Just in time for the heat of summer, those evil geniuses over at Turtle Mountain have been at it again, working their magic to create another frozen sensation. Slashing the ingredient list to the bare minimum while simultaneously bringing decadence to a new level, ice cream made with organic coconut milk will soon be hitting the market in addition to their other sumptuous product lines. A glance at the label might be a bit misleading, as they seem so basic and average, but these newest offerings are proof that simplicity can be best. Before they were officially released, I was lucky enough to get a little sneak preview of some of the flavors; a dream come true after being tempted and teased by the announcement!
Of the three pints that arrived at my door, packed in ice and begging to be freed of their cardboard prison, it was the vanilla that I looked forward to sampling the most. Yes, I’ll admit it; I am a vanilla lover. When utilized correctly, vanilla has a flavor profile that is more complex than chocolate and coffee, something that no chemical can completely recreate; something so pure that even the smallest missteps by the extras could interrupt its performance. Naturally, I was curious as to how it would shine through with a coconut background, but I could have never guessed how perfectly this frozen treat would bring the two together. Glittering with black flecks of vanilla bean, the snowy white mounds melt away into a thick, rich blanket that completely coated my tongue. Much like the premium ice cream from my pre-vegan days, it was incredibly creamy, intense, and completely swoon-worthy. Only the slightest hint of coconut was present, similar to the flavor of Soyatoo in that sense, giving the ice cream a faintly tropical dimension. However, the delicate, floral kiss of vanilla definitely dominates this treat, taking its rightful place as a flavor to be craved.
Chocolate, vanilla’s eternal rival, was next on my hit list. Deceptively solid and difficult to scoop, the dark brown boulders transform into velvet puddles in the mouth, just as smooth and creamy as can be. Barely sweetened, this is a more mature taste than the chocolate of my childhood, a strong flavor that still retains a curious delicacy. A lingering whisper of coconut distinguished it as something other than straight-up chocolate decadence, which I must say helped to make it less overwhelmingly rich, so it wasn’t an altogether bad thing. Playing more notes of a simple cocoa than a rounded chocolate bar, I must admit that it didn’t quite place as my favorite version of chocolate ice cream, but it’s still definitely near the top all the same.
Of course, with a coconut base, a pure coconut ice cream is to be expected, and what an intense flavor it was. Bowled over by the straight forward purity of this pint, there was nothing to detract from the tropical fruit. Packed with flakes of whole coconut meat as well, it was so thick and substantial that I actually had to chew my ice cream! Be warned, this one is for coconut lovers ONLY, so all fair-weather coconut friends might be best starting with a different flavor. Personally, I wasn’t a fan because the shredded coconut interfered with the otherwise creamy texture, but my mom on the other hand was practically gaga for the stuff, so those with an affinity toward the fibrous drupe will not be disappointed.
…And if all of that’s not enough to look forward to, this new line will come in a total of 5 flavors, so I’m excited to find out how the remaining varieties measure up.
[Written for Go Dairy Free]
I’m definitely a coconut lover and so these would be right up my alley : ) I wonder if they share any resemblance to the Thai desserts I always get at Thai restaurants – delicious!!
I’m really excited about this stuff. Yay! Another option for me. :)
I always love it when young people talk about the days of their childhood. Hee hee. The ice cream looks fantastic, though I am not sure I will be able to get it (at least not for a resonable price) here in Northern Ontario.
I LOVE that they make soy-free ice ‘cream’ now – hooray!! My dad loves the chocolate flavor, especially :0)
Great review!
I can’t wait until the coconut milk version is available in Canada!
I would love to taste this ice-creams, since I think it’s so difficult to do a quality product dairy free. But I’ll have to admite these look great and I wouldn’t mind a bowl of each. Well maybe just vanilla and coconut, I’m not really a huge fan of chocolate ice-cream…
Sigh, what a beautiful post and what scrumptious looking pictures. Thank you for the review, I can’t wait till I can try the flavors. Although, I’m thinking chocolate will be my favorite.
such a lovely ice cream to indulge with!
They all look delicious! I wouldn’t mind indulging in one of those at the moment.
oh my god, now i need to go buy ice cream!
Wow sounds so devine. I just found your blog — great stuff! — and I’m going to tell my friend Mindy about it — she’s blogging on vegan lifestyles at creaturetalk.wordpress.com. Thanks for the great blog.
WE LOVE TURTLE MOUNTAIN!!!! We’re so excited to try the new products!!!!!!!!!
omg they look so good! aha
sounds like a local vegan “ice cream” we have in oregon… called coconut bliss. no more then 5 ingredients and they use agave instead of sugar… they have some really great flavors.
i’ll have to try the turtle mountain, but i doubt anything will be better then my coconut bliss– ive served it to ice cream lovers that say its better then the “real” thing!
It’s great how the vegan products are tasting so much better then before. I am partial to vanilla flavour as well, esp if it’s vanilla bean that they use.
take care,
Nora
I found the chocolate mint variety of this ice cream at whole foods last week (in madison, wi)…it was delicious!
I like coconut ice cream but love chocolate even more. They are perfect for my hot weather here.
wow.. you describe these ice creams with such depth.. :) Vanilla bean was my favorite ice cream pre- vegan days.. It will be very nice to dive into the luscious vanilla flavor you describe..
holy no-cow… that looks DELISH!!!!!!!!!!!
Must. Try. Some. NOW.
~Dan
http://jazzsick.wordpress.com/
Great review! I loved all the other post! The vegan mozzarella, puff pastry, quinoa and cherries, and the bread! You have been cooking up a storm Hannah!
Oooh yum! Since I’m down with a horrid cough and sore throat, you can bet that your gorgeous photos are tempting me to break the no-cold-desserts rule! *drooools*
I’ll have to give these a try! I’m quite partial to the Double Rainbow Vanilla Bean Soy Cream though!
While I am by no means a coconut lover, I still can’t wait to try these new ice creams! I saw them at the store last week and unfortunately did not buy them, but after reading your reviews I know I will have to give them a try next time!
These sound amazing! Fabulous photos, too. I can’t wait to try them. I’ve been held back from making my own pure coconut milk ice ‘cream’ for guilt from all the saturated fat. Now I’m inspired to give it a shot! :c) Simplicity is refreshing.
ooh, i saw this at wholefoods when i was in boston last week and i almost picked some up but opted for the carrot cake flavored rice-cream stuff (also awesome). Now i regret not trying the coconut stuff. Hopefully we’ll get some here in syracuse soon.
I can’t wait to try these!! I’ve been checking the frozen section everytime I’m at the grocery store now. I love reading your reviews!! I’m excited to see what the other two flavors are as well.
Your photos are always so beautiful! And your dishes and set up so cute. What do you use underneath everything, like for a blue background? Paper or fabric or something?
I must say, it seems that Turtle Mountain is jumping on the Coconut Bliss train. I live in Eugene and the stores cannot keep it on the shelves. I’ve never tasted anything creamier or more delicious than the Bliss.
/www.coconutbliss.com/