Haagen-Dazs Ruby Cacao Ice Bar review

Spring is in the air!... I am glad the temperatures are finally coming down so I can sit down and enjoy a nice cool popsicle :)

I found these at Metro (a Canadian supermarket) and the colour and flavour attracted me.

I have always been a huge Haagen-Dazs Strawberry ice cream fan... so I knew they couldn't go wrong with anything "strawberry".

actual product... and my nails match it

These are available for a limited time. I only see them during Spring (I've had these thrice before deciding on writing a review and recommending them). 

layers

What is it:

These are Haagan Dazs' signature strawberry ice cream dipped in a berry-rich coating made from ruby cacao

Ruby Cacao is a new type of cacao red/ruby in colour. They are naturally red.

strawberry ice cream

The Experience:

These bars taste how they look. a tangy strawberry crispy coating with lots of strawberry taste inside. There are no added colours or flavours. 

Upon writing this review, I discovered these bars are made with 100% Canadian dairy. I'm not sure whether these are available outside of Canada.

score: 8.9/10

website: https://www.haagen-dazs.ca/en/haagen-dazs/ruby-cacao-ice-cream-bars

Comparison: Kirkland's Almond Covered Vanilla Ice Cream Bars vs Haagen Dazs Vanilla Almond Chocolate Bars

 

I finally got my hands on Kirkland's almond chocolate and vanilla ice cream bars and loved it! Kirkland's version has been very popular because of the cheaper price tag. I went on a lot of community forums and they have insisted that these two are very similar. So I decided to test out Kirkland's version against Haagen Daz's (which I have loved for many many years) for you.

I was surprised as to how identical the taste was... but I noted some key differences. here's what they are:

	Haagan Daz's	Kirkland's
Almond count	a bit more than Kirkland's	______________________
Creaminess of Vanilla	___________________	Creamier and richer than Haagan Daz's, also tastes milkier
Chocolate	___________________	Chocolate is darker and richer than Haagan Daz's
Calories	290 (88 ml)	280 (91 ml)

Taste is subjective... so if having more almonds is what you prefer, then Haagan Daz's Vanilla Milk Chocolate Almond bars would be better for you.

If you prefer a creamier, milkier vanilla bar taste and like darker and richer chocolate, then Kirkland's would be your go-to. (I was extremely surprised how Kirkland's version has a lower calorie count! :O)

Price: (in CAD at Costco)

Haagan Daz's Vanilla Almond Chocolate Bars (contains 9 bars per box) $9.49

Kirkland's Chocolate Almond Covered Vanilla Ice Cream Bars (contains 18 bars per box) $9.99

edit (November 17, 2021): I checked at Costco today and it seems their prices were raised (possibly because of inflation)

updated prices (as of November 17, 2021):

Haagan Daz's Vanilla Almond Chocolate Bars (contains 9 bars per box) $14.49

Kirkland's Chocolate Almond Covered Vanilla Ice Cream Bars (contains 18 bars per box) $14.99

I'll let you decide, but for me (since the almond count doesn't really bother me), I think it is quite obvious that Kirkland's is the clear winner here :D

Let me know your thoughts :D

Haagen Daz Macadamia Nut short review

Haagen Daz Macadamia Nut

Of almost all of the Haagen-Dazs ice creams I have tried (and I have had quite a few, to date I have had 20 of their flavours already), This is one of my favourites. In fact is my all time favourites. (I like Green Tea, Vanilla, Strawberry, Double Chocolate... etc, yes, but I would always opt for Macadamia nut).

here is the list of ingredients:

Cream, Condensed Skimmed Milk, Sugar, Water, Roasted Macadamia Nuts (8%) (Macadamia Nuts (99%), Sunflower Oil, Coconut Oil), Egg Yolk, Brown Sugar Base (3%) (Brown Sugar, Water, Sugar, Butter, Salt)

Haagen Daz Macadamia Nut ice cream

These are the reasons why I like it so much and I why I think you will too:

• creamy. It has the creaminess of Vanilla but it is richer
• loaded with Macadamia nuts/pieces
• it tastes like Macadamia nuts
• it feels like a Macadamia nut melted in your mouth
• it tastes very natural (and no additives or chemicals)
• it is always available 

score: 10/10
website: https://haagendazs.co.th/flavours/macadamia-nut-ice-cream

also... please check out my personal blog and follow me around Tokyo :)

Haagen-Dazs Specialite 抹茶のオペラ review

Haagen-Dazs Specialite Matcha Opera

As Christmas approaches, there is bound to be some seasonal limited food items available. And of all products available, Haagen-Daz's was the one that caught my eye!

After dinner, I found this Haagen-Dazs Specialite 抹茶のオペラ (Matcha Opera) at my local convenient store. My friend told me that this is heavily advertised around Tokyo: trains, subways or even random posters. After indulging in this, I started seeing this everywhere, too.

layers

This ice cream consists of 4 layers:

• gold and chocolate
• matcha ice cream
• almond sauce and cookies
• blond chocolate ice cream

impressions:

• slightly pricy (¥450)
• the chocolate layer was very richly chocolate
• there was gold dust to justify the price (?)
• the vanilla ice cream cookie crumble layer was really delicious!
• each layer was very well defined bringing out their characteristic
• the layers tasted good together and apart

Haagen-Dazs Matcha Opera

was it worth it?

despite the pricey price tag, I would say yes, it was worth it. This was probably one of the best desserts I have had this year! It was extremely well made, like a very expensive ice cream cake in a small container (the kind of cake you would find in patisseries which cost ¥500+). The combination of flavours was impeccable. While the chocolate and matcha layer were on the bitter side, the almond sauce and blond chocolate layer were sweet, creating a perfect balance between the layers and producing a delicious result.

score: 9.5/10

website: http://www.haagen-dazs.co.jp/matcha_opera/

(press release) http://www.haagen-dazs.co.jp/company/newsrelease/2017/_specialite_1121.html

Haagen Daz Gelato dark chocolate chip review

500 ml of chocolaty goodness

Prior to finding this product, I had no idea that Haagen-Daz had a Gelato collection!... Since I am a Haagen-Daz, Gelato and chocolate fan, how could I resist this?

Impressions:

• Sweet
• Lots of chocolate chunks
• Rich chocolate taste

a look at the chocolate chunks

This Gelato was surprisingly sweet, I wasn't expecting it to be so sweet, the main cause was the dark chocolate chunks. There are lots of hidden dark chocolate chunks (if you scooped out a teaspoon, there are about 4 chunks!). It is strange though, you can't tell they are there till you put the spoonful in your mouth, let the warm of your mouth melt away the chocolate gelato and taste the dark chocolate chips! Despite the dark chocolate chips to be.. well... dark chocolate, I found them a bit too sweet. Their size was perfect, not too thin nor thick.

However, that being said, I always thought Gelato was a healthier option... but when I looked at the nutrition facts, I was slightly shocked:

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1/2 cup

Servings Per Container   3.5

Amount Per Serving

Calories  270  (from Fat  110)

score: 8/10

website: http://www.haagendazs.us/Products/Product/3791