u/-PrincessPumpkin-

Bonsai tree drawn to fit the area!

Artist IG: sparky_beach

House Plant Tattoo, Napa CA

This is my first time ordering from NY's treasured Cafe Panna. I ordered their "spring forward" collection from GoldBelly. 6 pints for $130. I'm going to start off my review with one high (carrot cake) and one unexpected low (cruncher nutter).

CARROT CAKE: described as cinnamon ice cream layered with frosted carrot cake and candied pecans.

A cinnamon ice cream base can be difficult to nail. I've had ones that tasted like a TJ Maxx candle, ones that were basically vanilla, and one that was so cinnamon-y that it felt like my throat was burning. I'm happy to announce that Cafe Panna nailed this one. It's uber creamy and super smooth, while still packing a flavorful (but tame) hit of cinnamon in every bite.

The candied pecans are big and crunchy, which is what I was hoping for. No one likes a soggy mix-in. They have a buttery depth of flavor coming from whatever magical substance they were generously coated in.

The carrot cake itself comes in the form of thick chunks. The texture is similar to a dense banana bread, and it somehow wasn't compromised by the ice cream surrounding it. It's a carrot cake I would be happy to eat a slice of on it's own, and it goes so well with the cinnamon base and candied pecans. This ice cream was the highlight of my order so far, and it really does remind me of Spring.

CRUNCHER NUTTER: described as peanut butter ice cream with crispy marshmallow peanut butter swirl and Reese's pieces.

When I first saw this collection, my eyes immediately lit up when I read the description for cruncher nutter. Peanut butter and marshmallow are truly some of my favorite things. That's why it pains me that I didn't enjoy this one.

The peanut butter taste came like a punch in the face. It wasn't nearly as creamy or as sweet as I would have liked, it really felt like I dipped my spoon straight into a jar of plain peanut butter instead of a pint of high quality ice cream.

The top layer is completely covered by Reese's pieces, mini dehydrated marshmallows, and solid chunks of peanut butter. Each one of those elements held up well and retained their texture, but what I was missing was honestly the ice cream. Once I got past the first layer it was better, but not good enough where I wanted to keep going.

I want to say that I am a lover of mix-ins. I honestly didn't think it was possible for an ice cream to have too many, it's not something I've experienced before. But every single spoonful is dripping with solid peanut butter that isn't sweet enough, and covered in various candies to the point where I really can't distinguish anything. I would rather scoop up a cup of peanut butter and dunk it in a family size bag of assorted candies than try this ice cream again.