2021 is a sly one. While you might think 2020 version 2.0 has been trundling along aimlessly without a care in the world, the truth is it’s been masking a dark, or maybe milk, secret. With all of this extra money some people have apparently been amassing in their bank accounts, premium Easter eggs are in high demand, and you'll want to get on it now to be guaranteed a happy Easter this year.
Gone are the days where a Cadbury’s egg in a colourful mug would cut it, this year it’s all about high cocoa solids and having an egg that is truly Insta-worthy because, let’s face it, not much else in your life is worth documenting right now.
Skelligs Chocolate
Remember that dream we all had as kids of biting into an Easter egg and realising it was solid? Those dreams are a 2021 reality thanks to Skelligs Chocolate. They have solid eggs with a range of fillings from Teelings whiskey crème, mint, salted caramel, strawberry champagne, honeycomb with marshmallow, and hazelnut praline, from €20 - €35. Also, and you might want to take a moment to let this sink in, some of their eggs are available in 1kg. Hollow eggs and hampers are also available from the website for Ireland-wide delivery. And just to sweeten the deal, they’re also making a donation to Heroes Aid for every Easter Egg sold. (Update: we found a solid Skelligs salted caramel egg. We ate some. It even better than in our chocolate fantasies...)
Praline Chocolatiers
There’s premium and then there’s a €50 chocolate egg, but this one didn’t catch our eye solely because of the price tag. Based in Athlone, Praline Chocolatiers is a new venture from pastry chefs Georgia Quealy and Daniel Linehan, and the triple-layered Crunchy Praline Easter egg looks like a pretty serious first-outing. Two different types of chocolate (64% sustainable dark chocolate and Valhrona’s 35% Azelia) surround a layer of homemade crunchy praline. Inside you’ll find 68% single-origin truffles. Definitely one for the most serious of chocolate-lovers. Pre-orders are currently open on their website, but as eggs are too delicate for delivery, collection points will be arranged in Athlone and Dublin.
Lorge Chocolatier
Chocolate eggs, bunnies, and even chickens are available from Lorge Chocolatier. For a serious dose of the good stuff, the large egg (€38.70) packed with 20 chocolates weighs in at an impressive 800g, so even if you crack in to it as soon as it arrives, you’ll still have plenty left on Easter Sunday. Details are here.
Arcane Chocolate
As you’d expect from Arcane Chocolate, their Easter collection combines the quirky with the delicious, with eggs to suit every taste and budget, ranging from €16.50 right up to €750 - yes your eyes have not deceived you. The one-of-a-kind carved, moulded and hand-painted chocolate whiskey barrel weighs over 5kg so we can’t imagine that more than one will be needed, for your whole town. If your wallet (or appetite) won’t stretch to that, there are lots of other options incorporating fruits, nuts and gold leaf, natch. Items are available for collection from Mulhuddart, with some eggs available for delivery across Dublin and in Bray. Details are on the website.
Easter Eggs For Pieta House
Chef Philip Doyle (@What_The_4ork on Instagram) has been on a mission to raise funds for Pieta House during lockdown, and his latest initiative is egg-shaped. You can find his handmade chocolate Easter eggs for sale at Tang on Dawson Street for €20, or you can pay more if you have the spare cash - all profits will be going to Pieta House to fund services to help the prevention of suicide.
Koko Kinsale
Koko Kinsale has lots of options for dark, milk and white eggs, as well as bunnies, and their handcrafted version of the ubiquitous crème egg looks pretty amazing. Nationwide delivery is available - all info is here.
Hazel Mountain Chocolate
If you haven’t seen Hazel Mountain Chocolate’s Wild Atlantic Way Easter egg on Instagram, you must live under a rock, or just hate beautiful things. Their chocolate is high in cacao, low in sugar, and available in lots of forms this Easter; eggs, chicken, slabs, and bunnies. We've already gotten our Wild Atlantic Way Egg, and while it's small, it's perfectly formed. Order here.
Chocolate Garden of Ireland
We’ve long admired Chocolate Garden of Ireland for the sheer volume of things they can make out of chocolate - eggs, rabbits, lambs, hens… it’s pretty impressive. Their collection is huge and so is the demand so they’ve taken the step of temporarily suspending sales while they clear a backlog of orders, but check the website often and be prepared to swoop in once they’re back up and running.
Cocoa Atelier
We love Cocoa Atelier and their commitment to Irish ingredients, strong flavours and God-level hot chocolate. The Easter range is now up on the website with dispatch from March 24th, and includes hand-painted eggs filled with Velvet Almonds and Provenance Hazelnuts - a sophisticated option for the more discerning chocolate-lover in your life.
Grá Chocolates
Grá Chocolates have launched a range of hand-painted eggs which are currently available for pre-order on the website. Priced at €40 each, the eggs are available in a range of flavours including honey, praline, mint, strawberry, and salted caramel.
Lir Chocolates
When you think of “Easter eggs” and “value” in the same sentence, you probably picture a desperate late-night dash to a petrol station to pick up the dregs of their 3 for €10 offer, but it doesn’t have to be like that. Lir Chocolates have some great options starting at €5, with eggs at €8 and €10. They also produce the Guinness and Bailey’s range of chocolates so the Pint Man, or Woman, in your life can spend their Easter Sunday with a miniature chocolate version. Details are on the website.
Bean and Goose
Ok, it’s not an egg but you need this in your life this Easter. Bean and Goose have launched 500g slabs of chocolate bark; dark or milk chocolate topped with pecan praline, blueberry, and coconut. 500g. 5.0.0. That’s a pretty serious amount of quality chocolate. You can even add on a handcrafted oak hammer to help you get through it. If for you, Easter isn’t Easter without some form of novelty-shaped chocolate, the beautiful Irish Hare and goose are available in milk and dark varieties. Find them here.
Wallace's
Executive chef Domenico Santo from Wallace's Wine Bars is a busy bee right now making three different types of handmade Easter eggs. There's a 70% chocolate with edible gold (€23), a 34% white chocolate with matcha tea (€25), and a 41% milk chocolate with hazelnut (€29). Ordering is via WhatsApp on 0873674207, and they can be collected from any of their four locations, either on Millennium Walkway in the city centre or in Drumcondra.
