It’s ice cream season, and these days if it isn’t a low calorie and/or protein infused version of the frozen treat, it’s some kind of gimmick to keep things interesting at the grocery store. In 2014 it was Ben & Jerry’s Core lineup, and last year it was Haagen Dazs’ Trio’s. This year, ice cream bar specialists Magnum are cramming their bar-expertise into pints with a new line of ice cream in tubs. Dark Chocolate Raspberry combines raspberry ice cream and dark chocolate shards in a cracking dark chocolate shell.

Breaking into this container is a lot of fun. The side of the pint suggests squeezing to crack, and after letting the ice cream temper for about 5 minutes, I unveiled the lovely chocolate layer and squeezed to big audible crunchy delight. The dark chocolate on top is pretty thick, about half an inch or so, and takes some good spoon pounding to get through even after an aggressive squeeze. The lid proudly states that it’s made with 65% cacao and you can really tell. It’s rich, smooth, and sugary with a great bittersweet presence that tastes and feels high quality.

The raspberry ice cream is also great. Incredibly lush and creamy but not overly dense, it’s clearly a premium full fat base but it isn’t so heavy that the wonderful fruity notes aren’t able to cut through with conviction. Sometimes the sharp acidic flavor of raspberries or blackberries can get lost in the epic depth of heavy cream, but here they’re on full display. Only slightly tart and perfectly sweet, the ice cream is very true to the lovely profile of one of my favorite berries. There’s nothing perfumey or cloying about the flavor but it’s very full, and Magnum hit the balance of decadent yet bright right on the head.

The dark chocolate layer on the top perfectly compliments the luscious raspberry ice cream for a bite that is sweet, rich, and slightly bitter; and thanks to the dark chocolate shards and layer of chocolate alongside the side of the pint that wonderful pairing never lets up. The shards are smaller than Graeter’s massive chunks but significantly bigger than an average chocolate chip or flake. They’re integrated throughout in varying sizes and add great texture and flavor to the expertly churned ice cream.

Dark chocolate and raspberry are a classic complimentary pairing that I’ve always loved, and this iteration from Magnum is no exception. While the concept is a bit gimmicky in theory, at its core and in its heart this is a no frills one-two punch pint of chocolate-heavy raspberry richness that delivers everything it promises.

Rating: 8/10

Found at: Safeway ($4.99)