Monday, May 7, 2012

Surprisingly good ice-cream from Coles!

(Updated 15 June 2012: Strawberry White Choc added; 23 June 2012: Photos added. Updated 24 December 2012: Lamington Style added. Updated 28 January 2013: Mango Swirl added Updated 01 November 2014: Coconut Lime and Chocolate Orange added.)

Coles Supermarkets recently introduced a range of premium one litre ice-creams. Now, I'm not a big ice-cream eater, but in the noble tradition of the Scandinavians, who love their ice-cream even in winter, I decided to try out a few flavours despite the somewhat chilly time of year and was pleasantly surprised at just how good they are! All the ice-creams are made with real cream.

Verdict: Recommended

Rum and Raisin
The ice-cream is a light butterscotch colour, and has a smooth creamy taste with a definite sharp flavour of rum. It contains plump and juicy raisins which are similarly rum-soaked in flavour.


Rocky Road
This has a solid chocolately background which is not overly sweet, with crunchy nuts and pieces of soft springy pink and white marshmallow as well as some raspberry swirl.


Chocolate Fudge
This one has a denser dark chocolate base with syrupy swirls of fudge and chewy chocolate pieces.



Strawberry White Choc
This ice-cream has a fresh, smooth, sweet and creamy strawberry flavour that bursts out in your mouth like a sunny spring day. There are delicate slivers of white chocolate which amplify the richness of the tasting experience, chunks of real strawberries and tendrils of raspberry swirl, adding small bombs of zesty tang.


Lamington Style Ice-Cream
Indulgent chocolate ice-cream with rich raspberry, swirled with creamy vanilla ice-cream and dessicated coconut.



Well, this is an interesting take on an Australian classic, and it took me a while to be persuaded to try it (really only until it came down to $5.00 a carton, along with the remaining ice-creams in the Coles range).

It is indeed very chocolately in appearance but mild in flavour, with a variegated appearance; presumably the mix of chocolate and vanilla mentioned above. There are occasional flecks of raspberry flavour and quite chewy pieces of dessicated coconut (in a semi-frozen state).

To my mind it is a brave experiment that doesn't quite work. The chocolate is a bit wimpy, the rapsberry insufficiently prevalent, and the coconut just sits there and doesn't do anything - its normal sweet, succulent, juicy nature is missing, as is the classic offset of the golden sponge base. It is probably inoffensive enough and sweet enough to be wildly popular with children, but I would advise adults to choose one of the more sophisticated flavours previously reviewed.

Mango Swirl
Smooth and creamy vanilla ice-cream accompanied by sassy and tangy mango sorbet swirls with real mango flavour.


Coconut Lime
All those of you who are fans of the individual 'Lime Splice' ice-creams will like this one. It has a base of creamy vanilla ice-cream mixed in with generous strands of shredded coconut and pockets of pale green zesty lime flavour. All these elements combine for a refreshing taste.

Chocolate Orange
All who are fans of the famous 'Terry's Chocolate Orange' will like this ice-cream version. There is a nice creamy chocolatey taste with an overlay of orange essence. It is not too rich and the citrus element is not too overpowering. A nice combination and good as a special treat!

1 comment:

  1. wish you would try the new Coconut Lime...we've just tried it, and its still almost full uneaten. Would like them to do a coffee mocha almond icecream (just in case you are reading Mr Coles product development manager).

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