If you’re after a pronounced cocoa flavour after charcuterie, check whether the dark chocolate is in the coating, the ice cream inside or both. Magnum Intense Dark is described as having a coating with 70% cocoa, but the ice cream is milk chocolate. Before choosing for a group, also check the allergens in each recipe, the number of lollies in the box and the storage instructions.
If you want to round off a savoury spread with a dessert that has a pronounced cocoa flavour, check which part of the ice lolly contains dark chocolate: the coating, the ice cream or both. A stated cocoa percentage for the coating doesn’t necessarily tell you what’s inside.
If you’re sharing dessert with a group, check the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on each box before choosing one for everyone. The recipes featured here include milk or soya, and some contain nuts or warn that they may be present.
If you’re planning one ice lolly per guest, start by checking how many are in the box. The net weight helps you compare pack sizes, while the storage instructions help you plan transport and how long to keep them before serving dessert.
If you’re considering dark chocolate ice lollies after a charcuterie night, start by checking what the chocolate is made of and where it features. Then look at the allergens and whether you can keep the pack frozen.
| What to consider | What to check | Who is it for? |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa flavour | Check whether the dark chocolate is in the ice cream, the coating or both, and what any stated percentage refers to. | I want a pronounced cocoa flavour after charcuterie, without assuming that a dark coating means the ice cream is dark chocolate too. Around 43% of consumers would put this intensity at the top of their list. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the box you’re actually buying. | When I’m hosting guests with different dietary requirements, I need to be able to make an informed choice about dessert. For around 29% of consumers, allergens would be their main concern. |
| Portions and storage | Count the ice lollies, check the net weight and follow the storage temperature shown on the packaging. | If I’m planning an individual dessert for everyone, I need enough ice lollies and a way to keep them frozen until serving. This would be the top consideration for around 28% of consumers. |
According to its Auchan product listing, Magnum Intense Dark combines a dark chocolate coating described as having 70% cocoa with milk chocolate ice cream. The percentage refers to the coating, not the whole ice lolly.
Before choosing based on the cocoa flavour you’re looking for, check the descriptions of the coating and the filling separately.
The NUII dark chocolate ice lolly contains Brazil nuts, while Ferrero Rondnoir warns that it may contain traces of several types of nut. The colour of the coating doesn’t tell you what other ingredients are in the recipe.
Ask your guests which warnings you need to check, then read the ingredients and warnings on each box.
The products reviewed come in boxes of three or four ice lollies. Net weight and the number of lollies answer two different questions: how much product you’re getting and how many portions are available.
First, count how many ice lollies you’ll need for your group, then compare the net weight of the pack sizes that suit you.
A rise in temperature can break the cold chain; the DGCCRF notes that it speeds up microbial growth.
Pick up frozen ice lollies last, keep their time in transit to a minimum and follow the storage instructions on the box.
Intense Dark lets you compare a clearly defined cocoa-rich coating with a different flavour of ice cream inside.
According to its Auchan product listing, Rondnoir combines cocoa ice cream, a dark chocolate shell and cocoa pieces.
The dark chocolate and Brazil nut variety also includes a caramel sauce, so it’s not all about cocoa.
According to its E.Leclerc product listing, this box of four combines dark chocolate ice cream with a dark chocolate coating.
These two pack sizes offer different dessert options: dark chocolate ice lollies, or mini mango and passion fruit sorbet lollies with dark chocolate. If you want cocoa to take centre stage, check the ingredients rather than relying on the product name alone.
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Worth considering if you’d like to serve one dark chocolate ice lolly per person. The box contains four, weighing 312 g in total. Check the packaging to see which part contains dark chocolate, and to read the allergen information and storage instructions.
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This pack of six mini ice lollies is a good fit if you’d like to pair fruity sorbet with dark chocolate, rather than choose an ice cream centred on cocoa. The total weight is 282 g; check the box for ingredients, allergens and storage instructions before serving.
Check the description of the ice cream and the coating separately. For example, the Auchan product listing for Magnum Intense Dark describes milk chocolate ice cream beneath a dark chocolate coating said to contain 70% cocoa. That figure doesn’t apply to the filling.
Check the ingredients and any warnings about possible traces on the box you’re serving. The recipes featured here may contain milk, soya or nuts, with different warnings for each product. The DGCCRF notes that allergens in ice cream products must be declared in writing.
No: ‘dark chocolate’ may describe just one part of the ice lolly. Magnum Intense Dark contains milk chocolate ice cream, and the Ferrero Rondnoir and NUII product listings featured here also mention milk. Check the ingredients list for the product you choose.
Keep the cold chain intact by picking up frozen products at the end of your shopping trip, keeping their time out of the freezer to a minimum and following the storage instructions on the packaging. The DGCCRF notes that a rise in temperature speeds up microbial growth.