Christmas just isn’t Christmas without a couple of boxes of chocolate hidden in your stocking! From gifts, to stocking fillers, to treats for yourself – I’ve collected a few of my favourites for the season ahead – so you have a head’s up on what’s new, what’s still delicious and most importantly – where you can stock up!
Guylian Chocolate Box, £1-£4
Guylian chocolate’s scream of Christmas and anyone in my family lucky enough to unwrap one is instantly appeased! They really are the Dior and Chanel of chocolate – and this festive season, they’ve brought out ‘Crunchy Biscuit’ and ‘Caramel’ editions – which are so delicious that one didn’t even make it to be photographed (sorry!).
Eden Project Chocolate Selection, £10.50
The Eden Project shop have some really fantastic gifts this season, especially if you’re looking for something a little more unique – or ‘homemade’ inspired. They are really affordable and can be ordered online and delivered to your door, or sent straight as a gift! The chocolate selection is a firm favourite of mine, featuring two dark choices, one white and two milks for £10.50 (that’s 500g of luxury chocolate for under £11!). The real winner for me was the white chocolate with vanilla and baobab – I can’t even put into words how delicious it was (present tense). You HAVE to try them!
Terry’s Chocolate Orange, £3 £1
‘It’s not Terry’s, it’s mine’. Those famous five words characterised Christmas for me in many ways over the past decade – and the festive season really isn’t complete without devouring not only mine, but my brother’s too (sorry Jedd!). Available from all good supermarkets, my new favourite is the ‘Toffee Crunch’ flavour, the usual and well loved orange chocolate segments filled with toffee flavour caramel pieces. Mmmmmm!
Fairtrade Divine Chocolate, £2+
Divine Chocolate bars are not only made with the finest quality fair-trade cocoa beans and grown in the shade of the nearby tropical rainforests in Ghana (they sure know lots about the origins of where their chocolate came from) but it tastes incredible. With little added additions to ‘spice’ up the usual chocolately goodness – these make fantastic gifts, stocking fillers and the like. A couple of favourites for the run up to Christmas include the ‘38% Milk Chocolate with Spiced Toffee Apple’ and ‘70% Dark Chocolate with Pear & Ginger’. Also watch out for the White Chocolate with Strawberries flavour, it’s too good to miss!
Steenbergs Organic Drinking Chocolate, £4.50
If Christmas is characterised by wintery nights sipping hot chocolate (and marshmallows) by the fire with your loved ones, then this is definitely something to stock up on. Not only is this absolutely delicious but it tastes so fresh (not like the usual cardboard shop bought stuff) and creamy. 2-3 heaped tablespoons and a cup of milk provide the perfect mug of steaming cocoa ever! With added ingredients of cinnamon and vanilla, this is the ideal festive drink – and offers something far nicer than your average ‘Options’ range! Steenbergs also offer a ‘Chilli’ spiced drinking chocolate tin if you prefer something with a kick?
Divine Milk & Dark Chocolate Collection, £10
Another firm favourite this season is from Divine (again) – this time however, in the form of a luxurious chocolate box. I think the names of some of the contents give the game away – Hazelnut Crisp, Coconut Crunch, Toffee and Sea Salt Swirly, Raspberry Caramel Cream and Dark Ginger Praline. This is chocolate heaven, at it’s best!
