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The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

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Cookies 'n' Cream: Double the Dessert

When you think of common American desserts, two of the most popular kinds that often come to mind are ice cream and cookies. If you like both, then what better way to enjoy the two treats than by combining them? That’s right, we’re talking about double the dessert — cookies and ice cream mixed together — or more popularly known as Cookies ‘n’ Cream ice cream.

Nowadays there are more ice cream brands to choose from than you can shake a stick at, so we decided to help you out a bit. We conducted a test where twenty-one panelists tasted nine different brands of Cookies ‘n’ Cream ice cream to determine the best crunchy/creamy combo for your cash. We stayed away from low-fat and non-fat ice creams, but increased the variety of our test by including some organic brands (such as Whole Foods 365). Flavor, texture, appearance, calories, fat, and price were all taken into account when judging the various brands. While the ice creams we tested ranged from very good to gross, it was still difficult to choose the best cream of the crop. Many aspects go into "the perfect ice cream" — from price, to taste, to fat content — all of which vary in importance from person to person. To make your decision slightly easier, we summarized the expectations for each category, and then reviewed the best and worst of the brands.

So, what makes an excellent ice cream? It all starts from what it’s made of and how. The basic making of ice cream is simple — a manufacturer pasteurizes and homogenizes a mixture of milk, cream, non-fat solids, sweeteners, stabilizers, emulsifiers and gums; cools the mix; whips air into it as it freezes, and then "drops" or "shoots" bulky ingredients (such as cookies) into the semi-solid ice cream. Temperature, quality of ingredients, and skill in production all affect whether the ice cream is smooth and full of flavor, or icy and bland.So, how did our Cookies ‘n’ Cream brands stack up? Here’s what our test showed:

Taste and Texture:

A high-quality Cookies ‘n’ Cream ice cream has a rich but not overpowering vanilla flavor that is equally matched by creaminess and remains only moderately sweet. It should be smooth and not icy, and must have a nice consistency — not a runny one. Oreo-type cookies of varying sizes are supposed to be scattered throughout the ice cream. They should have a strong cookie taste but not be bitter or waxy. They ought to be large enough for a substantial bite, but not so that they take over the mouth, and should retain a significant amount of crunch — mushiness is not preferred. The ratio of cookies to ice cream should be about one fourth of a cookie per spoonful of ice cream.

Our test showed that Baskin Robbins and Swensen’s led in taste and texture. One panelist described Baskin Robbins Cookies ‘n’ Cream as, "Sweet, dense, with good cookies. A perfect balance." While the cookies were a little waxy, they were in abundance and the flavor and texture of the ice cream were overall very pleasing. Swensen’s also fared well. While some described the taste as "slightly artificial" the large amount and size of cookies was impressive, and an interesting minty aftertaste was a nice surprise. For ice cream with an added twist, Safeway Select’s Cookies ‘n’ Cream had a slight — yet pleasant — Kahlua/mocha aftertaste. The worst of the brands? Whole Foods 365 placed last with a "nasty cardboard taste" and "very thick and starchy" texture. Breyers was another one to avoid with an overall unpleasant flavor and mysterious chunks that — to be honest — didn’t look at all like cookies.

Appearance:

As for looks, a good Cookies ‘n’ Cream ice cream is white with hefty chunks of dark brown cookies. Scattered cookie crumbs are acceptable. The ice cream should be firm and not runny, and should be smooth.

Most of the brands tested were the same in appearance, however the look of Coldstone Creamery’s ice cream was dubious. Runny, chunky, and very yellow, it was not as enticing as the other brands. As mentioned previously, the questionable light brown chunks found in Breyers’ Cookies ‘n’ Cream hardly resembled cookies and deterred some panelists from tasting it.

Calories and Fat:

Ice cream seems to be the perfect snack — rich in flavor, calcium, and enough sugar to satisfy your sweet tooth — however, there is a catch: fat. While it is undeniable that ice cream isn’t necessarily the healthiest choice, one can at least try to be "health conscious" by choosing the least calorific of the brands.

Surprisingly, while Safeway Select had moderate ratings in flavor and texture, it had the lowest amount of fat and calories. Serving about 130 calories (5 grams of fat) per half cup, this is the ideal Cookies ‘n’ Cream brand for those who want to eat great-tasting ice cream without feeling guilty. Baskin Robbins, which scored best in flavor and texture, had the highest calories and fat content, loaded with 180 calories per half cup and 11 grams of fat. This just comes to prove that for a better taste, you need more fat.

If gaining weight is your main concern, we suggest that you opt for a "light" ice cream, or if possible, consider avoiding dessert completely.

Price:

The biggest thing on Americans’ minds today is, without a doubt, money. If we can save on books and clothing, why not ice cream? For all you penny-savers out there, Berkeley Farms and Whole Foods 365 were the cheapest of the brands, each $1.99 per quart. Berkeley Farms turned out to be a good bargain — taking 3rd place in best flavor and texture. As for biggest rip-off? Rick’s takes the cake, or rather, cream, by costing $10.00 per quart for a mediocre taste. If saving money is on your mind, here’s a hint: store-brand ice creams are the cheapest. Overall, Berkeley Farms turned out to be the best of the brands when considering all aspects of great ice cream. High in flavor and good texture, low in price and fat, it is surely the one to go for — unless you’re lactose-intolerant, of course.

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