cream with a caramel swirl & fudge covered waffle cone pieces. While the name may be bland, it sure resembles what you may think of in Chubby Hubby (except for the pretzel pieces that are fudge covered instead its waffle cones) and instead of a peanut butter kind of swirl you have the Caramel Swirl. So not much of a trade off, but after smashing Chubby Hubby I had a feeling this would be similar to a degree, so lets get into the pint.

Upon cracking the lid, you are presented with Ben & Jerry's better base, their vanilla, and small chunks of fudge covered waffle pieces with a sign of caramel swirls (always a good sign). With the first bite, you are really hit hard with the upcoming dark chocolate fudge pieces that have a hard consistency, but not frozen solid like a Peanut Butter Cup or Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup as Ben & Jerry's tends to do with their mix-ins. Similar to Chubby Hubby, they are softer in texture, but provide a great crunch like you would expect a fresh waffle cone to have like if you went to Cold Stone Creamery. The pieces are very thin kind of reminding me of Nutty Caramel Swirl with the amount of fudge flakes it involved. The Caramel Swirl in this pint though was not something to brag about at the top of the pint.

With that said, most pints do get better as you do venture further into them, and that is the case again for this one. Americone Dream started a little light on the top with the smaller fudge pieces and a hint of a caramel swirl, but once you get about 1/4-1/2 of the way through the pint, the swirl becomes globs and the pieces of fudge covered waffles cones turn into a landmine and its every bite or multiple per bite which is a very good thing (if you love mix-ins such as myself).

My overall thought is that it’s a good pint. There’s nothing that stands out of the line given its pretty basic besides the inclusion of waffle cone pieces covered in fudge, but the caramel swirl is typical from multiple Ben & Jerry pints, which is good but not overly good. I think of a Steve's Salted Caramel and effect it provides and it can’t be touched. Jeni's Salted Caramel packs a denser caramel flavor, but this is good and is a rich swirl, (not sweet like some caramel can be). Overall it’s good, but nothing to rave over hence my final scoring. If you like a basic pint this is right up your alley, but if you like to get into things that are more complex or branch out to try things that involve more mix-ins or a variety of toppings, this may not be your favorite.

Where Bob Found It: Wegmans
Bob's Grade: B

REVIEW: Ben & Jerry's Americone Dream

What a better way to celebrate the 236th birthday of America than with this made in the USA version of vanilla ice cream with a caramel swirl & fudge covered waffle cone pieces? America loves ice cream, so indulging in this frozen treat is something every American, regardless of age, gender, creed or color, can relate to. Sure fireworks, hot dogs, Budweiser and cheeseburgers are how most will celebrate July the 4th, but my obsession with ice cream has led me to seek a frozen fix this fourth.

Despite joining forces with the satirical smart-aleck to create this flavor way back in 2007, as well as being stocked on shelves in nearly every supermarket across the country, I had yet to try Ben & Jerry’s Stephen Colbert's Americone Dream. Using a combination of classic ice cream ingredients like vanilla, caramel, chocolate and waffle cones this is about as conservative a creation as you’ll find. After removing the pint from my freezer and letting it thaw out in the hot July sun for a few minutes, I was ready to start this Independence Day review.

With the lid tossed aside, this super-premium, 270 calorie ice cream shows plenty of vanilla, caramel and fudge covered waffle cone pieces sitting right on the surface. The off-white base is heavy, melts down slowly despite the heat and embodies all the characteristics of a well-made vanilla ice cream. It’s thick, sweet and isn’t simply a vehicle for the mix-ins. Ben & Jerry’s vanilla base is complex enough to keep my attention even without the assistance of caramel and chocolate waffle cones. But luckily for us, those follow close behind. A few pulls of the spoon across the lavish layers of vanilla uncovers a view that rivals those of spacious skies, amber waves of grain and purple mountain majesties.

The thick caramel isn't conducive to making it's way out of the pint with ease. It's sticky and strings from the pint to your mouth, bringing ice cream and fudge covered waffle cone pieces along for the ride. The fudge covered waffle cone pieces are no easy excavation either. They remain curiously crispy despite being covered in chocolate fudge and enveloped in vanilla ice cream. I shoveled in bite after bite in the name of our forefathers until whole carton was empty. Americone Dream had the unique characteristic of being mild enough to finish a large portion with ease and just sugary enough to satisfy even the strongest sweet tooth. This classic combination of ingredients were just as effective as I had expected, but I was hoping to see a little more creativity considering Ben & Jerry’s and Stephen Colbert were responsible.

Where I Found It: Ingles Markets
Grade: B

REVIEW: PET Nutty Buddy Cone Crunch

It's always hit or miss when introducing a new brand to the blog, and honestly I didn't have very high expectations coming into this one. In an attempt to expand, I've been exploring some of the lighter, less-expensive options. Growing up in the Southeast, I've seen PET products for nearly my entire life. Much like Turkey Hill and Mayfield, PET offers a variety of other products in addition to their ice cream. Seeing as how I'm a consumer who appreciates nice packaging, this one didn't get off to a great start. This unique box of ice cream with a flip up lid felt flimsy and rather ineffective at protecting their product from freezer burn or damage. Having had Nutty Buddy's on occasion as a kid, I decided to use this ice cream cone inspired flavor as my first. My prior experiences with flavors containing cone pieces came from Americone Dream from Ben & Jerry's and Caramel Cone from Häagen-Dazs, but PET takes this concept a step further but adding nuts to the equation in order to impersonate the famous Nutty Buddy ice cream cone.

Coming in at only 160 calories per serving, I was expecting somewhat of a letdown when it came to mix-ins, despite the Totally Loaded with stuff! tagline. Scooping out some of the vanilla base first, my first impression came from the mediocre consistency. The taste wasn't terribly complex either, but after uncovering the amount of mix-ins involved, I remained optimistic. The flowing river of caramel sauce that careens through the center is some of the thickest I've seen inside a carton, especially for one under 200 calories. The texture remains in a liquid state even as it sits inside ice cream and contains an intense sweet, caramel flavoring that plays nicely with the vanilla base.

The varying sized pieces of cone chunks are covered in a rich, chocolate coating that quickly melts away when found inside a bite. The bits of cone left behind give the end of each bite a slightly chewy, yet still somewhat crunchy feel of a soft waffle cone. Nearly every bite contains at least a fragment of covered cone and caramel swirl, so the less than stellar performance of the vanilla base isn't much of a hinderance. My first experience with PET ice cream ended up being much better than I had anticipated and I'm looking forward to trying some of the more interesting flavors in their lineup.

Where I Found It: BI-LO
Grade: C