It’s beginning to look a lot like summer, and this means that it’s officially ice cream season. In the spirit of warm days and blue skies, I hereby welcome unicorn ice creams to the blog!

Unicorn eats have galloped into the hearts of foodies over the past few years, hence rising to become one of the most beloved and enchanting food trends. Essentially, foods that are in the ‘unicorn’ category contribute magical vibes to the food realm through its signature rainbow-themed color scheme, with the primary colors being various shades of pink, purple and blue. Staying true to the “you eat with your eyes first” philosophy, the unicorn concept tends to be a crossover between visual arts and food. Most of these foods are fabulous taste-wise, but they are (almost) too gorgeous to eat!

Having been captivated by countless magical storybooks as a child, unicorn eats remind me of the characters I adored. They look like foods that fairies and unicorns from those stories would make and tuck into! It’s no wonder that when I was strolling along the frozen desserts aisle in search for a new member to the summer edition of my snack stash, I was drawn to a stack of mini ‘uniCornetto’ ice cream boxes. The uniCornetto by Wall’s Cornetto ice cream has made waves here on the island with its magical flavors and pretty colors.

A flavorful blend of marshmallow and cotton candy is featured in 12 mini unicorn-themed Cornetto ice creams. While all 12 of these ice creams are identical in the flavor department, a key difference lies in aesthetics: half of them are purple and the rest are blue. Sitting on top of the ice creams are splashes of pink strawberry jam.

Cotton candy ice cream is an old pal to my taste buds, and it has been forever since I last tasted this fun flavor that spells ‘SUMMER’. Also, I was curious about Cornetto’s definition of “mini”. It is surprising that a dozen ice creams fit in the medium-sized box perfectly. Perhaps it’s magic? Well, as the hit song ‘Magic’ by Pilot states, “never believe it’s not so”. With the ideas of having a taste of summer and solving a mini mystery, a box of uniCornettos sat comfortably in my basket.

I couldn’t wait to unbox the ice creams! In terms of size, the ice creams are longer than my index fingers, and each ice cream fits into my palm with ample space. They are the tiniest cones of ice creams I’ve seen by far! These fun-sized treats seem to align with the vibe of chocolate bars due to their snack-like size. I can picture them being perfect to satisfy cravings for a sweet yet refreshing snack on sunny days.

Upon unwrapping both ice creams, it is noticeable that their appearances are close to the images on the box. The purple version shines in a lovely soft shade of lavender, and the blue version stands out in a striking bubblegum-blue color. The cones are dusted in a pastel pink hue with tinges of traditional ice cream cone’s light golden brown shade. Glistening on top of the ice creams is a deep-pink strawberry jam, which looks right at home on the ice creams. The jam looks just like swirls on peppermint candies!

In the introductory bites, cotton candy’s signature flavor shines alongside strawberry jam’s sweet and gentle tart notes. ‘Cotton candy ice cream’ and ‘strawberry jam’ aren’t typically stringed together in the same sentence, but this combination works impressively like two peas in a pod. Although the jam’s touch is rather bold, it doesn’t overshadow the cotton candy. To my taste buds, the combo is a twist on strawberry-flavored cotton candy. The ice cream is soft and creamy like classic Cornettos, and it isn’t super soft like soft serves or dense like gelato. Strawberry jam’s thick and smooth consistency is equally pleasant.

A few bites later, the spotlight solely shines on the ice cream as soon as the jam takes a bow. This is when the crispy cone springs into action through a supporting role: behind its waffle-y exterior, the cone is thoroughly coated in milk chocolate in a quintessential Cornetto fashion.

Tasting the ice cream on its own, I realized that cotton candy is more prominent than marshmallow to my taste buds. That said, the ice cream’s flavor isn’t as strong as pure cotton candy ice creams. My theory is that marshmallow’s undertones refine cotton candy’s presence, therefore resulting in a balance of flavors holistically. The ice cream isn’t overly sweet either, hence being pleasant to my palate.

The uniCornettos are wonderful introductions to cotton candy ice cream for anyone who is tasting this glorious frozen confection for the very first time. Seasoned cotton candy ice cream eaters will enjoy the ice creams too, as cotton candy’s magic is celebrated while introducing a few flavorful friends – strawberry jam and chocolate to be precise – to the ice cream we know and love.