Ben & Jerry's

Ben & Jerry's has unveiled its new line of "Core" ice creams with centers of fudge, caramel and raspberry jam.

(Sue Gleiter, PennLive.com)

Ben & Jerry's is at it again.

This time, the innovative Vermont-based ice cream maker has unveiled a new line of “Core” ice cream flavors. We tracked down the ice cream, and put all thoughts of any polar vortex aside for a taste-test.

The pints cost about $3.99 a piece.

Each pint contains a tunnel of “core” flavor - fudge, caramel or raspberry jam – down the center flanked by two super-premium ice cream flavors.

The flavors include Hazed & Confused with chocolate and hazelnut ice cream with fudge chips and hazelnut fudge core; That's My Jam with raspberry and chocolate ice creams and a raspberry core; Peanut Butter Fudge with chocolate and peanut butter ice creams with mini peanut butter cups and a peanut butter fudge core; and Salted Caramel with sweet cream ice cream with blonde brownies and a salty caramel core.

We were excited about the prospect of the core flavors down the center, but upon opening the containers we were taken aback. I didn't see much of a defined tunnel of fudge or jam. It was hard to detect.

"It doesn't look terribly exciting," said Julia Hatmaker, PennLive's entertainment concierge.

"I feel cheated already," said PennLive entertainment leader Richard Abowitz.

However, we moved beyond the appearance to the best part, the sampling. I have to say for someone who tends to eat light ice cream, this stuff was rich and flavorful. You can tell it's super-premium.

"It's not as beautiful as I thought but it's Ben & Jerry's and it tastes wonderful," Abowitz said.

Our favorite was the That's My Jam. The raspberry jam "core" played off of the raspberry and chocolate ice creams with chocolate chips. So overall, these pints are perfect for ice cream connoisseurs.

As Hatmaker summed it up, "It's a sundae in a cup."