Easter Sunday (9 April) is fast approaching. This year, why not eschew your usual plain chocolate egg and indulge in some of the finest sweet treats in town?
Knightsbridge’s best Easter treats
THE ARTY ONE
Egg Expressionism Citrus Chocolate Easter slab
The origins of eggs being used to symbolise Easter date back to the Pagan festival of Eostre, which Christians later adapted to commemorate Jesus’s resurrection. Where the practice of decorating them originated, however, is up for debate. A bold addition to this tradition, however, is the citrus chocolate Easter slab, which is an oval, two-dimensional creation which explores tastes well beyond the conventional. In a holy trinity of contrasting tastes, it features bitter and sweet orange in white chocolate in the largest segment. Gin enthusiasts will adore the second part, which combines juniper-infused raspberry and cranberry in a pink variation of white chocolate. Finally, balancing out those fruity notes is a dark chocolate section containing activated charcoal. A sprinkling of blue lemon drops add an eclectic finishing touch.
£25, available from Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RJ
THE OPTICAL ILLUSION
Heston from Waitrose The Chocolate Dabbit
Is it a bird or is it a duck? Depending on which way you look at it, this playful dark chocolate shell from Heston Blumenthal for Waitrose could be either. The chocolate “Dabbit” is filled with white chocolate and caramelised sugar with a decadent sea salt-flavoured truffle filling. It’s delicious, whatever your perception.
£6, available from Little Waitrose, 99-103 Old Brompton Road, SW7 3RD
THE WEEKEND TREAT
The Lanesborough Meadow Easter Afternoon Tea and Sunday Lunch
Like modern Easter eggs, The Lanesborough Grill conflates tradition and innovation, with contemporary art displayed amid its Regency decor. Here you can enjoy The Lanesborough Meadow Easter Afternoon Tea, which launched earlier this year but will feature additional Easter treats between 7-10 April. The menu is based on the flora and fauna of the surrounding Royal Parks and is a joy to behold (and tuck into). So too will be a three-course lunch served on Easter Sunday. A voluntary £2 donation will be added to each bill at the afternoon tea and Sunday lunch. This will support Heartburn Cancer UK in helping to bring the community a mobile diagnostic unit for detecting oesophageal conditions.
Prices vary. The Lanesborough, Hyde Park Corner, SW1X 7TA
THE ULTIMATE LUXURY
Easter Showstopper Peacock Feather Egg
The first jewelled egg Carl Fabergé crafted for Tsar Alexander III included golden, matryoshka-esque layers. Inside the egg was a golden yolk, and inside the yolk a golden hen. To her glee, Empress Maria Feodorovna received The Hen Egg as a gift for Easter in 1885. On a similar theme is the Easter Showstopper Peacock Feather Egg from Harrods. A box in the luxury department store’s signature green contains an awe-inspiring milk chocolate egg. Its speckled gold shell is decorated with elegant plumage and contains Harrods’ classic bread-and-butter filling. Beneath the egg is a treasure trove of 16 bon bons in magical colours.
POA, Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL
THE PERFECT CENTREPIECE
Paul’s Easter Egg Chocolate Cake
Impress friends and family over Easter lunch with this fantastic cake from Paul’s. This indulgent pudding is made with layers of traditional sponge cake filled with chocolate buttercream and strawberry jam, topped with dripping dark chocolate glaze and praline chocolate eggs. Truly a feast for the senses.
£46.95, Paul’s, 122 Brompton Road, SW3 1JD
THE BEST HOT CHOCOLATE
Easter Hot Chocolate Gift Set
Knoops Chocolate, the home of indulgent chocolate drinks, is offering a novel gift this Easter. Available in the new Knightsbridge store at 130 Brompton Road, the Easter Gift Set features milk chocolate flakes and delicious dippable chocolate-coated Honeycomb for an even sweeter experience.
Founder Jens Knoops spent years perfecting mixes of different cocoas, milks, fruits, roots and spices, a process she dubbed “Knoopology” to create the brands signature taste. Visit the store to enjoy a bespoke chocolate drink made by a trained Knoopologist, where you can choose from more than 20 chocolate percentages, a variety of milks, and 21 flavour enhancing add-ons such as sea salt, orange zest, and chilli.
Easter Hot Chocolate Gift Gift Set, £25, Knoops, 130 Brompton Rd, SW3 1JD