Mairi Mackay
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Whether you are scouring the aisles for sugary, shiny treats for your kids or browsing the local deli for an organic, 70 per cent cocoa indulgence for yourself there has never been more choice for chocolate lovers at Easter.
In all price ranges and across all tastes it is now possible to buy good quality chocolate eggs with a high cocoa content. Even better, garish packaging is being replaced by the likes of handpainted wooden eggs, and pleasingly kitsch boxes with more than a nod to Victoriana.
Of course, the sugar highs of the trashier end of the Easter egg market traditionally beloved of the Brits are still readily available (and this list includes a few of the yummiest) but in the post-Green & Blacks era, it is just as easy to find the dark, organic, fairtrade and handmade kind.
So, here are 20 of the best arranged in price order and now it's over to you for the hard bit - choosing.
1. Divine Milk Chocolate Easter Egg
For once, chocolate with a clear conscience. Yummy fairtrade egg filled with lots of tiny solid chocolate eggs.
£4.99, www.divinechocolates.com, 020 7387 6550
2. Tesco White Chocolate Crème Brulee Egg
Enormous white chocolate egg with crunchy butterscotch bits running through. Scrumptious but not for the sugar shy.
£4.99, www.tesco.com, 0845 7225533
3. Sainsburys Taste the Difference Fruit and Nut Belgian Milk Chocolate Egg
Another huge egg, this time with chopped nuts and the odd raisin mixed into pretty decent chocolate.
£6.99, www.sainsburys.co.uk, 0800 636 262
4. Rococo White Chocolate Easter Egg - BEST FOR PACKAGING
The cult chocolatier moulds 28 per cent cocoa solids with a kick of vodka into a goose-egg size. Great Victoriana packaging too.
£8.95, www.rococochocolates.com, 020 7352 5857
5. The Chocolate Empire Handmade Organic Earl Grey Easter Egg
An unlikely but successful combination of bergamot and milk chocolate from this Brighton-based chocolatier.
£10, www.abelandcole.co.uk, 08452 626 262
6. Moo Free Chocolates Organic Vegan & Dairy Free Dark Easter Egg
Even if you are not lactose intolerant or vegan this is delicious dark chocolate made with 73 per cent cocoa.
£8.99, www.alotofchocolate.co.uk, 0845 094 6498
7. Green and Blacks Milk Egg with Miniature Chocolate Bars
The original organic chocolate brand lets you choose your favourite flavour for the egg and then gives you all the others in little bars.
£12.00, www.greenandblacksdirect.com, 0870 242 2597
8. Chocolate Alchemist Milk Chocolate Nut Jewelled Egg
Delicious milk chocolate studded with almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts.
£14.50, www.abelandcole.co.uk , 08452 626 262
9. James Chocolates Single Origin Ecuador Dark Chocolate Egg
Maximise the health benefits and minimise the sugar with this 70 per cent chocolate.
£15, www.johnlewis.com, 08456 049 049
10. Booja Booja Large Ginger Wine Truffle Egg
Award-winning stem ginger and dark chocolate organic truffles inside wooden eggs handpainted in Kashmir.
£18.99, www.boojabooja.com, 01508 558 888
11. L'Artisan du Chocolat Eco Chick Egg
Organic chocolate made from Peruvian beans encased in beautiful pastel coloured shell inspired by wild birds' eggs.
£18.99, www.artisanduchocolat.com, 020 7824 8365
12. Oeuf Orfevre, Dark Chocolate Easter Egg
Dark chocolate Easter egg, flecked with gold and silver leaf and filled with miniature solid versions.
£18.99, www.chocolatetrading.co.uk , 08700 508 244
13. Prestat Marc De Champagne Easter Egg
Bright purple, gold and green packaging that is practically tastier than the milk chocolate egg. Great truffles too.
£22, www.prestat.co.uk, 0800 0213 123
14. Fortnum & Mason Three Excellent Eggs - BEST FOR CONNOISSEURS
Three dark chocolate eggs made with beans from three different origins - Madagascar, São Tome and Arriba.
£22.50 , www.fortnumandmason.com, 020 7734 8040
15. Charbonnel et Walker Rose and Violet Plain Chocolate Egg
Classic rose and violet creams inside a plain chocolate egg - well, if the Queen likes them...
£25, www.charbonnel.co.uk, 020 7491 0939
16. William Curley Amedei Chocolate Egg filled with House Dark Truffles - BEST FOR TASTE
One whiff of this egg from the UK's premier chocolatier tells you instantly that it is a cut above. Will appease the most discerning chocolate lover's palate.
£25-£50, www.williamcurley.co.uk, 0208 740 4857
17. The Eggsibitionist Extra Large Chocolate Easter Egg
Almost a kilo of indulgence "flaunting" 32 praline and ganache filled mini eggs and handmade chocolates so if it's size that matters to you...
£46, www.hotelchocolat.co.uk, 08444 931313
18. Giorgio Armani Dolci Easter Egg
You've got the 'It bag', the 'It shoes' and now - if you happen to be jetting to Milan this Easter - you can get yourself the 'It Easter Egg'.
From €60, www.giorgioarmani.com, +39 02 76003234
19. Paul A Young Bespoke Easter Egg
Haute couture chocolate however you want it by the innovative chocolatier behind marmite chocolates and port and stilton truffles.
£95, www.paulayoung.co.uk, 020 7424 5750
20. Maison du Chocolat Oeuf Tresor
Make the ultimate easter statement with a solid Valrhona chocolate egg covered in a kilo of golden leaf designs. But be quick - only five have been made.
£550, www.harveynichols.com, 0207 235 5000
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We use Chouchoute in Birmingham, handmade chocolates by a Frenchman. All the chocolates we ever bought from there are unique and the packaging is very good too.
www.chouchoute.co.uk
Gail, Birmingham,
very stange to see so many foreign makes - would have thought the Times would look at more home grown talent!
I jsut went ot my locoal chocolate shop and found the most unique and wonderful gifts for easter.
Jane, london,
For unusual eggs I've stocked up for my family egg hunt with hand painted flavoured eggs from Demarquette Fine Chocolates (http://www.demarquette.co.uk). Actually not that much more expensive than the highstreet, and you get quality chocolate that's unique. Can't wait to go hunting.
Stephen Turner, London, UK
Your link to William Curley goes to a site which boldly advertises delivery for Christmas 2007 and not a mention of Easter. Presumably they still exist or you would not have featured them, but their website is of no use at all.
Leon Tanner, Strat,
Anouska, I did take the time to read it properly. I quoted (read cut'n'pasted) the original article - it's been corrected.
Gavin Baxter, London,
Lainey, London,
We are not snobs we just have a good taste in chocolate to splash out a bit on a delicious, slightly more expensive eggs instead of the common, cheap, prosessed made ones.
Don't get me wrong, I do eat cadbury, but there is more to chocolate....
Laura, York,
Gavin, I think you'll find, if you took the time to read it properly, that is says "a kilo of golden leaf designs." Not the same thing.
Anouska, Reading,
Chocolate Trading Companies eggs are my favourites as they look so different and the ingredients used to create them are the purist it seems. For instance, they use un-refined cane sugar and bourbon vanilla pod, not that horrible tasting artifcial vanillin. They are also soya lecithin free and don't contain any artifical flavourings or hydrogenated fats. My advice, don't just go for the price or look but check out the ingredients too as that's what truly makes the best egg IMO and surely is more important. PS, They have a policy also to not package in plastics...so much to consider now isn't there but at least they have made it much easier than some.
John Dawson, Edinburgh, UK
20. Maison du Chocolat Oeuf Tresor
Make the ultimate easter statement with a solid Valrhona chocolate egg covered in a kilo of gold leaf. But be quick - only five have been made.
£550, www.harveynichols.com, 0207 235 5000
Unlikely, since a kilo of gold leaf would set you back about 20,000 quid.
Gavin Baxter, London,
You have also omitted Hotel Chocolat - www.hotelchocolat.co.uk - and their wonderful selection of Easter eggs, both mini and extra large.
Other chocolates they make are delicious too!
Sanya, Portsmouth, UK
You snobs! What happened to a nice Cadburys Buttons Easter Egg? :0)
Lainey, London,
I think you missed Lick the Spoon from this list.
Winner of the 2007 Taste of the West awards for confectionery they have a wonderful selection of handmade chocolate Easter eggs!
http://www.lickthespoon.co.uk/easter.asp
The best hand tempered chocolate you will see
http://www.lickthespoon.co.uk/marbled_easter_egg.asp
Matthew Short, Swindon, Wiltshire
I found a fab egg at the farm shop from Lick the Spoon who are in Chippenham. Really unusual with an Easter Bunny design, perfect for my daughter! I've had their chocolates before and they are superb.
Gracie Weston, Bristol, UK