Baskin-Robbins: Not Just Ice Cream Any More

I don't believe that I've ever actually eaten at a Baskin-Robbins. I know it as the ice cream chain with 31 flavors, the place with the blue-pink color scheme - and, of course, as the sweet-treat anchor of any reputable strip mall. But I've never tasted the company's product, as my family would usually head down the road for DQ or some local ice cream stand, without giving Baskin-Robbins so much as a thought. That being said, it may come as a surprise that my eyes alighted at the sight of Baskin-Robbins hard candies.

I saw the product at my nearby Walgreens, and curiosity tempted me enough to slide my bag of Werther's back on its rack and instead try out the Baskin-Robbins. Perhaps it was the high-res image of the ice cream cone on the package, and the fact that it was over 100 degrees outside, or maybe it was the "Smooth and Creamy" label, or the "sugar-free" bonus. It doesn't matter now - the taste does.

A trip to the Baskin-Robbins website reveals that the candy comes in a variety of flavors: Cookies 'n Cream, Pralines 'n Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, and the new and appealing Espresso 'n Cream. Thus far, I have only seen and tried the Cookies 'n Cream and Mint Chocolate Chip, and only the "sugar-free" varieties. I can vouch for both flavors as being true to their names. Each candy is a small disk, about the size of a nickel, with a subtle indentation. For the Mint Chocolate Chip, half of the candy was brilliant green, while the other half was a rich brown. Similarly, for the Cookies 'n Cream, half was a dark brown, while the other side was milky white. While the Cookies 'n Cream was good, it was the Mint Chocolate Chip which provoked the ice-cream shop daydream. I was not as conscious of the fact that I had a shard of hard candy in my mouth instead of a scoop of rich, creamy ice cream.

And the bonus? The sugar-free aspect makes for a low calorie intake. Four pieces net about 40 calories and a gram of fat. The candies contain real cream and natural flavors; however, they also contain isomalt, hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, and acesulfame potassium - not exactly things you'd find in the pantry. So, as with just about everything else housed in the candy aisle at Walgreen's, it's best to consume in moderation. But if you are miles from the nearest Baskin-Robbins or your other preferred ice cream vendor, it's good to know you can stash some sweet ice cream shop flavors in your purse.