Product Review - Edy's Thin Mint Ice Cream

When I first heard about this Special Edition ice cream last year, I was so excited. Thin Mints have always been my favorite Girl Scout cookies, and I especially love them when they're cold. Sounds like this ice cream would be perfect for me, right? Well, it's not.

After I first heard about the Special Edition flavor, I searched online to see if this ice cream was available in my area, but it wasn't. Then, last month, I just happened to see it in my local Homeland. Of course, I had to get some. After we got home from the store, I opened the container, and was surprised to see that it was chocolate ice cream. I'm not sure why I was so surprised, as the picture on the front clearly shows that it is chocolate, but I was expecting vanilla ice cream with thin mint pieces.

I tried my first bite, and was not impressed. The texture was very grainy and the chocolate ice cream did not have a good flavor. That was odd, because Edy's is usually a very good ice cream. Their vanilla is wonderful.

Long story short, I will not be having this Thin Mint ice cream again. It was not good - not even for a Thin Mint and Chocolate lover like me.

After looking at the website today, I notice that this flavor is only supposed to be available from January through April. That worries me a little, as I bought mine in July. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe mine was just old. I also notice, that the website describes the ice cream as follows: "A refreshing and original flavor that combines white mint light ice cream and Thin Mint cookies. Be sure to get as much of this deLightful Limited Edition flavor as you can now, while supplies last."

Edy's Thin Mint Cookie

What the hell? Mine was chocolate. Now I'm just confused. Maybe I'll put a note in my calendar, to keep an eye out for Thin Mint ice cream meeting THIS description, next January.

Recipe Review - 7 Minute Frosting

"No Cook" 7 Minute Frosting

INGREDIENTS
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup boiling water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 unbeaten egg whites
food coloring (optional)

DIRECTIONS
1. Mix sugar, cream of tartar, vanilla and egg whites.
2. Add boiling water.
3. Beat on high til mixture forms peaks (like meringue) approx 5-7 minutes.

http://www.recipezaar.com/No-Cook-7-Minute-Frosting-107841

I really thought this was going to be the first recipe review that I wouldn't have any complaints about. Unfortunately, that's not exactly the case.

At the last minute on Saturday evening, I decided to make a birthday cake for a family get together - Happy Birthday, Becky & Amy! That morning, I had seen a recipe for a 7 Minute Frosting on America's Test Kitchen. Apparently it's a pretty old recipe, but I'd never heard of it. However, it's a very pretty frosting, and I knew I wanted to try it. The problem is, I've never had a double boiler, and don't even really have the right pots for a makeshift one, and this recipe called for a double boiler.

I searched online, to try to find a recipe that was simpler than the one I'd seen that morning. As luck would have it, I came across this "No Cook" recipe. It was a breeze to make, and really turned out beautifully. If was very white and fluffy looking, and very light tasting.

To make it a little more festive, since it was a birthday cake, I decided to add some yellow gel food coloring. Well, it worked, and the icing took the color really well, but it actually ended up looking like whipped butter. I wish I had gotten a photo of it. It was so funny. It looked like we slathered the cake in Country Crock.

Thankfully, the butter-look didn't phase anyone. Even the frosting-haters of the family, agreed that this frosting was tasty. For the birthday party, I made a Fun-fetti cake and frosted it with the butter-yellow "No Cook" 7 Minute Frosting. And it was delicious.

Late that night, I was still in the baking mood, so I decided to try it again. I made a double batch this time, because I wanted to make a layer cake and use the frosting between the layers. I also mixed it up a little, and used almond extract instead of vanilla. It was a success.

This almond frosting had a very good flavor. I actually preferred it to the vanilla. And let me tell you, this chocolate layer cake turned out to be almost too pretty to eat.

But as you can see, we really didn't have a problem digging right in. It was heavenly. The almond flavoring added such a nice touch to it. And the texture of this frosting is just nearly perfect.

So, all in all, for a cake that's going to be eaten in one day, this recipe it a complete success. I give it an A+ for same day enjoyment.

The problem comes after the cake sits for a while. I made the chocolate cake late at night; I probably finished it around midnight. The next morning, approximately 12 hours later, this is what we were welcomed with when we got down to the kitchen.

As you can see, the layers basically disappeared. I didn't expect the cake to keep it's shape completely, because the frosting was so light, but I never figured something like this would happen. The frosting on the outside was much thicker than the layers, and didn't disappear, but got all foamy. It was so strange. We went ahead and tried a bit, and it still tasted really great. The frosting sort of just absorbed into the cake and made it really moist, and again that almond flavor was really wonderful. But it was still so weird. I can't figure out if it's just this recipe, or if any 7 Minute Frosting will do this. Like I said, this is the first time I'd ever heard of it.

My other idea, is that maybe it's supposed to be refrigerated? I just don't know.

So, in conclusion, this recipe fails in the long run, but only in looks. The flavor is still wonderful, even after the frosting disappears.

Overall, I give it a C, and suggest you consume the frosted cake within 6 hours of preparation.

If any of you make this, or have ever made a traditional 7 Minute Frosting, please let me know if this is the standard, of if I've done something wrong.

As always, if you have any suggestions for recipes you'd like me to review, please leave a comment. Stay tuned!

Recipe Review - Chocolate Strawberry Dump Cake

CHOCOLATE STRAWBERRY DUMP CAKE

INGREDIENTS
1 package Jiffy Devil's Food Cake Mix
1/4 cup + 1 tbsp sugar
1lb fresh strawberries
1.5 tbsp water
1 stick butter - melted

DIRECTIONS
Filling:
Chop strawberries into large chunks
In a mixing bowl, combine strawberry pieces with sugar and water, and stir until all sugar is dissolved

Cake:
Preheat oven to 350°
Spray a small baking dish with Pam (you can use almost any small baking dish - 8X8 square, 8" round, loaf pan, etc)
Melt 1 stick of butter in a microwave safe dish, or on the stove top
Dump strawberry mixture into baking dish
Dump Jiffy cake mix evenly on top of strawberry mixture
DO NOT STIR
Spoon melted butter, as evenly as possible, on top of cake mix
Again, DO NOT STIR
Sprinkle 1tbsp of sugar on top of butter

Bake for 55 mins @ 350°
Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving
Enjoy!

My usual dump cake recipe uses canned apple pie filling and Jiffy brand yellow cake mix. I've always wanted to switch it up a little, and try it with a chocolate cake mix. I gave it a go once, using canned strawberry pie filling and a Betty Crocker chocolate cake mix, and it did not cook properly. The cake mix stayed powdery, so I assume the Jiffy cake mix is the trick to this recipe. I noticed that the Homeland near our house carries the Jiffy Devil's Food Cake mix, so I had to give it a try.

I don't particularly care for strawberry pie filling, and I don't like cherries at all, so I experimented a little further. I decided to make my own sort of filling. I think it turned out pretty good. I found the dessert very rich and sweet, with a tart bite to it at the end. I can see how it would not be for everyone. However, I am very fond of rich desserts, so I thought it was wonderful.

Keith enjoyed the cake part, which when cooked in this way, turns out to be a sort of brownie consistency. It's really very good. He was not fond of the strawberry filling, and I can understand how some wouldn't be. Keith actually thinks it might be tasty using the chocolate cake mix, and the apple pie filling. I'm not sure that's something I will ever be brave enough to try, but if I do, I'll be sure to let you know the outcome.

If you'd like to try this recipe yourself, and don't mind the taste of canned strawberry pie filling, feel free to use that. You would need an approximately 20oz can. For those who like cherry pie filling, that might be a good thing to try with this Devil's Food cake mix as well.

Just remember, using the Jiffy brand cake mix seems to be what makes this recipe a success.

If you have a recipe or product you'd like me to review, please let me know. Just leave a comment - I'm open to almost any suggestions.