The Big Muddy Ice Cream Blog

Haagen-Dazs' Peppermint Bark ice cream is the holy grail of peppermint ice cream, and they have really upped their bar game in the past year, so it makes sense that introduced a new, limited-edition Peppermint Bark Bar just in time for peak peppermint season.  Haagen-Dazs says, Our Peppermint Bark Ice Cream Bars start with decadent white chocolate ice cream dipped in thick, dark chocolate then speckled with cool peppermint candy pieces. I was already skeptical that a peppermint bark ice cream bar  could live up to peppermint ice cream, and I was even more skeptical after reading the description. I mean .... would peppermint in the shell be enough ? The pieces would have to be tiny and the ice cream-to-shell ratio might drown them out. My worries were for naught because Haagen-Dazs produced a first-rate peppermint bark bar. Who was I to doubt them?! I really think the white chocolate base is the secret to Haagen-Dazs peppermint bark success. A vanilla base is either ...

A few weeks ago, it felt like spring in Iowa City. Now that spring break has arrived, we've been pulled right back to winter, with highs in the 20s and a few inches of snow! For those of you who don't live in the Midwest you may be thinking, isn't it the wrong season for Peppermint Bark ice cream? Well, you are 100% correct, but if it feels like winter outside, I'm going to eat winter ice cream flavors. Peppermint Bark was the second Talenti flavor I got at the Coralville Wal-Mart the other day. I never saw this flavor, or very many seasonal winter flavors at all, for that matter, at my grocery store. This disappointed me, so I was happy to pick up a pint in March! This flavor is described as We combine the most refreshing peppermint gelato with chocolatey flecks of semisweet Belgian Callebaut, and it tastes like polar bear smiles and the northern lights. (Which is delicious, in case you were wondering.)  Gosh Talenti, you are getting real with your flavor d...

I have been so excited for winter break because winter break is always full of hanging out with Madeline and eating lots of ice cream! It also means hanging out in the best city ever, St. Louis! The ice cream Renaissance of St. Louis, which started about two years ago, continued this May with the opening of Clementine's Naughty and Nice Creamery in the Lafayette Square area. Right before the brick and mortar scoop shop opened, I tried 6 different pints of Clementine's ice cream and loved them! I've been super excited to take Madeline to Clementine's ever since then! Right before I flew to Boston to visit Brett, Madeline and I stopped by Clementine's. There was no one else in the shop when we were there, so we took our time and sampled quite a few flavors before making our decisions. Knowing the portions are pretty small, both Madeline and I ordered three scoops. The flavors I ordered were Lemongrass Coconut, Salted Crack Caramel, and Peppermint Bark. The Peppermi...

I missed out on Talenti Peppermint Bark last year because my local Cub does not stock all of the seasonal Talenti flavors.  Major fail.  My friend Alex (who I consider a success story in my quest to turn everyone I know into a drooling ice cream addict) mentioned that he found a pint at Kowalski's, so I asked him to pick up a pint for me the next time he was there.  He went back but there was none left! Oh no! I had to go downtown the next day to run and errand and decided to pop into Whole Foods.  It's a good thing I did because they had Talenti Peppermint Bark! I think the Talenti flavor writer has finally outdone him or herself with this flavor description.  It cannot be topped: We combine the most refreshing peppermint gelato with flecks of semisweet Belgian Callebaut chocolate (ok, nothing weird so far, but just wait!) , and it tastes like polar bear smiles and the northern lights. (Which is delicious, in case you were wondering.) Slayed. That absolu...

Woe is me! I've had to review sooooo many Haagen-Dazs flavors recently.  That's what happens when your local grocery store has a 3 for $9 sale on Haagen-Dazs pints.  (If you didn't pick up on it, this is sarcasm.  If you didn't know it was sarcasm, you probably don't know me.) Haagen-Dazs produces their Peppermint Bark ice cream every year beginning around Thanksgiving.  I'm glad I was alone in the ice cream aisle when I saw this on shelves for the first time this year because I let out a whoop of joy!  I love this stuff so much.  The blurb about this flavor from the Haagen-Dazs website reads Celebrate the season with our rendition of this holiday classic.  Rich white chocolate ice cream is blended with crunchy chocolately peppermint bark and peppermint candy pieces. I love the purple Limited Edition packaging!  I am a whole-hearted white chocolate lover.  White chocolate is a divisive flavor, but I think a lot of people who dislik...

I realize it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but that doesn't mean we can't start talking about peppermint ice cream.  My memories Christmas season past are tinged with the sounds of Jingle Bells off of Booker T. and the MGs' album Booker T. and the MGs in the Christmas Spirit and taste of peppermint ice cream with chocolate syrup. The peppermint ice cream of my youth was antibiotic pink with chunks of hard as rock red-and-white and green-and-white peppermint candies scattered throughout. Haagen-Dazs Peppermint Bark (Limited Edition) is a totally grown up, sophisticated version of this (still delightful!) childhood treat. First let me say that I love the purple packaging of the Haagen-Dazs Limited Edition flavors.  I absolutely despise their normal maroon and yellow packaging, but the purple is wonderful. The Haagen-Dazs website has this to say about their seasonal flavor: Celebrate the season with our rendition of this holiday classic.  Rich white chocolate...