If its good enough for the Gods..... (Walls Magnum Mayan Mystica)

Member Name: hypno06

Product:	Walls Magnum Mayan Mystica
Date:	31/05/09 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Deeeeeelicious!

Disadvantages: Bit pricey....but worth it!

It is summer! Well, we have had more than two days of sunshine in a row - that has to be some sort of record, doesn't it?!

So, as summer is here, and I have bared my winter white legs for the first time, it is more than appropriate to be eating ice cream, and as summer is such a rarity, I am going to treat myself to good quality ice cream, rather than the value version.....so Magnums it is!

Magnums have been around a few years now, an upmarket version of the humble choc ice......sort of a big choc ice on a stick, at a big price. Individual Magnums frequently cost in the region of £1.50, even more at some places. But they are generally worth it - delicious ice cream, covered in a thick layer of chocolate. First marketed in their original guise - plain milk chocolate and vanilla ice-cream, (now called the Classic), a white chocolate one soon followed. Over the years, more versions have been introduced, including mint, almond, and caramel. I like the fact that in the vanilla icecream, you can see the black specks of the vanilla pod - makes it feel just a little bit more upmarket than bog standard choc-ices!

One of these newer varieties is the Mayan Mystica, and we treated ourselves to one each of these yesterday evening, to round off a nice day in the sun. The box describes these as "milk chocolate with delicate spice flavours"....hmm, interesting! I have to admit, that as my son brought the box in (they were his choice), I was a little disappointed, hoping he had brought the classic ones home......and I didn't really fancy spiced ice-cream....still, ice-cream is ice-cream, and I wasn't miffed enough to put it in the freezer for someone else to have later!

**What Walls say about Magum Mayan Mystica**

"In the Mayan culture, chocolate was referred to as the food of the Gods. It was first prepared as a beverage flavoured with spices like cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg, chilli and sometimes honey and dried flowers. To bring you a new Magnum chocolate experience we searched these ancient Mayan traditions and the original chocolate recipes known as Liquid Gold to create a magical Magnum chocolate recipe: Decadent chocolate ice cream, coated with Milk Chocolate blended with warm notes of cinnamon, honey and nutmeg flavours"

Well, it would have been rude not to try it, wouldn't it - after they have made all that effort to create something suitable for the Gods.....?

So, on opening the packet, it looks very much like a classic magnum - thick milk chocolate covering the whole thing - the ingredients state that 25% of the product is chocolate - so that gives you an idea of the thickness of the stuff. And when you bite into it, it cracks beautifully! Hold your hand underneath though, to catch any bits that drop off - this is too good to waste!

Once you bite into it, though, you start to experience a whole new ice-cream experience. The ice-cream is chocolatey, but not like chocolate ice-cream, if that makes any sense at all! It really is lovely and cinnamonny, and the nutmeg really comes through. Think of the difference between apple pie without cinnamon and nutmeg, and apple pie with cinnamon and nutmeg, and you will start to get an idea of what you are going to get here.

The flavours are very delicate, but definitely noticeable. They really do come through the chocolate without being overpowering - this is a delicious ice-cream, there is no denying it!

I was expecting a bit of a let down, but what I got was a delicious taste of exotic spices - warming and comforting yet with all the yumminess of ice-cream on a summer's evening! I would like to be able to buy a tub of the ice-cream itself, and have it melting on apple crumble.......drool, drool......!

So, if you want something a little different, give these a go - we paid £2.80 for a box of three from our local village supermarket, but you are likely to be able to get them much cheaper or on offer in larger supermarkets. But be warned, once in your house, they are unlikely to last long!

Nutritionwise - urm, well, of course they are laden with calories and fat - 282 calories and 18g of fat per Magnum......on the other hand, because it is summer, you will be eating loads of salad won't you, which will more than offset the extra calories consumed.

Summary: Lets hope for a long hot summer!