Spring into summer indulgence with our Ice Cream of the Gods

Simmer down this summer with the help of sumptuous cacao-infused ice cream. Step into one of our Hotel Chocolat cafes for a refreshingly fresh treat.

Have you tried our Ice Cream of the Gods?

The British summertime is once again upon us, and our taste buds are tingling for something a little more on the cooling and refreshing side. While our expertise lies in chocolate, we know that it’s not usually the go-to refreshment or snack for many on a blistering day. However, we like to think we know a thing or two about re-inventing the wheel.

Our chocolate isn’t just for cosying up with on the sofa on a cold and drizzly evening — it’s also for sipping in the form of an iced chocolate drink or for enjoying in a tub, a cone or as an indulgent ice cream sundae.

With 138 locations across the UK, you can experience the unique flavour of unadulterated cacao during any and every season — no matter where your summer travels take you.

If you had to ask us our favourite way to enjoy chocolate during hot weather? It has to be in ice cream form. Let’s learn a little bit more about our beloved Ice Cream of the Gods and why it’s an experience you shouldn’t miss out on in one of our 103 eligible locations.

What is Hotel Chocolat’s Ice Cream of the Gods?

We’ll start off by saying that it is no ordinary ice cream by any means. In fact, it’s completely one-of-a-kind. We don’t blow our own trumpet very often, but if we do, it’s for a good reason.

The story behind Ice Cream of the Gods

It took us a good while to finally make our very own ice cream. Not through procrastination or lack of effort, but because we didn’t want it to be ordinary, or something you’d easily come across when walking down the high street. We wanted our ice cream to be different, to be daring, and to be utterly irresistible in every sense of the word.

So, we went back to where we began and landed in front of the humble cacao bean. From this, we decided to infuse our ice cream with pure roasted cacao nibs — something no other company had ever done before.

How is it different from other chocolate ice creams?

When we first came up with the idea of an exclusive Hotel Chocolat ice cream, we realised there were no recipes out there for what we wanted to do. This left our Head Chef, David Demaison, with a big task ahead of him — but one that would ultimately pay off.

In true chocolatier style, Demaison started from scratch by crushing the cacao nibs into a fine powder before infusing it directly into our ice cream made from a mixture of Jersey milk and cream. After 48 hours of infusing, the simple ice cream mixture had turned into a taupe colour with a flavour like no other — one which we aptly named the Ice Cream of the Gods.

We named our chocolate ice cream creation not just for its distinctive flavour, but also as a nod to the cacao plant itself named Theobroma. Did you know that it translates literally to ‘food of the gods’?

It’s all well and good for us to explain the vanilla undertones and the nutty bite of our ice cream, but the only way to truly understand is to experience it yourself in one of our cafes.

Our cafe’s best-selling ice creams and iced chocolate drinks

Once you step foot into one of our cafe locations, you may be wondering what we have on our menu for you to experience.

Our cafe experience ensures that our guests leave our store with something new every time — whether that be a new chocolate Selector to nibble on, a piece of information to share, or a new flavour experience to be had.

Ice Cream of the Gods

• Ice Cream Tub: Go back to basics with a hearty tub of our Jersey milk ice cream. Accessorised with a seasonal shard and your choice of sauce.
  
• Ice Cream Cone: Jersey milk ice cream, a cone for nibbling, and a shard for a cacao burst of flavour. A three-in-one flavour experience topped with your choice of sauce.
  
• Billionaire’s Sundae: Made with our Ice Cream of the Gods, combined with our Billionaire’s Shortbread chocolate and crispy pearls for a pop of texture. Take your pick from two sauces of your choice.

• Mango & Passionfruit Sundae: Our Ice Cream of the Gods, combined with a zingy mango ripple and a tangy passion-fruit sauce. The perfect summer companion. Topped with a slice of sunshine — a yellow shard made from our white chocolate.

Chocolate shakes

• Milky: Mellow milk chocolate, melted into our delectable Ice Cream of the Gods.

• Salted Caramel: Dulce de leche enhanced by a light pinch of sea salt.

• Dark: Smooth dark chocolate mellowed by our Ice Cream of the Gods.

• Iced Coffee: Where espresso and award-winning ice cream come head-to-head. Creamy, malty, with mellow coffee notes.

• Vanilla-White: Our creamiest drink to date. Vanilla milk chocolate set upon our Ice Cream of the Gods.

• Hazelnut-Dark: Enhance the natural creaminess of hazelnut chocolate with the malty and mellow flavour of our Jersey milk ice cream.

Not a fan of cold chocolate drinks? Don’t worry, you can get any flavour as a hot beverage, too.

A chat with Aishah — Store Manager of Hotel Chocolat Milton Keynes

We were lucky enough to have a chat with one of our esteemed Hotel Chocolat employees — Aishah. She has spent 11 years working hard in our Milton Keynes shop and cafe, connecting with guests to deliver the most memorable Hotel Chocolat experience possible, all while simultaneously becoming an expert in our Ice Cream of the Gods collection.

The one-of-a-kind shopping experience we provide begins at the very heart of our locations — and this lies within our wonderful employees.

Which sauces can guests choose from in the Milton Keynes cafe?

Customers can take their pick from a variety of sauces to enhance the mellow flavour of our Jersey milk ice cream. We have four sauces available, including chocolate, raspberry, chocolate hazelnut, and salted caramel.

What’s your favourite way to enjoy Ice Cream of the Gods?

It would have to be in a cone — because you can eat the cone as an extra nibble! I also like to add the chocolate hazelnut sauce. It’s made from a grounded hazelnut paste and has an incredibly authentic flavour that customers can’t get enough of.

What’s your best-selling ice cream product?

Definitely the Billionaire’s Ice Cream Sundae. Customers really enjoy the combination of our salted caramel and chocolate hazelnut sauces.

What do you think makes Ice Cream of the Gods so special?

I think what makes our ice cream so special is that it’s not just your standard vanilla ice cream — it’s a Jersey blend, made from the finest ingredients for a creamy taste and velvety mouthfeel.

This means it isn’t ever too sweet, and its lower sugar content means the cacao nibs bring out a nutty, roasted edge. I think our Jersey milk-based ice cream is desirable for many of our guests as it’s not as heavy as other places that offer ice cream baes of full-fat milk and cream.

Start your summer off right with Ice Cream of the Gods

Now that you know all about our Ice Cream of the Gods range, all that’s left for you to do is pop into your nearest Hotel Chocolat location and try out our iced chocolate shakes and ice creams for yourself. Can’t wait? You can try making your own iced chocolate drink with The Velvetiser before your visit.

Many of our cafes offer comfy seating in a relaxed environment and are open until 7 pm, so you can come along for a catch-up with your nearest and dearest or as an after-school treat with the little ones.

Check your nearest store’s opening times and come and experience the delight of cacao-infused ice cream first-hand.

By Ian Mackie