Indulgent sweet treats to spoil your loved ones this Christmas

Christmas simply can’t happen without sugar. It’s a season of endless indulgence: first come the advent calendars, mince pies and armies of gingerbread men; then the chocolate stocking fillers, coffee table selection boxes and festive cake centrepieces. But if you and your loved ones are going to indulge in such a decadent spread, you want it to be worth every calorie. That’s why we have compiled a few of our favourite sweet treats, compassing some of the best chocolates, biscuits and cakes from around Europe.

Läderach Luxury Caramel

Switzerland is synonymous with luxury chocolate, so you couldn’t be in much safer hands this Christmas than those of the family-run Läderach, one of the country’s most famous and creative chocolatiers. Decades of creating unique taste experiences and three generations of passionate artisans at the head of the brand have made it internationally recognised, and their miniature delicious creation Masters Tablet Caramel won them the title of The Best Luxury Caramel in Europe at the Luxury Lifestyle Awards. Elias Läderach’s creation elegantly combines intense dark chocolate with exotic fruit and caramel filling, his technique inspired by Swiss culture and traditions.  Check out their online shop to see the full range of products.

Chococo Baubles

Finally, we have some good news to end the year: the Chococo team have expanded their acclaimed chocolate bauble range. Within this unique collection of milk, dark and gold faceted baubles – every one housing four more of their delicious truffles – there really is something for everyone. Each bauble is nestled in tissue inside a stylish cardboard box, meaning the packaging is completely plastic-free – and guilt-free, to boot. The handcrafted masterpieces come in a wide variety of indulgent flavours such as the Gold Caramel and Nibs Bauble (£12.00/150g) – made from caramelised white chocolate and dusted with edible shimmer, containing a quartet of gold caramelised white chocolate gems studded with cocoa nibs from Madagascar for a contrasting cocoa crunch. Other options include the Dorset Sea Salt Caramels Milk Chocolate Bauble (£12.00/150g)  – crafted from Venezuelan-origin 45% milk chocolate, hand-decorated in natural colours and edible shimmers and housing award-winning Dorset Sea Salt Caramel chocolate gems – and the new Spiced Rum Dark Chocolate Bauble (£12.00/150g) – a vegan-friendly alternative made using 67% origin dark chocolate and Devon’s Two Drifters dark rum. Check out their website to browse the whole range.

Whitakers

If you are looking for the best quality chocolate, though, it’s also worth looking within our own borders to the finest British brands. Whitakers have been producing premium chocolates since 1889, their recipes passed down through the generations to become a household favourite. For that reason, their boxes are at home in any Christmas spread, their truffle spheres, honeycomb bites and fondant creams perfect for seeing off every evening. If you are looking for a stocking filler that won’t disappoint, we recommend Whitakers’s new range of vegan Inclusion bars, all pant-based and yet impossibly indulgent. There are four delicious flavours to choose from: Dark Chocolate Chilli and Orange; Dark Chocolate Lemon and Cardamom; Dark Chocolate Lime and Sea Salt; and Dark Chocolate Rhubarb and Ginger – or why not push the boat out and try all four! Order online today to receive your chocolates in time for Christmas.

Saicho gift box

This festive season Saicho has teamed up with artisan chocolatiers Aleksandra’s Chocolatier Café to create a selection of decadent Saicho truffles, available to purchase in a luxurious gift box. The gift box contains three bottles of Saicho sparkling teas, one of each expression – Jasmine, Darjeeling and Hojicha – alongside nine Saicho sparkling tea flavoured truffles, all beautifully presented in an elegant bamboo gift box with additional printed postcard selection. Aleksandra’s Chocolatier Café source their chocolate from the finest Belgian suppliers, complementing this with amazing local dairy cream and the truly tempting flavours of Saicho Teas. The Darjeeling truffle uses rich chocolate and has subtle notes of mandarin and ginger with a gentle hint of wood spice. Using the smokey and nutty Japanese roasted green tea, the Hojicha truffle makes a wonderfully unique addition to the chocolate box. For the perfect after-dinner accompaniment, the Jasmine truffle has a beautiful floral quality and sweetness, matched with delightfully creamy chocolate. The Saicho gift box, priced at £35.99, is available to purchase here.

Seggiano

The Italians are known for being passionate about food – with good reason – and no company shows more respect and love for quality local ingredients than Seggiano. Every single one of their products is sourced from is from a specialist, innovative artisan pioneer, resulting in a delicious and authentic selection showcasing Italy’s wildly rich landscape and culinary heritage. For those with a sweet tooth, we recommend trying out some of their indulgent cantuccini biscuit range. Whether you go for Orange and Chocolate, Double Chocolate, Sea Salt and Chocolate – or ideally, all three – your tastebuds are in for a treat. Each pack of biscuits is handmade in a family-run bakery in Tuscany using a unique recipe, quality chocolate and organic eggs and butter. To upgrade to an even more decadent spread, we suggest you try one of their panettones, infused with a range of mouthwatering flavours, from chestnut to boozy limoncello or vin santo. Items are available to order from Seggiano’s website, with free delivery for orders over £40.

Pierre Marcolini

And of course, we couldn’t talk about chocolates without mentioning Belgium and one of it’s most renowned chocolatiers, Pierre Marcolini. Since being crowned the Best Pastry Chef in the World by World Pastry Stars 2020, the iconic figure has continued to reach new heights with his new Christmas range, including a series of yule logs inspired by the stunning l’Envol creation that saw him crowned World Pastry Champion in Lyon back in 1995. Marcolini has also introduced his literal crowning glory, the Grande Couronne de Noël cake, perfect for sharing with friends and family at a Christmas feast. Naturally, the chef is also offering up an impeccable selection of truffles and even a 20cm Christmas tree made entirely of chocolate, sitting atop a mouth-watering two-drawer box. Discover the collection here.

Rococo Chocolates

Found down Moxon Street in Marylebone, Rococo Chocolates is renowned nationwide for its fantastic chocolate. The Indulgence of Chocolate Hamper is one of the company’s most popular products as it includes a bit of everything, from dark, milk and white chocolate to their moreish nibbles. This large chocolate gift hamper is presented in a traditional wicker basket and includes three artisan chocolate bars, two boxes of Rococo Chocolates Wafer Thins, four Rococo Chocolates Nibble Bags and one chocolate selection box. Check out the whole collection online at www.rococochocolates.com.

The editorial unit