Hot Product: Ben & Jerry's Cannoli Ice Cream

I wanted to start this article by sharing some good news. I have reached 14,000+ page views and am returning to a stronger flow that I haven't really seen within the last year. Then again, I have not been able to contribute as much to my blog as I have currently been doing. Being a college student and employee, I do my best. There are people who have heavier loads and more challenging circumstances.

Now to a new segment I am creating for Caponomics. This segment is called "Hot Products" and provides me the opportunity to promote a product that I believe you should go out and buy the next moment you have after you finish reading my review. This product is one that I really suggest you go out and buy, because it is part of a limited batch, so at the moment, it's only going to be around for a limited amount of time. This product is Ben & Jerry's Cannoli ice cream. I have been aware of Ben & Jerry's being creative with their flavors, from the original Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough (one of my favorites) to Cherry Garcia, Chunky Monkey, Cinnamon Bun (another favorite), and plenty of others that I could go about naming (go to their website if you want a complete list, discontinued flavors included). Their Cannoli ice cream happens to be one of their newest, if not the newest, and it's just oh so delicious.

I first learned about Ben & Jerry's Cannoli ice cream at my job as a cashier at a supermarket. The moment I heard of a "cannoli ice cream," I needed to get my hands on it as soon as I could. This ice cream happens to be a Marscapone ice cream as in Marscapone cheese, usually used to make Tiramisu. There is also a Marscapone swirl and chunks of fudge flavored shell, appropriate as the shell is what holds the cannoli cream and the shell is often chocolate covered. Returning to the first point, Cannoli ("cannolo" is singular, "cannoli" is plural, which is a common mistake for translations of Italian food) are usually filled with Ricotta cheese, not Marscapone, which when sweetened makes a strong contribution to the flavor.

When I first tried the Ben & Jerry's Cannoli ice cream, I thought it was very sweet (as one of my coworkers also claimed) and thought it tasted more like parfait as oppose to a cannoli. I tried it again and thought it was okay. On about the third attempt, I realized that this was a delicious ice cream in its own unique way. I may not have the same feeling while eating this ice cream that I do while eating a real, ricotta based cannoli, but I feel a different kind of refreshing, Ben & Jerry's feeling while I eat this ice cream. The fudge chunks really compliment the cream cheese tasting ice cream that dances alongside it. The only part that could really be deemed as "fudge" is the coating of the outer shell. That means the chunks are hollow and crunchy, not brownie-like or chewy. I, for one, like this trait. I taste the chocolate shell and that's what matters most. The ice cream is just creamy in the rich sense, not necessarily in the ice cream sense, but in the way that Marscapone cheese is supposed to be when it's playing a role in the ice cream.

The best part about this ice cream is that Ben & Jerry's is a trustworthy brand that does everything they can to remain natural. The ice cream is more expensive than another pint of ice cream (with the exception of Haagen Dazs), but for all of the right reasons. It's quality is what's vital and matters most in its creation. I have had homemade cannoli ice cream, or "chocolate chip ricotta" ice creams, as it was simply a "cannoli cream" and not a "cannoli" ice cream. While the cheese may be different, I enjoy this product as a Ben & Jerry's product and will continue to buy and enjoy it.

At the moment, Cannoli ice cream is part of a "Limited Batch," which means Ben & Jerry's is only making so much before they take a break or halt production. They are, however, open to hearing people suggest as to whether or not they should make more. I, for one, hold the belief that they should and after you have a taste (or two or three), I'm quite sure you'll feel the same way. This is absolutely delicious and I intend to keep on buying. Well done, Ben & Jerry's!