Heyn's Ice Cream: Kara's Creation and Heavenly Hazelnut
Heyn's, you're killing it. I am definitely on pace to try every Heyn's flavor before I finish at Iowa and of the four flavors I have tried so far, I love every single one. All four are definitely going to get serious consideration for various superlatives when Madeline and I do our end of the year post for 2015. Obviously, the last ice cream Brett and I had before he left had to be a trip to Heyn's. Once again, I picked two crazy, chunky, desserty flavors, because they looked too good to pass up. The two I chose were Kara's Creation and Heavenly Hazelnut.
Kara's Creation is described as Vanilla ice cream, pralines, Oreos, and swirls of caramel.
There was no description of Heavenly Hazelnut at the shop, but on the website it is described as Hazelnut ice cream, swirls of mocha fudge, coffee-flavored toffee pieces, and chocolate chunks.
Gosh, where do I even start with either of these? There is so much going on in both of them. I guess I'll start with Kara's creation because I described it first, although I ate it second. The vanilla ice cream base, like the base of Monster Mash, is pretty sweet and basic, but the perfect background for an ice cream with a lot going on. What is fantastic about the way Heyn's does flavors with lots of chunks and swirls is how balanced everything is. There seemed to be equal amounts of the pralines, Oreos, and caramel. In addition, there seemed to be moments when you only got one element in a bite, so you could appreciate each element on it's own. The caramel was a pretty sweet and simple caramel, but the texture was fabulously ooey gooey. The Oreo chunks were big, and pretty moist. The praline chunks weren't as big as the Oreo chunks, but they held their own. Oddly, they weren't the most nutty pralines I have ever tasted. If you weren't sure, American pralines are a candy combining syrup and a nut, usually pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds, and cream or milk. I am pretty sure these were of the pecan variety.
Obviously, pralines, Oreos, and caramel are not a typical combination. However, all three tasted perfect together. I wish I could describe why, but I can't. You will have to go try the flavor for yourself.
Before I start reviewing the Heavenly Hazelnut, I want you to picture the first image that comes to mind when you think about hazelnut. For me, it is sophisticated Italians eating Nutella. In my opinion, a sophisticated Italian who enjoys Nutella would turn their nose up at an ice cream flavor with as much going on in it as Heavenly Hazelnut. However, Heyn's has somehow made a flavor equally sophisticated and totally crazy with chunks and swirls at the same time. I'm not sure how this is possible, but they did it. The hazelnut base was surprisingly strong, and a delicious and intense hazelnut flavor permeated the whole ice cream. On their own, the mocha fudge swirl and the coffee-flavored toffee pieces weren't terribly coffee flavored, but with both of them in this flavor, their coffee elements enhanced each other. Obviously chocolate goes well with coffee, hazelnut, and toffee, and here it perfectly played a supporting role to these other flavors. The toffee chunks were on the smaller side, and the nutty hazelnut worked perfectly with the toffee. I'm not sure what toffee was used, whether it was Heath bar or something else, but this was tasty toffee. The chocolate chunks were also on the smaller side, which was fine, because, as I said, chocolate was playing the supporting role. Lastly, the mocha fudge swirl, was definitely fudge, as opposed to being like a chocolate sauce. It was super thick and gooey. If you were wildly disappointed by Ben & Jerry's Hazed and Confused, have no fear, Heyn's Heavenly Hazelnut is here. Seriously, I think I died and went to Hazelnut Heaven while eating this flavor.
I actually got pictures of the adorable hand drawn flavor signs this time!
Kara's Creation is described as Vanilla ice cream, pralines, Oreos, and swirls of caramel.
There was no description of Heavenly Hazelnut at the shop, but on the website it is described as Hazelnut ice cream, swirls of mocha fudge, coffee-flavored toffee pieces, and chocolate chunks.
Gosh, where do I even start with either of these? There is so much going on in both of them. I guess I'll start with Kara's creation because I described it first, although I ate it second. The vanilla ice cream base, like the base of Monster Mash, is pretty sweet and basic, but the perfect background for an ice cream with a lot going on. What is fantastic about the way Heyn's does flavors with lots of chunks and swirls is how balanced everything is. There seemed to be equal amounts of the pralines, Oreos, and caramel. In addition, there seemed to be moments when you only got one element in a bite, so you could appreciate each element on it's own. The caramel was a pretty sweet and simple caramel, but the texture was fabulously ooey gooey. The Oreo chunks were big, and pretty moist. The praline chunks weren't as big as the Oreo chunks, but they held their own. Oddly, they weren't the most nutty pralines I have ever tasted. If you weren't sure, American pralines are a candy combining syrup and a nut, usually pecans, hazelnuts, or almonds, and cream or milk. I am pretty sure these were of the pecan variety.
Obviously, pralines, Oreos, and caramel are not a typical combination. However, all three tasted perfect together. I wish I could describe why, but I can't. You will have to go try the flavor for yourself.
Look at that fudge. Stare into its gooeyness.
Before I start reviewing the Heavenly Hazelnut, I want you to picture the first image that comes to mind when you think about hazelnut. For me, it is sophisticated Italians eating Nutella. In my opinion, a sophisticated Italian who enjoys Nutella would turn their nose up at an ice cream flavor with as much going on in it as Heavenly Hazelnut. However, Heyn's has somehow made a flavor equally sophisticated and totally crazy with chunks and swirls at the same time. I'm not sure how this is possible, but they did it. The hazelnut base was surprisingly strong, and a delicious and intense hazelnut flavor permeated the whole ice cream. On their own, the mocha fudge swirl and the coffee-flavored toffee pieces weren't terribly coffee flavored, but with both of them in this flavor, their coffee elements enhanced each other. Obviously chocolate goes well with coffee, hazelnut, and toffee, and here it perfectly played a supporting role to these other flavors. The toffee chunks were on the smaller side, and the nutty hazelnut worked perfectly with the toffee. I'm not sure what toffee was used, whether it was Heath bar or something else, but this was tasty toffee. The chocolate chunks were also on the smaller side, which was fine, because, as I said, chocolate was playing the supporting role. Lastly, the mocha fudge swirl, was definitely fudge, as opposed to being like a chocolate sauce. It was super thick and gooey. If you were wildly disappointed by Ben & Jerry's Hazed and Confused, have no fear, Heyn's Heavenly Hazelnut is here. Seriously, I think I died and went to Hazelnut Heaven while eating this flavor.
Painted on the wall of the shop is a sign which reads, "Money can't buy happiness, but you can buy ice cream, and that's kind of the same thing." You guys understand me Heyn's. You really do.
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