Easter is only two weeks away, with workers looking forward to four days off to devour chocolate eggs.
An estimated 80 million are sold each year in the UK but if you are after something a little bit special look no further. Here are our picks of the best luxury Easter eggs on sale this year:
Hotel Chocolat
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The much-loved British purveyor of fine chocolate, Hotel Chocolat, measured up an actual ostrich egg – the largest egg of any living bird – to create this mammoth Easter offering. The Classic Ostrich Egg is made with half 40 per cent milk chocolate with crunchy cookies and puffed rice, and half 50 per cent milk chocolate with crispy feuilletine. A dark version (pictured above) is also available,made with half 70% dark chocolate with almonds and a dash of salt, and half 70% dark chocolate with hazelnuts and another sprinkling of salt.
Both giant eggs come with a tray of 27 delicious chocolates – pralines, truffles, caramels and more – plus six hidden golden eggs secluded somewhere in the box for you to hunt. The exclusive Easter gift amounts to more than a kilo of chocolate - which should keep you going until next Easter.
Handmade in England to Fortnum & Mason’s high standards, each of these Easter eggs is entirely unique. The outer layer of the milk, dark and white chocolate eggs are melted, tempered, and moulded by expert chocolatiers. The surface is then hand decorated with sugar flowers. But don’t be scared to crack open this piece of art; inside you’ll find a selection of handmade chocolate shapes. Weighing in at 227g, this decadent masterpiece makes the perfect Easter gift.
Four-time winner of the Academy of Chocolate's 'Britain's Best Chocolatier' award William Curley created this indulgent gold-burnished egg for Kensington’s five-star Blakes Hotel. Its elaborate exterior is inspired by the hotel’s ornate decor, the work of interior designer Anouska Hempel.
The delicately scalloped thick outer shell conceals a hidden treasure - chocolate-coated sweet ginger and zingy orangettes - and the whole confection is presented in an elegant black box which echoes the hotel’s striking black facade.
Blakes Hotel x William Curley egg, £35; williamcurley.co.uk or directly from Blakes Hotel
Betty’s Spring Flowers Egg
Celebrate spring in full bloom with this beautifully decorated egg, crafted from the finest Swiss Grand Cru milk chocolate and stippled with dark chocolate. It creates a smooth texture that is just the right side of sweet and is the perfect base for the hand-piped chocolate swirls and royal icing flowers. A decoration of ferns, bluebells, pansies, and narcissi give this elegant Easter creation a bright and whimsical touch.
Large Milk Chocolate Spring Flowers Egg, £57.50; bettys.co.uk
Paul A Young Monet Eggs
Top UK chocolatier Paul A Young is taking inspiration from the iconic impressionist artist’s style this year using pastels and metallics. Made with Guittard chocolate, these eggs are 72% dark, and 38% milk and white chocolate. Inside is a gaggle of half dark, half milk or white chocolate chicks covered with rainbow sprinkles. The eggs come in small, medium and large sizes, with extra-large available upon request.
The hotel has drawn on its Art Deco heritage for a chic egg that takes inspiration from its iconic black-and-white checkerboard lobby. Available in milk, white and dark chocolate variations, each egg is painstakingly handmade over three days and comes stuffed with chocolate praline quail eggs.
The renowned Italian chocolatier started perfecting its chocolate in 1878, and hasn’t stopped innovating since. This year the brand added two new luxury Easter eggs to its already extensive collection. One newcomer, the Allegro, is a thing of beauty, featuring a white chocolate shell lined with crunchy, crystallised raspberry grains.
Belgian chocolatier Pierre Marcolini is bringing the love this Easter. The simple and sweet design makes the ideal gift for friends and loved ones. White chocolate hearts adorn the milk chocolate base. Inside are 30 small eggs of various flavours that Marcolini has made especially for the season. The mix of chocolates makes an elegant gift for those with uncertain tastes.
Pierre Marcolini Big Lovely Heart Egg £49; marcolini.com
Prestat Pink Popping Prosecco Easter Egg
This fun twist on a classic chocolate egg is made for those who embrace a pink-filled aesthetic. The decadent gold and pink packaging is a sneak preview for what’s inside. The shell of this decadent egg is milk chocolate, crafted with 31% cocoa. Inside lays popping pink Prosecco mini-truffles with Prosecco-infused dark chocolate ganache centres. But if bubbly is not quite your thing, fear not - the same style comes in a variety of flavours: London gin truffle, Marc de champagne truffle, ruby chocolate, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, and sea salt caramel.
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