This Easter, many people will be celebrating a season of rebirth and renewal. However, it's also a time to get stuck in to sweet treats, primarily chocolate Easter eggs.
But where does the well-loved tradition of giving Easter chocolate come from? Katherine Tegan, author of "The Story of the Easter Bunny", told Real Simple that the custom of giving chocolate eggs first started in "19th-century France and Germany, and soon spread to the rest of Europe and eventually the United States". Many people are also "eager to eat chocolate" at Easter after abstaining from the sweet treat during the Christian festival of Lent, the website added.
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H!P Chocolate: Cookies No Cream Egg
This vegan chocolate brand is the latest innovation of James Cadbury, the great-great-great-grandson of John Cadbury, who created the beloved chocolate brand known across the globe. Sampling this egg, it is easy to see why it has bagged a Great Taste Award. While other, more traditional, Easter eggs lean upon dairy for their creaminess, the Cookies No Cream egg has all the smooth flavour of the Easter eggs you know and love, but uses oat milk instead. And this Easter, for the same price, H!P has increased the size of the egg by 50%, so there's more egg to enjoy .
Available via hipchocolate.com, Ocado, Booths and Waterstones; £10
The Egg Royale
This decadent offering is unlike the other eggs you might expect to unwrap this year. Adults can indulge in rich chocolate cream liqueur blended with real cream, packaged inside a beautiful glass egg. The package is complete with a beautiful art deco style box, which makes it a perfect gift. The chocolate liqueur has a rich cocoa flavour and velvety texture which goes down smoothly. It can be enjoyed straight, over ice, added to a cocktail, or to give an added kick to an Easter chocolate cake.
Available from Harvey Nichols and Amazon; RRP: £29.99
Divine Flat Eggs
While a traditional Easter egg typically has an unfilled interior, Divine set out to get rid of the "hollow despair of wafer-thin chocolate". Out of this idea, its flat egg was born. It's the perfect letterbox gift, retaining the same shape and size as the usual Easter egg. The egg is also environmentally friendly, given it has over 40% less packaging compared to a boxed egg, and the chocolate is Fairtrade. The smooth dark chocolate with raspberry Flat Egg has a fruity twist while still in keeping with the deep, complex flavours of 70% cocoa-solids chocolate. For those who prefer milk chocolate, there is a rich caramel and crunchy crisp rice option.
Available from Waterstones, Amazon and the Divine Web Shop; RRP: £5
Blacksticks W'egg'dge
Tucking into a sweet treat this Easter might not be for everyone. But there is a solution so savoury palates can also be indulged. After a devastating fire last year at Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses, the cheesemaker put its annual Easter egg production on hold. But after inquiries, Butlers decided to get as close as possible to its usual "Cheester" egg flavour with this W'egg'dge. From the outside of the pack it looks like an egg, but inside there is the original wedge of Blacksticks Blue cheese known for its orange colour. The cheese is rich and creamy, and the blue veining packs a real punch, making it perfect for those who swing towards the savoury side of this season.
Available from Butlers Farmhouse Cheeses; £4 plus postage
Lakrids by Bülow
A liquorice-flavoured Easter egg is no ordinary chocolate treat, but perfect for those with more adventurous taste buds. The Easter collection from Danish brand, Lakrids by Bülow, features a range of chocolate-coated liquorice 'æggs', in crunchy toffee and crispy caramel flavours. These are likely to divide opinion, as liquorice is certainly an acquired taste. The distinct, aniseed-y taste is still present, but the chocolate combination takes away some of the bitter flavour and may convert liquorice haters. It also provides the perfect option for those searching for an alternative to the traditional egg.
Available from lakridsbybulow.co.uk, John Lewis, Selfridges and Fenwick; from £11 to £38
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