Chocolate eggs piled high in the grocery store are a telltale sign Easter is fast approaching. But if you want to find something a bit more special than your run-of-the-mill confectionary this year, our list of the very best luxury Easter eggs has got you covered.
From a delicate hand-painted bunny to a decadent egg inspired by the hit HBO series the White Lotus, we’ve curated an exclusive list of chocolatey creations that are almost too pretty to eat.
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Hôtel Plaza Athénée
Our list of wonderfully over-the-top Easter eggs kicks off with this indulgent creation crafted by Hôtel Plaza Athénée’s executive pastry chef (and World Pastry Champion) Angelo Musa alongside pastry chef Elisabeth Holt.
Made from the finest quality Madagascar milk chocolate, the egg features a scarlet-hued shell in a nod to the iconic Paris hotel’s red shutters. Playfully presented like a precious gem on a velvet cushion made from dark chocolate, it’s finished with a sprinkling of gold leaf and filled with tempting rocks of gianduja resembling treasure.
€95 (approx. $103), dorchestercollection.com
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Claridge's
If you’re looking for something pared-back yet luxurious, Claridge’s is a safe bet. The esteemed London hotel has brought back its celebrated chocolate egg – painstakingly crafted entirely by hand over three days using a mix of milk, dark and white Valrhona chocolate.
Each egg is crammed with mini praline gull eggs and wrapped in black-and-white striped foil. Finished with black ribbon and placed in the hotel’s signature jade box, it makes an excellent gift.
£65 (approx. $82), claridges.co.uk
Fortnum & Mason
Our list of the best luxury Easter eggs would not be complete without mentioning Fortnum & Mason. The high-end London department store never fails to disappoint with its gourmet confectionary delights and this year is no exception.
If you’re looking for a truly special gift, you’ll be hard-pressed to find better than this hand-painted bunny Easter egg. Crafted by master chocolatiers in Wales, it’s made from rich single-origin chocolate couverture from Colombia and coated in a layer of velvety white chocolate. The pièce de résistance, however, is the Easter bunny on the front – hand-sketched using all-natural cocoa butter paints.
$122, fornumandmason.com
Hotel Chocolat
If you’re buying for a serious chocoholic, look no further than Hotel Chocolat’s Classic Ostrich Easter egg. Weighing in at over two pounds, the extravagant chocolate sphere is (you guessed it) the same size as a real ostrich egg, with a ludicrously chunky high-cacao shell packed with crunchy cookies, puffed rice and crispy feuilletine flakes.
Not for the faint of heart, the decadent egg also comes with a selection of 20 truffles, pralines, caramels and patisserie chocolates ranging from billionaire’s shortbread to Eton Mess. Those with a sweet tooth can opt for the classic egg, but there’s also a dark chocolate version and even a newly released vegan egg for your dairy-free loved ones.
$105, hotelchocolat.com
Melt
Our favorite entry on the list is this opulent egg from Notting Hill-based chocolatier, Melt. Inspired by the lavish lives of the characters on the hit HBO TV Show, the White Lotus, it weighs in at a whopping 1kg and features seven different flavored wedges that unfurl into (you guessed it) a delicate lotus flower.
This is a seriously tasty egg: flavors span everything from matcha with cherry to caramelized almond, coconut and pistachio. Count us in.
£69.99 (approx. $89), meltchocolates.com
The Woodward
The Woodward’s talented pastry chef, Titouan Claudet, has teamed up with Maison Blancpain to make a gourmet Easter egg sitting atop a cocoa-dusted stand.
Inspired by the Swiss watchmaker’s flagship complications, Claudet created intricate layers of almond and coffee praline, creamy caramel with coffee, and Gruyère cream before smothering the egg in Felchin Maracaibo dark chocolate. All profits will be donated to the Action Innocence Foundation – a Geneva-based non-profit dedicated to protecting children’s integrity on the internet.
$107, the woodward.ch
Pierre Marcolini
Last but by no means least on our roundup of this year’s best luxury Easter eggs is a series of beautiful creations from Belgian chocolatier, Pierre Marcolini. His exquisite collection features an assortment of brightly colored eggs inspired by spring’s blossoming flowers.
Each of the vibrant shades that adorn the eggs are derived naturally; Marcolini made the colorful powders using an array of ingredients from blackcurrant and radish to spirulina. The chocolatier has crafted a mouth-watering selection of praline mini eggs, chocolate rabbits and bells, alongside a larger showstopping egg (available in several flavors and colors).
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