5 days ago
Top 8: Get the scoop on the best of shop-bought ice-creams this summer
In Iceland, where my son and his family live, ice cream shops often have long queues in winter, when the days are short and cold.
Why should we confine ourselves to hot days? They are adventurous there with flavours such as liquorice, and Bragarefur, where your three choices of sweets and fruits (berries are popular) will be blended to order with vanilla soft serve.
For this week's Top 8 supermarket shopping expedition, I enlisted the help of the seven- and 12-year-olds to choose from the shelves. They and their three-year-old brother, along with an eight-year-old cousin, were happy to taste them all.
We often make our own ice cream at home, typically using a custard base, adding seasonal fruits — blackcurrants, sieved raspberries, roasted rhubarb — or by blending cream and sugar with fresh strawberries or gooseberries.
Use within 24 hours, as the ice cream can harden so much that it separates when defrosting. Manufacturers solve this problem by adding skimmed milk powder, which adds shelf life and stability, while maintaining a consistent texture.
When buying tubs of ice cream, it is important to buy them last in the supermarket, use a chill bag, and get them home before they start to thaw.
Scúp roasted banana gelato 476ml €6.95
Scúp roasted banana gelato 476ml. €6.95 Food pics: Chani Anderson
Whole milk, fresh cream, and sugar make a very good, creamy ice cream with a roasted banana (a decent 8.7% which shows in the naturally fruity flavour), with extra natural banana flavouring.
It also contains skimmed milk powder. Made in Wexford.
Score: 9.75
Murphy's 500ml €10 (€20/litre)
Murphy's 500ml €10 (€20/litre)
Fresh milk and cream, organic sugar, free range eggs blend with a decent portion of 100% Valrhona cocoa powder, vanilla, salt, natural locust bean and carrageenan to stabilise.
It's unusual not to find skimmed milk powder and other stabilisers, and it shows in the natural taste and texture.
One described (and all agreed) it was like eating a deliciously rich, frozen hot chocolate. See for outlets.
Score: 10
M&S Collection Colombian coffee ice cream 500ml €6.50 (€13/litre)
M&S Collection Colombian coffee ice cream 500ml €6.50 (€13/litre)
From the West Country in England, fresh milk, cream, sugar, and dried skimmed milk deliver a sophisticated flavour of freshly made, lively coffee to make an ideal finish to a meal when you fancy coffee, but it's too late to drink a cup.
Nicely creamy too. One of the adults' favourites.
Score: 9
Moo'd mint choc chip gelato 460ml €5 (€10.86/litre)
Moo'd mint choc chip gelato 460ml €5 (€10.86/litre)
This was chosen as a favourite by the seven-year-old. We were surprised she liked the fresh flavour of mint so much.
A generous amount of good-quality dark chocolate chips, skimmed milk (not dried) and a decent 24% cream, stabilised by guar gum, xanthan gum and carrageenan for a smooth texture.
A lovely finish to a meal, like After 8 chocolates with ice cream. Made in Cavan.
Score: 8.75
Dunnes Simply Better butterscotch ice cream 550ml €5.99 (€10.89/litre)
Dunnes Simply Better butterscotch ice cream 550ml €5.99 (€10.89/litre)
Tasters immediately liked the slightly burned toffee style of this ice cream.
Older tasters remember it as a taste of the butterscotch bars they enjoyed on the way home from school.
The smooth, creamy texture and taste result from milk, cream and sugar with a hint of saltiness. Produced in Northern Ireland.
Score: 8.5
The Good Dairy Company Kinder Moo ice cream 650ml €8 (€12.30/litre)
The Good Dairy Company Kinder Moo ice cream 650ml €8 (€12.30/litre)
A strong Kinder Bueno flavour was loved by children familiar with the bars.
A lovely creamy texture from fresh milk and cream comes from the Good family farm in Nohoval, Kinsale, as well as skimmed milk powder in its base.
Different packaging is due soon, when it will be stocked in SuperValu, alongside its current range.
We bought in Bradleys, Cork, also available now in the Good Dairy Kinsale shop.
Score: 8
Lidl Gelatelli peanut butter crunch 500ml €3.25 (€6.50/litre)
Lidl Gelatelli peanut butter crunch 500ml €3.25 (€6.50/litre)
A flavour new to us, 5% whole peanuts are caramelised for a good crunchy contrast to the creamy texture made from cream, skimmed milk and traditional egg yolk.
The sweetness of the ice cream, which has a hint of salt, contrasts interestingly with the addition of more peanut butter throughout. Tasters loved it.
Score: 8
Mullin's Belgian Chocolate Chip ice cream 900ml €5.95 (€6.61/litre)
Mullin's Belgian Chocolate Chip ice cream 900ml €5.95 (€6.61/litre)
A chocolate sauce ripples through a creamy chocolate ice cream.
While the chocolate is not as pure or intense as our top marker, it still made for a delicious mouthful for the kids.
Skimmed milk, cream, and egg are used, and a hint of vanilla is added to enhance the richness.
Score: 7.75
