Haagen-Dazs Vanilla

Häagen-Dazs Vanilla has a high butterfat content -- 18 grams of fat per half-cup serving -- and egg yolks in place of emulsifiers (like gum), which help give it the dense and creamy texture that pleased participants in blind taste tests. Another reason for the thickness is a low "overrun" -- the term used to describe the amount of air fluffing up the product. Some thought the vanilla flavor was too strong; one reviewer called it "boozy." Häagen-Dazs, while still a crowd-pleaser, is edged out in more recent reviews by Ben & Jerry's Vanilla (*Est. $4 per pint), which has 200 calories and 12 grams of fat per half-cup serving.

We found the best ice-cream review at Cook's Illustrated, which used more than 20 tasters to sample eight vanilla ice creams in 2010. ConsumerReports.org recently updated its ice cream review, although the latest roundup includes Häagen-Dazs Vanilla Bean, but not Häagen-Dazs Vanilla. SlashFood.com tastes the most brands in blind sampling of 16 vanilla ice creams, and while they discuss only the few best and worst brands, Häagen-Dazs lands in fourth place. The blog Kitchen Addiction also reviews Häagen-Dazs Vanilla, although the testing standards are less rigorous.