Ice cream may be considered a classic summer treat. But these days, all you need to do is go to your favorite grocer, ice cream shop or restaurant to see that there have been plenty of trendy upgrades to the traditional dessert. Over the past few summers, funky flavor fans were able to try everything from pizza ice cream to pickle ice cream splits to an ultra-spicy Carolina Reaper pepper-infused ice cream!
This summer, LongHorn Steakhouse is the latest restaurant to climb on board the sweet and savory ice cream blend trend. On July 1, the company launched a Steak & Bourbon ice cream sundae. The foundation of the sundae is the custom-made Steak & Bourbon ice cream.
Steak-flavored ice cream? It might sound weird, but hear me out. This flavor starts with a creamy vanilla bean ice cream. Next, LongHorn Steakhouse added its proprietary Char seasoning, which their grillmasters use to enhance their famous steaks. From there, a layer of soft, bourbon caramel is swirled into ribbons throughout the ice cream. The finishing touches are the bits of actual steak sprinkled throughout the creamy base. The sundae is then topped with more bourbon caramel sauce and “steak sprinkle,” which are just more of the steak jerky bits found in the ice cream.
<figcaption><cite class="op-vertical-below credits-overlay-new">Longhorn SteakhouseI have always been a traditional kind of girl when it comes to my ice cream. My idea of adventurous eating is combining mocha chip and mint chocolate chip. However, when offered a chance to try the Steak & Bourbon sundae, I decided to go outside of my comfort zone. After all, I adore both steak and ice cream, so maybe a combination of the two wouldn’t be so bad.
I confess I was a little nervous to try it. The thought of all that sweet combined with cold, chewy steak sounded a bit odd. But my first bite from the beautiful bowl of ice cream caught me totally off guard in an unexpectedly good way!
Vanilla is not typically my favorite ice cream, but the vanilla bean base and smooth, rich texture provided the perfect background. It wasn’t overly sweet, which is important because the rest of the flavors take the spotlight.
<figcaption><cite class="op-vertical-below credits-overlay-new">Longhorn SteakhouseThe bourbon caramel is not only swirled directly into the ice cream but also poured on top of the sundae. Unlike many caramel sauces, LongHorn Steakhouse’s bourbon-infused caramel avoids solidifying into a chewy, sticky-sweet mess on the cold ice cream. You can taste the bourbon, but it doesn’t overwhelm or overpower the topping, which can sometimes happen with alcohol-flavored sauces.
The steak sprinkles proved to be the biggest surprise for me. They don’t overload the ice cream as a mix-in or when added on top for an extra flavor punch. Instead, it adds that nice savory note that balances out the sweet ice cream and caramel sauce. I was waiting to be repelled by the texture and flavor of steak in my ice cream, but it was subtle enough to get the taste without hitting me over the head. The steak sprinkles do have a slightly chewy texture, and my husband didn’t care for them when he tried it. But I liked the added texture in my dessert.
LongHorn Steakhouse’s Steak & Bourbon ice cream sundae will only be available for a limited time, so head to your nearest location to get a taste of summer that you’d never expect!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for other great tips and ideas to make the most out of life.
