It’s very egg-citing.
First we are treated to the news that the end of lockdown is in sight, next it’s Easter and for us that means indulging in the decadent selection of eggs carted out for the occasion.
Life in lockdown hasn’t been easy but if there’s one thing that can get us through the next few months, it’s the latest and greatest offering from expert chocolatiers, from heavy-weights like Cadbury’s, Nestle, and Hotel Chocolat to more independent confectioners.
If you’ve given up chocolate for Lent, Easter is the time to truly indulge your sweet tooth - and this year’s hatch is better than ever.
To ease in the otherwise very challenging selection process, we have taken the time to personally sample each and everyone of the below to find you the ones worth splashing the cash on.
Some simply nailed the classics - we’re looking at you Kit Kat and Aero - whereas others took egg-cellent ideas and ran with creating works of edible art. Honourable mention also goes to new additions like the mash-up of white chocolate and Oreo - thank you chocolate gods.
Not an egg but in the truly trying testing process, we were thrilled to discover a new addition to Cadbury’s Easter line-up in the form of the mini egg bar - just try and resist it.
Enjoy!
Hotel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel Showstopping Egg
Ready to cue the squeals of delight, Hotel de Crillon has pulled out all the stops this Easter. At Le Boudoir - the Parisian bolthole’s chocolate shop - the renowned Head Pastry Chef Matthieu Carlin has crafted a chocolate sculpture that can only be described as show-stopping. Using Caribbean and Dominican Republic origin dark chocolate, it shows a car - a 1973 Citroen DS to be specific - racing through the Place de la Concorde streets. Truffles are used to recreate the pavement.
Waitrose Chocolate Pomegranate
File this under the wacky and wonderful category because this year, Waitrose is taking a very different approach to its Easter egg offering. You may be surprised to learn that this pomegranate is in fact crafted from Fairtrade white chocolate with the sweet and fruity taste that you know and love from the seeds.
Cadbury White Oreo
Bring joy to your at-home Easter celebrations with the help of Cadbury’s who has launched a very special new addition to its range. Think white chocolate sprinkled with Oreo cookie crumbs. As delicious as it sounds. But don’t take our word for it, pop this in your shopping trolley and you won’t be disappointed.
Deliveroo Mystic Egg
Each Easter, Deliveroo serves up an usual treat as wacky and wonderful as the year before. After the success of the Creme Egg pizza and Invisible Eggs, for 2021, you can have the Mystic Egg delivered straight to your door. Crafted in collaboration with psychic Mystic Meg, crack into the dark chocolate vegan egg to find your fortune. The exterior resembles that of a crystal ball with a cosmic inspired teal, purple and gold pattern - but edible. It is available from March 31.
Morrisons The Best Gold Lustre Easter Egg
Why settle for just one egg when you can have a nesting doll-esque alternative with this option from Morrisons? The very first layer has a smooth milk chocolate with a chocolate vermicelli coating. Within this, you’ll find a dark chocolate egg decorated with white chocolate and at the very centre, a hand-shimmered milk chocolate egg - the star of the show that will not disappoint.
Mariage Frères Tea-Infused Easter Egg
Tea lovers rejoice, your favourite brew now comes in chocolate form thanks to luxury French emporium Mariage Frères. Tis the season and to celebrate you can find the Joyeux Easter Eggs with a creamy ganache with Thé de Pâques tea’s gourmet crème brûlée combined with four flavour infusions; dark chocolate, almond paste, almond praline and hazelnut gianduja. The eggs are decorated with a playful colourful dot detail.
Evok Chicken Coup
Taking a playful approach to its Easter display this year, the Parisian hotel collection Evok has crafted a chicken coup where the chickens are made from milk, dark, almond and pralines - each as show-stopping as the last and designed to represent its portfolio of hotels, from the Marais-based Sinner, to the Nolinski.
Joe & Seph’s Chocolate Popcorn Easter Egg
Joe & Seph is giving you the chance to win the Easter jackpot this year with the delectable combination of popcorn and chocolate that we didn’t know we needed. But this is no ordinary popcorn. It’s Salted Caramel and has been embedded into the milky shell. We’ll take five.
Also available directly at Joe & Seph’s
Butlers Chocolates White Wrapped White Chocolate Easter Egg
Dive into the luxe pearlescent wrapping to reveal something special. A white chocolate egg that, when cracked into, will reveal mini chocolate truffle eggs. From Dublin-based chocolatiers, its creamy, smooth and delicious. What’s more, the packaging is recyclable.
Melt Strawberry Easter Egg
Pictures may be deceiving as this Easter egg is not your run-of-the-mill strawberry. While cleverly disguised as the fruit, it is in fact a dark chocolate treat, coated in fresh strawberries. Taste-wise, imagine you are strawberry picking and sampling one of the wild iterations. Clashing beautifully with the juiciness, is rich and creamy dark chocolate, making it perfect for vegans. The “stem” is passionfruit-flavoured chocolate.
The brand is also offering a Dark Sea Salt Egg, Milk Sea Salt Egg, Wild Egg (using organic cocoa beans from Bolivia’s Amazon rainforest), Acorn Egg and a Milk Chocolate Sugar Free Egg - that are all as show-stopping.
Allpress Espresso Easter Egg
The collaboration we didn’t know we needed, Allpress Espresso has teamed up with New Zealand chocolatier Bennetts to delight coffee lovers everywhere. There are two flavours available in the carton; Double Espresso with 80 per cent cocoa dark chocolate combined with the brand’s signature Espresso blend for an indulgent yet bittersweet taste for those who like their morning cuppa black. Then there’s the Flat White to better suit milky brew lovers. It is made from 45 per cent cocoa with a double shot of A.R.T Espresso Roast.
Available March 15 - £15 | Allpress Espresso
Guylian Belgian Chocolate Easter Eggs
For fans of the brand’s signature shells, you’re in for a treat this Easter with the delicious Belgian chocolate in egg form. For 2021, Guylian has removed all foil and plastic for a more sustainable take on the occasion. There are two eggs on offer; the classic Easter egg complete with the signature seahorse design and the Temptations complete with a milk, dark and white chocolate snack bag.
Hotel Chocolat Salted Caramel Hard-Boiled Egg
This architecturally-impressive egg takes its exterior inspiration from the Tate Modern with a jewelled facet design that’s enough to turn heads alone. But the flavours are the true selling point. While there are classic combinations of dark, mint, brownie, ginger and supermilk, we’re looking to the salted caramel to satisfy our cravings with the perfect balance of sweet and salt. Yum.
Cadburys Dairy Milk Orange Giant Buttons Easter Egg
Does this count as one of your five-a-day? Probably not, but you’ll be able to sample to perfect marrying of fruit and sweetness. A new addition to Cadbury’s Easter range, the Dairy Milk Orange Giant Buttons Egg comes complete with a pleasingly large egg, as well as a go-bag of the fan-favourites. All bases covered.
Kit Kat Chunky Milk Chocolate Easter Egg
For the taste-factor guaranteed, you can’t go wrong with the Kit Kat Chunky egg that is perfect for a much needed sugar hit to break up the working from home monotony. It comes with an egg crafted in the delicious milk chocolate alongside two bars of the crispy coated wafer finger.
Aero Bubbles Milk Chocolate Easter Egg
For decadence without the heavy richness, Aero’s Easter egg will hit the spot. In this seasonal snack pack, you’ll be treated to an egg alongside milk chocolate with the brand’s signature aerated centre.
Aldi Easter Chocolate Eggs
Budget supermarket Aldi has gone all out on its Easter offering this year to bring you artisan-style eggs sure to delight even the pickiest of chocolate fans. Whether it’s ruby chocolate or you want something different with popping candy, there is something to delight all tastes.
We’re eyeing up the Specially Selected Exquisite Beehive Egg crafted from Fairtrade blonde chocolate with chunky honeycomb and bee pollen. It is also adorned with milk chocolate honey caramel filled bees, finished with a luxe gold lustre and paired with 12 milk chocolate and salted caramel truffles. Mouth watering yet?
Special mention to the brand’s Giant Dragon Egg, back by popular demand. Crafted with Belgian milk chocolate, it is finished with a decorative gold, orange and copper detail.
