Trader Joe’s Rants & Raves (mostly raves, a few rants)

NEW ITEM

Trader Joe’s Salted Caramel Mochi – Ice Cream wrapped in a layer of sweet chewy mochi (sticky rice)

Here’s what they say about it: “Each bite starts with the sweet, tooth-sinking sensations of the outer Mochi layer, which quickly gives way to the rich, full-flavored, and buttery-sweet Salted Caramel ice cream within.”

https://www.traderjoes.com/home/products/pdp/salted-caramel-mochi-083237

Here’s my review.

I basically love most anything made with Mochi (sticky rice). I’ve really liked many of the Trader Joe’s mochi ice cream combos they have come out with. One in particular I think is a knockout flavor: the BLACK SESAME MOCHI ICE CREAM. I found that one to just be unusual and terrific. The Green Tea mochi ice cream is also good as well as the Strawberry flavor and the Mango…. I think with this Salted Caramel one, they have or had five or six flavor combos of mochi ice cream treats.

This new new Salted Caramel flavor got some buzz on the internet about how great it was. So I wanted to try it and see how it stacks up against all the other ones. Here’s my honest review.

I have to measure it against the other ones. Its OK – but I wasn’t terribly impressed with the flavor, salted caramel, which lets face it hard to compare to the real one, unlike say a fruit flavor. You know instantly if the mango mochi really tastes like mango. I think its harder for salted caramel – which is the natural flavor combo of caramalized (almost burnt) sugar and butter with a bit of salt).

I wanted a second opinion, so I asked my wife to taste it too. She basically had the same reaction and said it was “just OK”. So we both found it just ok. We didn’t think the salted caramel mochi was as good as some of the other flavors, especially say compared to the (great) black sesame mochi, which we both loved as well as many of the fruit ones, like mango.

The outside wrapper is brown and pretty sticky. Usually the wrappers made from white sticky rice look white. So I assume there must be caramel in that as well as the ice cream as per the ingredients on the label. the combo of the white salted caramel ice cream inside and the brown mochi wrapper are a bit Meh and Underwhelming where as I really like many of the fruit ones (mango) and the standout (black sesame) And by the way, I do not see “butter” in the ingredient list. But I do see “miso” listed (??) which I imagine is part of the “salted” flavor?

So I didn’t hate this but I didn’t love it either. Again its OK but I would not buy this again. I would way prefer to buy my favorite, Black Sesame version, which if you havent tried it, I would recommend. Or Mango. Maybe Green Tea.

Of course this is IMHO. Some on Instagram do give this new flavor, high praise reviews of its a “must try”, “addictive” “gotta have it” – so your call.

As per TJ’s let all mochi ice cream treats defrost a bit before eating them to get the full flavor and texture profiles.

$4.99 (6 small ice cream pieces) 6.8 oz

Says GLUTEN FREE