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20th March 2024
03:12pm GMT
Easter is fast approaching and in recent years, the Easter Bunny has undergone new training in how to safely transport delicate eggs with wispy paint strokes depicting Springtime sunsets, hand-filled half eggs containing rocky road or crunchy praline and even 18kg chocolate vessels with "Happy Easter" moulded onto the side, if that's what the occasion calls for.
If you're in the market for an Easter Egg the likes of which you won't find within your average supermarket 3-for-a-tenner deal, luckily there's no shortage of speciality chocolatiers wielding out the goods with gusto across Ireland. Here's a round up of some of our favourites, just in time for you to get your orders in before the big day.
Rumour has it the Easter Bunny has gotten the go-ahead to attach a trailer to himself so he can lug along this 18kg milk chocolate egg to the home of whoever desires it. Obviously, if you don't feel quite ready to tackle this Everest The Chocolate Garden of Ireland also have smaller, more achievable eggs on the go, available for personalisation with loopy white chocolate lettering and tied up with a bow. Alongside the eggs you've got handmade chocolate bunnies and sweet Easter hens, with hampers available too if you want a bit of a spread on the go on Easter morning. Prices start at €8.50, and you can have a look at what's on offer via the Chocolate Garden of Ireland website.
Chez Emily is an Irish Belgian chocolatier, in business for almost 30 years and in that time the team have more than perfected the art of silky, handmade Belgian chocolate. Over the years, the business has sold at country fairs, Temple Bar Market, and now from their two retail units in Coolquay, Dublin and Ashbourne, Co. Meath. Their Easter offering features half eggs filled with rocky road, sweet-encrusted eggs and even a selection of dairy-free Easter treats so no-one's left behind. Prices start at €2.50 for Easter bunny lollipops, working their way up to €36.50 for a family Easter box. You can see all that's on offer via the Chez Emily website.
Lir Chocolates was founded in Dublin in 1987 by Connie Doody and Mary White, and is known for its hand-finished and hand-decorated chocolate creations showcasing traditional and new flavour pairings alike. Their Easter offerings include a marbled egg with white chocolate and caramelised sugar truffles inside, a caramel egg finished off with flecks of the finest biscuit and even a Guinness chocolate rugby ball-shaped egg for the sweet toothed rugger buggers in your life. You can peruse the collection and get ordering via the Lir Chocolates website.
You'll be well familiar with the wonders of Nobó if you're dairy free or vegan - they've been in business since 2012, working with a small family-run farm in Colombia to source their single origin cacao. Made in small batches and as sustainably as possible, Nobó achieves the creaminess of classic milk chocolate in a way that'll turn dairy-loving sceptics into believers and they've got a limited quantity of Easter eggs on the go to satiate your festive needs.
Neatly presented in a pack of two, the eggs are filled with crunchy hazelnut praline and perfect for sharing, if you're feeling generous. Order yours now via the Nobó website.
Bon Chocolatiers is an award-winning handmade chocolate business run by chef duo Georgia and Daniel and based out of Athlone. With a combined wealth of experience working in some of the country's best kitchens, including Michelin-starred Campagne and Bib Gourmand restaurant Thyme, the pair pour their expertise into each colourful egg and finish them off with a fine dining flourish.
Using ethically sourced chocolate from France and Switzerland and top-quality Irish cream and butter, Bon Chocolatiers work in small batches allowing each ingredient to sing. Their take on a Ferrero Rocher egg is bound to catch the eye of many, but the mini half eggs filled with the likes of marshmallow, raspberry ganache, pistachio and caramel are also perfect for a beautiful mix-and-match selection for Easter morning. Browse their wares via the Bon Chocolatiers website.
Bean and Goose is run by sisters Natalie and Karen Keane, who use sustainable chocolate to create treats inspired by the Irish landscape and nature from their small Wexford kitchen. One of their most popular products is their milk chocolate Irish hare (€25.50), a handsome figure made using the finest single origin chocolate. For a newsy blog post detailing why the Easter bunny is actually a hare, head to the Bean and Goose website.
Grá's hand-painted, small batch delights are made in Galway and available in Brown Thomas, Fallon & Byrne and Dublin Airport as well as online. The business's Easter Egg collection wouldn't look out of place at the Tate Modern, but they're also available to purchase for the chocolate lover in your life with fillings carefully considered and artfully pieced together. If mint chocolate is the order of the day, the Mint To Be egg (€49) has you covered with chewy mint marshmallow pieces jutting out of creamy milk chocolate, while the Bee My Honey egg (€49) is coated with homemade honeycomb pieces and Sliabh Aughty Heather Honey. You can browse these and more of Gráinne Mullins's chocolatey delights via the Grá website.
Kinsale, Co. Cork
Koko is a family-run business and has been an essential part of Kinsale's culinary tapestry for over ten years. The business was founded by Frank Keane, one of Ireland's leading ceramic artists who swapped his pottery wheel for chocolate moulds back in 2012, pouring an equal amount of passion and finesse into his new venture.
The result is an array of delicately painted, gleaming chocolate eggs that are as eye-catching as they are tasty, often incorporating local ingredients like honey, seaweed and herbs. You can make an order in time for Easter via their website, and also keep an eye out for their tasty vegan options too.
Did we miss out your favourite Irish chocolatier? Let us know, and happy Easter one and all.
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