Contents
Brand
Flavor
Rating
7.5 of 10
Review
Disclaimer: Acme Valley sent me a complimentary box of 10 ice cream pints to review. Thanks, Acme Valley! While the free pints provide me with the opportunity for this review, Acme Valley has no control over the opinions expressed.
Banana Split is a new flavor from Acme Valley—so new that, as I write this review, there isn’t even a page for the flavor on the Acme Valley website.
My recent practice has been to start a review with the brand’s pint description. It helps set expectations. But this pint had no description on the container—and as I mentioned, there’s no webpage yet. So, without further ado:
Banana Ice Cream: The recommendation on the container is to let the ice cream temper 10 to 15 minutes, so I did that. It was still largely frozen after 10 minutes, but it was a bit softer. I think a longer temper is well-advised, especially with fruit-based flavors.
This ice cream definitely has a bit of a different texture from other brands—a stretchy texture—“taffy-like” just as Acme Valley claims. But you can still taste the creaminess of it too. It’s different, but the texture grows on you over time.
This base has a pleasant, natural banana flavor, not overly sweet; which is to say, it’s somewhat subtle, not super-concentrated or artificially enhanced.
Some fruit-based ice creams can be icy if the water in the fruit is not dealt with properly. But it isn’t a problem in this pint. The base is smooth and creamy.
Chocolate Syrup: Look at that picture of the top of the pint. So much chocolate syrup! It makes my sugar-loving heart skip a beast. But the cross-section reveals the chocolate is largely contained to the top and sides of the pint.
It’s similar to Hershey’s chocolate syrup in texture and flavor—a milk chocolate flavor. There’s so much of it that some ran off the side of my scoops and pooled in the bowl, allowing me to dip the ice cream into the chocolate syrup for an extra burst of chocolate.
Walnuts: These are medium-sized walnut pieces mixed into the pint. They add some texture and bitter, nutty flavor, a welcome variation.
But, truthfully there aren’t many walnuts in this pint—not enough for a premium brand—perhaps four or so in my half pint. Looking at the cross section pictures tells the story—you can see only a few walnut chunks peaking out. Somewhat disappointing.
Overall: Banana Split is a new flavor from Acme Valley. The chocolate and banana work well together—another classic flavor combination from Acme Valley.
It does boast a fair amount of chocolate and a solid, ice-free banana flavor. But there could have been some more walnuts, and frankly, some other flavors if it’s going to claim to be what’s conventionally understood as a “banana split.”
Looking to Wikipedia to settle what a “banana split” definitively consists of instead creates some ambiguity:
“A banana split is an American ice cream-based dessert consisting of a peeled banana cut in half lengthwise, and served with ice-cream and sauce between the two pieces. There are many variations, but the classic banana split is made with three scoops of ice cream (one each of vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry). A sauce or sauces (chocolate, strawberry, and pineapple are traditional) are drizzled onto the ice cream, which is topped with whipped cream and maraschino cherries. Crushed nuts (generally peanuts or walnuts) are optional.”
Based on that definition, it’s fair to expect certain flavors from this pint: banana and chocolate, but also, at least vanilla and strawberry, and, for extra points, maybe even pineapple, cherry, nuts, and whipped cream.
That’s a pretty complicated pint to manufacture on a large scale. So it’s probably impossible to truly replicate the banana split experience in a humble pint. Or worse, it might result in something similar to a humble Neapolitan ice cream.
For me, Acme Valley’s Banana Split is closer to B&J’s Chunky Monkey in flavors—with banana, chocolate, and walnuts. So if that’s what you’re expecting going in, you won’t be disappointed.
Score: 7.5
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Front blurb
Acme Valley
Full Strength Ice Cream
Banana Split
Back blurb
Welcome to Acme Valley
Slow down and enjoy our full strength ice cream. The richest and most decadent ice cream you will ever taste. It clings as you pull the spoon up—a ribbon of deliciousness that melts when it meets your tongue.
Calories
- 3 servings per container
- Serving size: 2/3 cup
- Calories per serving: 410
- Calories per container: 1080
Ingredients
Cream, Whole Milk, Banana Puree (Banana, Ascorbic Acid), Cane Sugar*, Chocolate Sauce (Sugar, Water, Invert Sugar, Breakfast Cocoa Processed With Alkali, Cocoa [Processed With Alkali], Less Than 1% Of Chocolate Liquor, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Salt), Non-GMO Dextrose, Walnuts, Nonfat Dry Milk, Eggs, Natural Flavor, Less Than .5% Guar Gum, Locust Bean Gum.
Contains: Milk, Eggs, Walnuts.
Purchase Location
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Price
Free Promotion
Books
Need to know how Acme Valley does it? Well, you’ll have to figure it out on your own. Acme Valley hasn’t put out a recipe book yet! Come on, Acme Valley! What’s the deal? We love you and want to get to know you better—to know all your little ice cream quirks and secrets. Publish that ice cream recipe book already!
Related
Psst! You can make ice cream like Ben & Jerry’s, Jeni’s, and Haagen-Dazs at home. Here’s their secret ice cream base recipes!
