Six-sided ice cream showdown

THEY say Australia ranks number three worldwide in per capita ice cream consumption, trailing only the US and New Zealand. But as far as I can tell, no country has a wider range of brands in its supermarket freezers.

That’s why I decided to stage an old-fashioned taste test with some of our more popular varieties. The idea was to give a fair go to an even spread of generic, mid-range and premium brands. No prejudices, no blindfolds, no chocolate syrup.

In ice cream land, basic vanilla is the most level playing field. Many brands offer “creamy” or “French” vanilla but for a truly base comparison, I’m sticking to the plain versions. The contenders are: Coles, Woolworths, Weis, Connoisseur, Peters and for lower calorie representation, Streets Blue Ribbon light.

This was not an easy taste test. With all the sugar and dairy swishing around the stomach, it’s easy to overdose on ice cream. You’ve got to take your time, small spoonfuls and rinse your mouth with water between samples. Direct comparison demands they all be tasted in relatively quick succession, so tummy aches are a distinct risk. In other words, don’t try this at home.

With warmer temperatures fast approaching, our ice cream consumption is about to skyrocket and chances are we’ll be eating one of these six popular brands (sorry, Bulla). But before you instinctively reach for your usual choice, take a minute to look over this review and scoop with confidence this summer.

Texture is certainly a matter of personal preference but if airiness is your thing, Woolworths definitely wins in the softness department. The ice cream has an almost whipped consistency to it, ideal for a dollop on a piece of cake but a bit awkward by itself in a bowl. The fluffy concoction disintegrates almost instantly in your mouth but despite sporting one of the longer ingredient lists, has a pleasant and natural tasting vanilla flavour. It was the most affordable ice cream, just above $2 for two litres. Cone-worthy, if a little uninspiring.

Connoisseur costs significantly more than most brands but provides a more “gourmet” experience. More cream than bean, it’s not exploding with vanilla flavour but serves as a natural tasting base, good for combining with fruit or other dessert foods. It has higher creaminess, a smoother, less fragile consistency than most brands and the darkest vanilla colour I’ve ever seen, nearing a yellowish-beige. The colour actually comes from an ingredient called 160b but as I watched a dab of it slide down the edge of my spoon, I could tell it was a more sophisticated recipe than the ingredient panel lets on.

The ice cream isn’t sliding down the edge of my spoon like Connoisseur but considering it costs less than half as much for twice the container size, I’m conceding a little leeway. Coles vanilla would be at home in a milkshake or banana split but lacks the presence of vanilla to stand on its own. It’s quite smooth but frosty, with snowflake-like crystals on the surface of each spoonful. It has a firm consistency, holding together with almost no puddle factor. This is a quality many people may appreciate but I had a low overall impression of this ice cream.

Like Connoisseur, Weis delivers a pricier and fancier ice cream, portioned in civilised one-litre containers. My first impression was, of course, the black specks of vanilla bean. But while Weis scores big points for being visually exciting, its sweetness can be a touch overwhelming. The sugar content is very noticeable and although a natural vanilla flavour floats on top, the candied pucker dominates. The brand is redeemed, however, by an exceptional texture. Weis squishes in the mouth without instantly liquefying. It has those microscopic ice crystals that peppered the Coles brand but finishes with more creaminess than Connoisseur.

Peters ice cream is an offshoot of the Nestle company, a food giant largely reputed for its sugary confections. So I guess I should have known this would be another very sweet affair, even sweeter than Weis. One normally expects vanilla to be light, fragrant and subtle but that’s not the case here. Peters is robust and I had to double check the container because I thought I had accidentally bought “white chocolate” ice cream. It’s that sweet. It’s gleaming white and cloudlike in the tub, yet no colouring ingredient is to be found on the side panel. The texture reminded me of Weis but the flavour seemed more chemical. Not bad but you may find it overly bold.

Maybe it would have been fairer to test Blue Ribbon’s regular vanilla variety but I couldn’t resist contrasting something light against the thickies above. Blue Ribbon proved to have the mildest vanilla flavour of all the day’s contenders. It beckons the accompaniment of fruit or cake, a quality that renders it a little unsatisfying on its own. Blue Ribbon melts quickly, so you’ll have to be prepared to scoop up puddles, but if those puddles soak into a cake, all the better. As a light ice cream, it clocks in at 163 calories per 100 grams, well below the heavyweights in our competition (Connoisseur packs 250cal/100g). A good overall ice cream, light on everything ­– including vanilla.