When You Feel Like a Nut

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by Hannah (BitterSweet)

One sip of almond milk, so many years ago, was all it took to convert me to a believer; I haven’t looked back to soy ever since. Smoother, creamier, and without the distinctive bean-y undertones soy is apt to impart, the choice for both baking and drinking was clear. The biggest downside to the switch was in nutrition; quite simply, no nut can compete with legumes on the protein front. Finally, the gap is beginning to close, thanks to another brilliant innovation by So Delicious. Almond Plus almond milk has the best of both worlds, and doesn’t taste like a compromise in the least bit.

Perfectly smooth, this silky elixir has a velvety thickness that goes down easily, whether it’s topping cold cereal or drank straight from the carton. Either the Original or Vanilla flavors are irresistible as stand-alone drinks, and I’m not often inclined to down a plain glass of “milk.” Unsweetened blends seamlessly into savory dishes, and has become a fast favorite for creamy sauces, such as the classic alfredo. Perfectly suited for baking and dessert making as well, it’s quickly become my go-to “milk” for making ice cream. Luckily, for those lacking the patience or equipment, So Delicious has you covered with a brand new line of almond milk ice creams all their own.

Diving first into the basics, the Chocolate and Vanilla make a dazzling first impression. Unlike their other recent creation, coconut milk ice cream, the base is a silent player here, allowing the star ingredients to shine in their respective pints. Soft and easy to scoop straight from the freezer, the chocolate does err a bit more on the sweet side, but I can see it having huge appeal with children especially. Impressively complex in flavor, it’s much more than mere cocoa; such richness belies a truly modest nutrition panel. Vanilla actually tastes like vanilla, and not just an anonymous “plain” option. In fact, it tastes more like homemade ice cream than anything I’ve tried out of a commercially packed cardboard pint, which is about the highest compliment I can bestow.

Even with such high expectations, it only gets better from there.  Cherry Amaretto is not one I would pick up on my own accord, but one taste forced me to change my tune, because I would definitely buy it from here on out. Cherry-flavored desserts often rub me the wrong way, with artificial flavors carrying most of the weight in  a truly unnatural, over-concentrated sort of way. Such a sin is not one committed here, as the chunks of real cherry are impossible to miss. A light cherry essence is found throughout, accented by the barest hint of amaretto flavor, which rounds out the dessert nicely.  Those big chunks of sweet cherries and delightfully chewy, rather than icy, like so many poorly planned fruit additions. A sophisticated yet still playful combination, it’s clearly designed for a more mature audience, by would undoubtedly be enjoyed by the younger set as well.

Butter Pecan stole my heart with just its name. More than merely butter-y, it’s in fact butterscotch-y, with deep caramel notes mingling seamlessly with the floral vanilla flavor. Tons of sizable pecan pieces add a satisfying crunch, and assert themselves properly to justify the name. A subtle hit of salt serves to intensify this complex ice cream, accentuating all of its best features. For the next Thanksgiving dinner, I’m highly tempted to simply pack this ice cream into a flaky crust and call it pecan pie!

Picking a favorite flavor out of this incredible selection is almost as difficult as picking a favorite child, but I can’t deny that the Mocha Almond Fudge would undoubtedly rank very high on my list. More than mere coffee and cocoa, there’s a whole lot going on in each spoonful. A gooey fudge ripple marbles throughout the pint, adding a blast of chocolate decadence every now and then, like built-in hot fudge sauce. Huge, plentiful chunks of fresh and lightly roasted almonds keep things exciting, although the smooth coffee backdrop would hardly be dull all by itself. I have a feeling that even coffee-haters may love this ice cream- It’s just that good.

Many other of So Delicious’ classic ice cream flavors will also be available in almond milk format, and let’s not forget about the novelty treats, too. Naturally, I wolfed down the whole box of Mocha Almond Fudge Bars in record time, but the Vanilla Bars were not long for this world, either. Something about that crisp, fast-melting chocolate coating makes this already killer ice cream even more irresistible. Biting into that frozen cloak of cocoa, it yields with a satisfying snap, revealing the contrasting creaminess within. It’s the kind of addictive treat I can’t keep on hand regularly if I hope to maintain a diet that includes edibles other than ice cream.

Though I was terribly spoiled by a sneak-peek shipment of these items, most should already be available in specialty markets such as Whole Foods across the US by now. When I’m ready to give the ice cream maker a much deserved break, I know just where to turn for delicious frozen desserts. To share the almond love a bit, So Delicious provided 2 freebie coupons for any of their products, so that means that two lucky readers will get to pick out something sweet, on the house! Just leave a comment that includes a valid email address, and tell me what your favorite flavor of ice cream is. The giveaway will close to new entries on Friday (the 13th!) at midnight, EST. Check back in this space to see the winners.

UPDATE: As chosen by the random number generator, the winners are…

#17, Roopa!

and

#31, Allie!

Congrats, and to everyone else, don’t go far- I’ve got another giveaway coming up very soon…

86 thoughts on “When You Feel Like a Nut”

  1. The Butter Pecan and Cherry Amaretto are both awesome! Definitely my two favorites! I couldn’t believe how low sugar they were too – a nice treat!

  2. Oh oh, this milk looks nice indeed. I am not found of any vegan milk but soy ones. Others simply make me want to spit out what I just swallowed. I tried several times but I have a really hard time to drink them, so I use them in recipes instead.
    I guess you had to make so many balls, and open so many boxes to show us these goods ! (At first I thought you made the last ones, and I was thinking : Okay i am not talking to this girl anymore, she is absolutely the best ! – Not that I want to be the best, on the contrary, at least I have some goals thanks to you or Laura (VG-Zone) or Marie)

  7. I got to try the chocolate ice cream and the new milks at the Natural Products Expo West this year. Can’t wait to try all the other varieties!

  9. My favorite flavor of ice cream has to be Publix brand ‘Moose Tracks’ or Brighams brand ‘Candy Cane’

  10. Almond milk is also my go-to over soy and coconut milks. I’m not sure I could pick a favorite ice cream flavor, but I do love mint chocolate chip and pistachio. The cherry amaretto sounds like it could be a new favorite, too!

  11. when I was a kid my favorite kind of ice cream was peppermint stick. don’t know if that’s been veganized yet. now i like stuff with almond and fudge but that butter pecan sounds really good too.

    bittofraw@gmail.com

  12. Does it have to be a flavor that exists in veganland? Back in my dairy days I would take coffee icecream and add brownies, peanut-butter and shredded coconut. Even better than a So Delicious coupon would be for you to make a vegan rendition of this….eh? ehhh?? (Or I will take a coupon. Hah.)

  13. Great review, thanks! Long ago, I used to be head over heals for Eddy’s Double Fudge Brownie, as well as Ben+Jerry’s Phish Food – I really just like lots of STUFF in my ice cream! Now I really love the Purely Decadent line, especially their peanutbutter zigzag, and anything with cookie dough :)

  15. I really need to give almond milk a chance. I’m just wary because I’ve had allergy issues from almonds in the (now fairly distant) past. I haven’t given soy a try, mostly because of my fear of the bean-y possibilities….

    Anyhow, just about anything chocolate is my favorite ice cream flavor. Right now I’m on a cookies ‘n’ cream kick, but peanut butter chocolate is usually my go-to favorite and chocolate almond is nice with crunchy toasted almond slivers… but I like to keep it simple most days and stick with just plain old ordinary chocolate.

  17. I love ice cream with maple syrup, but one of my long-time favorites is in fact mocha almond fudge (courtesy of my family’s trips to Baskin-robbins in the 80s!)

  18. When it comes to vegan milk I’m a sucker for coconut because of how thick and rich it is…but I like the sound of Almond Plus and I’ll definitely give it a try!

    Thanks so much for hosting this giveaway! My favorite flavor of ice cream is chocolate. Boring, I know, but it’s true love. :)

  28. I have only gotten the chance to try a few flavors of their ice cream. The mocha almond fudge was my favorite. Though I’ve loved every So Delicious product I have tried.

  29. I’m partial to vanilla (who am I kidding, I’m partial to all the flavors), but vanilla is so versatile (and great on its own). Root beer floats, or topped with pomegranate juice and blueberry preserves make vanilla a regular occupant in my freezer!

  30. I have never found a flavor I enjoyed as much as plain old vanilla — until I found the Cherry Amaretto in the coconut milk. WOW! The flavors just pop. I loved it. We’re in a small area, and the novelties and non-dairy frozen confections are few and far between, but the local supermarket now carries this one. If the one made with almond milk is comparable, well, I’m going to need to buy stock in the company.

  31. My favorite flavor of ice cream is mint chocolate chip! And that mocha almond fudge looks sooo good!

  36. Definately Mint-Chocolate chip. Actually just mint would be great too but I’ve never seen plain mint ice-cream.

  40. The best ones are chocolate and vanilla back to the basics for me and my grandkids at this time of year because of allergies,Make a milkshake with them and coconut milk.Watch out won’t last long

  44. Even though I’m not vegan I exclusively drink and use almond milk in my baking…I just love it SO MUCH! I haven’t tried it in ice cream yet but I think I need to pick some of htese varieties up!

  47. A fb posting sent me to your blog, and i was just discussing almond milk with a colleague today. I tried it years ago and did not like it. I must say, tomorrow I will stop and buy some at the HF Store near work. Your writing persuaded me I should give it another chance. I usually use rice or soy products (21 yrs of no dairy now!) but don’t always care for their taste. I LOVE chocolate peanut butter ice creams, but coconut is probably my favorite, which I sometimes find as a sorbetto. I don’t usually read blogs clear thru, but you write very persuasively, clearly, and well. And the pictures made me want to lick the screen. Thanks for the info.

  48. I just bough the new almond bars this weekend! I haven’t tried them yet, but I agree with you that Almond Milk is the best!! Thanks for the give-away. My favorite flavor is vanilla.

  49. I have not tried the new almond bars but love the cookie dough flavor made with coconut milk, so decadent. Thanks for a great giveaway.

    1. I haven’t tried it myself so I can’t make any guarantees, but I have a feeling it should work adequately for steaming/frothing due to the added protein, Milks with more protein like soy usually work best, so you may not get the best results with the Almond Plus, but they should at least be passable.

  54. My husband and I just a a whole box of ice cream sandwich mini’s in one sitting. LOVED THEM!!!!!!!!

  57. I agree , the cherry amaretto is very fine! The fact that it is soy and dairy free makes it a winner in my book

  58. Super excited about the new almond milk ice cream! I usually eat the coconut variety because I like to limit the amount of soy in my diet. I’m always so amazed by your beautiful photos, they simply take my breath away!

  61. Yum! My favorite used to be vanilla, but since going vegan I haven’t been able to find a vanilla ice cream I can get behind, so my favorite now is the So Delicious Mocha Fudge. I can’t wait to try their new line of almond milks and ice creams! Thanks for the giveaway!

  63. Every picture looks delicious. I just bought almond milk for the first time last week and have yet to try it. Vanilla ice cream still seems to be my favorite…. with lots of toppings of course.

  64. Almond milk ice cream? Yes pleeease!! Cherry amaretto would definitely be my flavor. I am with you on not normally going for cherry desserts, but I love anything amaretto!!

  65. Haven’t really seen these in the stores yet. But then again there’s so much new stuff out there nowadays, it’s easy to overlook. All of the flavors sound great, really interested in the Cherry Amaretto and the Butter Pecan. Must haves in my book. :-)

  66. Mint Chocolate anything. I’d love to try those Mocha Almond Fudge bars though, they look incredible!

  67. All of you pictures are so pretty! My favorite ice cream of all time is mint chocolate chip, but I love most any flavor. These look so yummy!

  74. My initial reaction is there’s no WAY I could choose one favorite flavor of ice cream!! I do lately have an obsession with Vanilla Coconut Bliss; but chocolate, cherry, caramel, lemon cheesecake… Mmmmm

  77. Now if they would start using a stevia zero calorie sweetner, then this could be guilt free ice cream and so delicious at the same time.

  80. I finally tried this almond milk-based line, based on your reviews. AMAZING taste and texture, wow! I tried the vanilla first and it was like eating fudge.

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