The long weekend is finally here and a few parts of Scotland are set to bake in a sunny 20C heat - meaning summer has finally arrived.
With temperatures starting to rise, quite a few of us may have some garden parties or BBQ's planned to celebrate The Queen's Platinum Jubilee outside in the sun.
And, as soon as the sun makes an appearance, what better way to really cool down and appreciate the warmer weather than by scoffing on a nice chocolate ice cream?
Actually, let me rephrase that.
What better way to really cool down and appreciate the warmer weather than by scoffing on a smooth and decadent Magnum chocolate ice cream?
Let's face it, Magnum's are the absolute OG of chocolate covered ice cream bars and not a lot of others manage to match it's A-game.
With its perfect balance of smooth and cracking Belgian chocolate and velvety smooth vanilla ice cream, this simple ice cream has become the crown jewel of British ice cream.
And since this weekend is all about commemorating British royalty for the Queen's 70 years on the throne, I thought it was the perfect time to test out the royalty of ice cream.
That and the fact that, at £3 for a box of 4 ice creams, Magnum's are not exactly the cheapest ice creams on the market. So, I wanted to see if any budget supermarket versions could live up to the luxury chocolate ice cream - but for less pennies.
Helping me to attempt just that today was a couple of budget versions from two of the UK's biggest supermarkets - Morrisons and Asda. Both supermarkets offer their own versions of the iconic ice cream, but over 50% cheaper.
And, while I don't think either of these options will be replacing the OG Magnum in my freezer just yet, only one of them was a true disappointment.
Magnum classic
Like all taste tests, you need to set the standard for the rest of the competition to live up to - which is why I decided to start out with a Magnum ice cream.
This ice cream bar is instantly recognisable in packaging, appearance and taste. I had also, quite frankly, forgotten how chunky a Magnum ice cream is, making it quite decent value for the price you pay.
On first bite, the chocolate here is absolutely fantastic. It's smooth, rich and has the perfect cracking crunch that has become synonymous with Magnum's Belgian chocolate.
Then your mouth is hit with the creaminess of the velvety Madagascan Vanilla Ice Cream. Combined, the chocolate and ice cream flavours give you the most luxurious chocolate ice cream experience that will be tough to beat.
One thing I did notice, though, was that Magnum's ice cream does melt rather fast. Whether that is down to the ice cream being a lot more creamy, I don't know. But, it could cause a mess outside in the sun if not eaten fast enough.
Price: £3
Rating: 4.5/5
Asda Heavenly Moments
Next up for the official challenge was Asda and their budget-friendly Heavenly Moments Ice Creams that cost just £1 for a box of 3.
Granted, you are getting 1 less than you would with Magnum, so I was hoping that the £2 saving I was making would be totally worth it.
If I have to be honest, it's not a half bad job, but it's just not quite there to be perfect.
On first appearance, they seemed to be the smallest of the bunch, and had a bit more of a thinner and more rounded shape, compared to the wedge of Magnum.
On first bite, I did notice that the chocolate shell was a little thinner than the chunky Belgian chocolate that you get with a Magnum. That being said, it still had a delightful crunch to it and it was deliciously smooth.
As for the ice cream itself, it didn't melt as fast as a Magnum, which I think actually worked in its favour. It wasn't a solid ice cream, but enough to add to the crunch that you get with the chocolate shell.
I would say Asda's main downfall was the overall taste of the ice cream, as I personally felt I didn't get this burst out vanilla ice cream. I think, without the chocolate shell, this could be a bland ice cream.
Overall, not a terrible attempt from Asda.
Price: £1
Rating: 3.5/5
Morrisons Amour
Lastly, I decided to give Morrisons Amour a whirl to see if they could stand up to the mighty Magnum. Priced at £1.29 for a packet of 3, they are that bit dearer than Asda's, but still a whopping £1.79 cheaper than Asda's.
So, is the saving worth making the switch?
No. No, it absolutely is not.
I'll try not to be too harsh here, because I have no doubt there are worse tasting ice creams, and I am sure Morrisons has there dedicated fans.
I found that the chocolate shell was a lot thinner than both Magnum's and Asda's, and I also found that it didn't have that luxuriously smooth taste.
The ice cream itself was also a little bit more on the solid side and, when I took one bite, I really got the taste of just ice more than a chocolate ice cream.
Overall, not the best experience and definitely the blandest of the bunch and I feel it is thoroughly deserving of just one star.
Price: £1.29
Rating: 1/5
Verdict
Well, it might come as a surprise to absolutely no-one that Magnum has managed to retain it's crown - for now.
At the end of the day, Magnum's perfectly balanced chocolate and vanilla ice cream combo makes every bite a truly luxurious experience. There was also the added benefit of four ice creams in the box, compared to the supermarket boxes of three.
That being said, I do think that Asda's Heavenly Moments are not to be scoffed at. Had their ice cream had a bit more flavour, then I think they would be able to stand as tall as Magnum.
And at just £1, you can't really scoff at that, can you?
The Morrisons one was the one that seemed to melt under the pressure of being faced with such a luxurious ice cream, though. From its thin chocolate and zero flavour ice cream, it was a disappointment from start to finish.
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