Our daily walks have taken a turn for the sunnier, clouds of daffs are raising their sunny heads and there's a cautious hopefulness in the air – yes, spring has sprung, and what better way to celebrate than with the most indulgent eggs and seasonal treats.
COTSWOLD LAMB EGG (£16 FROM DAYLESFORD)
Emblazoned with a whimsical illustration by artist Hugo Guinness of Daylesford's own rare native breed Cotswold lambs, this extremely tasteful (and tasty) egg has a lot of things going for it. Its cocoa comes from sustainable Colombian farms, it's been crafted by award-winning Welsh artisans, and it's made of creamy milk chocolate wrapped in a white chocolate shell. But overall it's an incredibly cute offering from the farm shop that never fails to delight.
A FLUFFLE OF BUNNIES NIBBLE BAG (£13.50
FROM ROCOCO)
We're long-time fans of Rococo's wildly flavoured bars and dangerously moreish caramels, and maybe the only thing that can improve on their already stellar output is crafting their chocolate into adorable bunny shapes. This bag is a great alternative for those who can't get through an egg in one sitting (although the bag probably won't last long. Plus, it's sustainably made and ethically sourced.
HAND-PAINTED CHICK EASTER EGG (£95 FROM FORTNUM & MASON)
Fortnum's Easter output is impressive this year, with chocolate- and hazelnut praline-filled dippy eggs made from real hollowed-out eggs, hazelnut-encrusted sweet Scotch egg, and Easter eggs with the daintiest of floral boutonnieres. But it's this adorable yet strikingly modern egg that caught our eye, with natural pigments deftly slicked on and a high cocoa content.
LARGE RABBIT EGG (£139 FROM PIERRE MARCOLINI)
Marcolini's Easter collection playfully riffs on an Easter-egg hunt with bunnies popping out from eggshells and more pralines than you can shake a cottontail at. We demolished his Little Pink Basket filled with chocolate goodies in under an hour, but if you want to linger on his silky smooth confections then indulge in this sweet-as-can-be egg, which comes with two drawers filled with praline eggs. A worthy investment, we assure you.
SALTED CARAMEL AND GANACHE DUCK EGGS (£6.50 FROM ARTISAN DU CHOCOLAT)
To get that sweet sweet sugar high, sometimes you gotta break some eggs, and these faux duck eggs, with their stylish eau de nil shell and gloriously creamy centre are the ones to get your teeth into. And, if you're looking for something more ostrich-sized, go for the caramelised white egg or dark-chocolate Tumaco egg.
EXTRA THICK ROCKY ROAD TO CARAMEL EASTER EGG (£29 FROM HOTEL CHOCOLAT)
Knobbly, built to endure and filled with cookie pieces – this beast from Hotel Chocolat is a thing of tooth-cracking beauty that will last well beyond Easter (clearly they anticipated this as it comes in a reusable tin). It's made with 40 per cent cocoa for maximum chocolatiness and is filled with pralines, caramels and those dessert chocolates you always eye up as you're waiting for a train. It's a challenge to demolish, but one you'll gladly accept.