If you’re looking for a clearly stated cocoa content, Auchan’s listing for Magnum Intense Dark says its coating contains 70% cocoa, not the whole ice lolly. When hiking, the first thing to consider is the cold: the products reviewed must be kept at −18 °C, so they’re not suitable as snacks to eat on the go unless that temperature can be maintained until you’re ready to enjoy them.
If you want a precise indication of the cocoa content rather than just the words ‘dark chocolate’, check exactly what the percentage refers to. Auchan’s listing for Magnum Intense Dark says the coating contains 70% cocoa; this figure doesn’t describe the whole ice cream.
An ice lolly could be an option before setting off or when you get back, as long as it’s kept at the required temperature until you eat it. The products reviewed specify −18 °C; Anses advises limiting the time frozen food is in transit.
Compare the packaging before choosing: the recipes reviewed contain dairy ingredients, and their warnings about soya, almonds and other possible traces vary from product to product.
First, check whether the ice lolly can be kept at the required temperature until you’re ready to eat it. Then compare the cocoa information, ingredients and number of ice lollies with when you plan to enjoy them.
| What to consider | What to check | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Keeping it frozen | Check the temperature shown on the box and whether you can maintain it until you’re ready to eat the ice lolly. The products reviewed require −18 °C; Anses recommends keeping the time frozen food spends in transit to a minimum, even when using an insulated bag. | If I plan to eat the ice lolly while walking, I need to be able to keep it at the required temperature until then; otherwise, I’d rather save it for before or after the walk. Around 36% of consumers would put this practical consideration at the top of their list. |
| Cocoa information | Check exactly what the percentage refers to: the cocoa content of the coating or the proportion of dark chocolate in the recipe. These two measures aren’t directly comparable as an indication of flavour intensity. | I’m looking for dark chocolate with a clearly stated cocoa content, rather than guessing how intense it is from the word ‘dark’. Around 29% of consumers would make this a priority. |
| Ingredients and allergens | Check the ingredients list and any ‘may contain’ warnings on the box you buy, particularly for milk, soya and nuts. | Before choosing a recipe, I need to know whether its ingredients and possible traces are suitable for my dietary needs. Around 21% of consumers would make this their top consideration. |
| Pack size and serving | Compare the number of ice lollies and the net weight with the number of people. Individual wrapping doesn’t remove the need to keep the product at the stated temperature. | If I’m planning to enjoy them after the walk, I want to choose enough ice lollies for the group without confusing ease of sharing with ease of transport. Around 14% of consumers would put this first. |
The ice lollies reviewed must be kept at −18 °C. Anses recommends using an insulated bag and limiting the time frozen food spends in transit, but doesn’t say that an insulated bag will maintain this temperature during a hike.
Plan to enjoy them near a freezer, or make sure your cooling method really does keep them at the stated temperature until you’re ready to eat them. If not, choose a different snack for the walk.
According to Auchan’s listings, the 70% for Magnum Intense Dark refers to the cocoa in its coating, while the 32.6% for Ferrero Rondnoir and the 36% for the Côte d’Or ice lolly refer to dark chocolate in the recipe. These figures don’t measure the same thing.
If you’re looking for a stated cocoa content, check that the percentage refers to cocoa and identify which part of the ice lolly it describes.
The Côte d’Or ice lolly contains almonds; the listings for Magnum Intense Dark and Ferrero Rondnoir also mention ingredients or possible traces to consider. ‘Dark chocolate’ doesn’t tell you everything about what’s in the product.
Read the ingredients and trace warnings on the exact pack before buying, particularly if you have an allergy.
Auchan’s listing for Magnum Intense Dark states that its dark chocolate coating contains 70% cocoa; the inside is described as milk chocolate ice cream.
The Rondnoir described by Auchan combines cocoa ice cream, dark chocolate and cocoa pieces, in a box of four ice lollies.
The product described by Auchan combines vanilla ice cream, dark chocolate and roasted almonds, rather than chocolate ice cream.
These two products combine an ice lolly format with dark chocolate: one is chocolate ice cream, while the other is a mango and passion fruit sorbet. If you’re thinking of enjoying them during or after a hike, first check that they can be kept at −18 °C until you’re ready to eat them.
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Worth considering for enjoying near a freezer if you’re looking for chocolate ice cream with a dark chocolate coating.
The box contains four ice lollies. The product must be kept at −18 °C, so its format doesn’t make it suitable for a walk unless you can maintain that temperature. The name ‘Intense Dark’ doesn’t, by itself, tell you the cocoa content; check the packaging for ingredients and allergens.
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Worth considering for enjoying near a freezer if you’d prefer a fruity sorbet with dark chocolate to chocolate ice cream.
The box contains six mini ice lollies. They must be kept at −18 °C until you’re ready to eat them; the presence of dark chocolate doesn’t tell you its cocoa content. Check the exact packaging for ingredients and trace warnings.
Only if you can keep it at the required temperature until you’re ready to eat it: the products reviewed specify −18 °C. Anses recommends using an insulated bag and limiting the time frozen food spends in transit, but this doesn’t guarantee that it will stay at −18 °C during a long walk.
No: check exactly what each figure refers to. According to Auchan’s listings, Magnum Intense Dark states that its coating contains 70% cocoa, while the figures given for Ferrero Rondnoir and Côte d’Or refer to the proportion of dark chocolate in their recipes; they aren’t directly comparable.
Check the ingredients list and allergen warnings on the box you’re buying, particularly for milk, soya and nuts. The recipes reviewed differ: the Côte d’Or one contains almonds, while other listings mention possible traces of nuts, among other things.
Don’t put them back in the freezer assuming this will restore their original storage conditions. Anses says that defrosted food should be eaten promptly and must not be refrozen; also follow the instructions on the packaging.