Like any addiction, my already insatiable appetite for frozen desserts has only grown throughout the hottest months of the year. Those familiar cravings that send me racing to the freezer, spoon in hand, are responsible for the disappearance of almost unthinkable amounts of ice cream. Despite churning up a pint or two every week, it still isn’t enough to satisfy the beast, and it’s hard not to start drooling over every new hard-packed pint in the market. Or, in this case, not so new.
Temptation non-dairy frozen dessert has been around for years, and I’ve been lusting after it ever since I first caught wind of this vegan owned and operated enterprise. Never lucky enough to find it locally, I could only dream of how incredible this self-described “super premium” ice cream would be. At last, the detached curiosity ends here: I finally got my hands on two of these highly sought-after pints, and I would be lying if I told you they stayed pristine and unopened for more than an hour after arrival.
Seeking a solid baseline for what this creamy delight might be like, I plucked the Organic Fair Trade Certified Chocolate out of the icy tomb first. Despite my high expectations, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight. Hard as a rock, it wasn’t instantly soft and scoopable, but took a bit more work to coax the unassuming brown soy product out of the cardboard container. Once zapped in the microwave for a few seconds, all was forgiven, and the texture was downright fudgy, almost chewy, even. Dense, thick, and rich, it was definitely a number of steps above so many rough, crystallized soy ice creams out there. Unfortunately, the flavor fell a bit short- Overwhelmingly sweet and very little else, the chocolate flavor had a shallow cocoa powder essence at best.
Moving on to the container of Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough, however, it was a completely different story. So soft and easy to scoop, you might say it “cuts like butter,” but I can assure you none is involved. Quick to melt, you’ve got to lick this one up fast, but that shouldn’t be any problem; The rich, intense vanilla flavor will keep you wanting more, even after two or three scoops. Dotted with sizable chunks of tender cookie dough and mini chocolate chips, each serving is sure to have plenty of fun add-ins, making for an engaging snacking experience. Possessing a slightly grainy crunch thanks to the evaporated cane juice, the cookie dough could have easily been exactly what I make for sugar cookies; both the flavor and texture were spot on, and absolutely luscious. It may be on the upper limits of my sweetness tolerance, but it’s so perfectly suited to the flavor, I wouldn’t want it any other way. This is one incredible treat that I think everyone should try, vegan or not.
Temptation offers a wide range of flavors, from green tea to pumpkin, so I really only got to sample the tip of the iceberg. If only these rare pints weren’t so hard to find, I would start “researching” these other enticing varieties right away! Have you had a chance to try Temptation yet?
Ohhhhh yummm The way you describe this ice-cream had my daydreaming about bowls and bowls of icy cool yumminess. I haven’t had ice-cream in 2 years! They don’t have ANY vegan options in this entire country! And I still haven’t made my own, but that has to change!
I love that you describe the chocolate version as ‘fudgey’, a higher compliment I cannot imagine.
Thanks for the review!
You’re SUCH a good writer, and a great photographer….made me drool with every word!
I WANT TO TRY THE GREEN TEA ONE!!!
delicious, you made me crave ice cream
Heck yes for Temptation! I know it’s kind of biased because I work there but…the ice cream is PHENOMENAL! The vanilla tastes like cake batter!
That stuff is so good. I remember a while back finding the cookie dough flavor and feeling like I’d found gold.
Yep! My folks, grandfather, siblings, and I love it :)
I love Temptation too! I have only been able to find it in Chicago, at Whole Foods by the pint and in the wonderfully sinful shakes at the Chicago Diner. I am in love with the cookie dough flavor! I haven’t had it on it’s own, but I am in love with the diner’s PB cookie dough shakes. They are seriously wow.
You sound just like me with the whole not-being-able-to-resist breaking into the treats after their arrival. :)
I eat Temptation ice cream whenever I’m in Chicago, and while I’ve had mixed experiences, I’d say the overwhelming amount of time, I’m pleased. Plus, some friends of mine did a vegan ice cream social as a fund raiser for their legal aid, and Temptation donated A TON of ice cream to it. If that’s not awesome, I don’t know what is.
Better than the So Delicious Coconut Milk Choc Chip Cookie Dough? (That might be impossible!!)
I still dont know how you do it. Amazing sweets and outstanding pics!
Yum! Ice cream isn’t really my thing, but when it is this warm out, how can you say no??? Looks awesome, Hannah :)
Damn, now I wish I’d tried it when I was in Chicago a couple of months ago. Ice cream is definitely my absolute favorite comfort food.
Your ice cream photos look great. It’s a tough subject because it melts so quickly, especially in summer. I have a food photography book that says the pros sometimes make fake ice cream out of paste and food coloring, so they can take pictures all day without melting. But clearly, that’s cheating.
Gosh you are so good with words – I was practically drooling reading about that ice cream! I honestly think I’m going to break into that pint of Ben and Jerry’s I have in the freezer thanks to you… (lol)!
Are you a fan of coconut based ice cream? I love Coconut Bliss.
still haven’t tried temptation the way you describe it how come I haven’t.
I don’t think Temptation pints are available in LA. The green tea and pumpkin flavors sound great!
The Temptation Cookie Dough in a shake with Peanut Butter is the BEST!
I absolutely adore Temptation ice cream. Seriously, it’s my all-time favorite!! I’ve been known to down a whole pint of the cookie dough flavor. My favorite way to eat it is definitely in a peanut butter chocolate-chip cookie dough shake from the Chicago Diner.
I haven’t tried it but you make the cookie dough sound good I’d like to give it a try :)
This sounds delicious Hannah! I am very tempted!
That’s a disappointment about the chocolate flavor, but the cookie dough sure sounds good. I just tried some Larry & Luna’s chocolate ice cream and it’s so rich and chocolaty – a bite or two is plenty!
I’ll have to try Temptation. I do love my frozen treats.
Great Photos, Now I need to go get some ice cream. I’m craving for some now.. Love your blog.