EGGSCELLENT TREATS

While the Marmite-flavoured Easter egg that’s dividing opinion on the internet isn’t available in the UAE, there are still some seriously interesting options out there. Here’s a select pick of the bunch.

For connoisseurs

Local artisan chocolatier Mirzam keeps things classy with a delectable Easter selection that includes white chocolate eggs filled with a creamy pistachio gianduja, a milk chocolate number that reveals crunchy, caramelised hazelnuts within, and a sophisticated 62 per cent dark chocolate option with an oozy salted-caramel centre. If you’re really out to impress, though, the oversized egg made with monsoon rose, pistachio falooda and white chocolate, and dotted with chia seeds and nuggets of sweet rose candy has star of the show written all over it (not literally, of course – this egg is far too sophisticated for that).

The crowd-pleaser

Whatever your Easter chocolate needs may be, there’s a good chance Marks & Spencer will be able to fulfil them. The Hide & Seek bags will help if you’re planning an egg hunt; a sprinkle-covered Jazzie Egg ticks the right boxes for retro sweet fiends; and a Moonbeam The Unicorn Egg, complete with fluttery lashes, a pink horn and rosy cheeks, will make your little one’s day. If you can bear to eat him, Bennet Bunny, a rabbit-shaped sculpture made from Swiss chocolate and weighing in at just under one kilogram, is an ideal treat for the family to share.

A niche choice

If there’s a lover (or a hater) of flat-pack furniture in your life, then Ikea’s Varkansla milk chocolate bunny could not be more apt. When built correctly, the three-piece, self-assembly kit (made from sustainable chocolate) slots together to make a rabbit that stands up on its hind legs, no Allen keys or screwdrivers required.

The leftovers

While at this point the idea of leftover chocolate sounds ludicrous, fast-forward a few sugar-filled days and you may well be looking for ways to use up an excess of shiny, foilcovered eggs. Here are a few of our favourite ideas.

Easter egg ice cream: Remove a one litre tub of vanilla ice cream from the freezer, allow it to soften slightly then put in a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth. Meanwhile, break your leftover chocolate eggs – about 200g is ideal – into bitesize pieces. Stir the chocolate through the ice cream, then transfer to a freeze-proof container and freeze for two hours. Melt any additional chocolate and serve drizzled over the ice cream. Chocolate bark: An excellent option for using up any mini eggs, sweets and truffles hanging around. There are no real rules when it comes to chocolate bark; it all depends on the resources you have and personal taste, of course. Simply melt the chocolate (about 400g for a single sheet of bark), spread a thin layer over a baking tray lined with baking paper and, while still warm, add the decorations. Keep things sophisticated with dark chocolate scattered with flaked sea salt and orange zest, or swirl white and milk varieties for a marbled effect. Leave to set in the fridge before breaking into shards.

Picada: If you’ve had enough sweetness to last a lifetime (or a few days at least), this thick pesto-style sauce, which originates from Catalonia, is the perfect way to use up a surfeit of the sugary stuff. Traditionally, richly flavoured picada thickens and adds depth to stews and slow-braised dishes, but it works equally well when drizzled over meat, fish or roasted vegetables, or even served as a dip accompanied by toasted baguette slices and an array of crunchy, colourful crudites. To make a simple version of the picada, blitz or pound together some chopped toasted almonds, torn, day-old crusty bread, chopped garlic, parsley and dark chocolate with enough olive oil to make a coarse paste.