Hosts serving guests with different tastes
A plain option around 70% cocoa gives guests a dark chocolate choice without making a markedly bitter bar the only one on the table. Montezuma’s describes 70% as an approachable entry point.
Who is this for?
Hosts who want individual portions
Wrapped pieces can be set out for guests without breaking up a bar. Divine, for example, offers individually wrapped 12.5 g bars in a pack of 160; that pack size is worth considering against the number of guests.
Hosts planning a chocolate tasting
A smaller group can compare clearly labelled cocoa levels or flavours. Hotel Chocolat lists snappable dark slabs at 70%, 80% and 85%, which could be served as separate tasting choices.
What should you check?
Choose a cocoa level and serving format first, then check the exact recipes and labels for everyone you plan to serve.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa level | Check the percentage on each pack. Montezuma’s describes its 70% chocolate as an approachable entry point and its 100% chocolate as unsweetened and markedly bitter. | I’m serving guests with different tastes, so I’d put a plain option around 70% cocoa alongside any more intense choice. |
| Serving format | Check whether the chocolate comes as wrapped pieces, a bar to portion or a slab to snap. Check the pack size against your guest list. | For a buffet, I’d rather set out individual pieces. At a smaller table, I can break up a bar or slab for sharing. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients and precautionary allergen statements on every exact pack, including pieces in an assortment. A vegan recipe does not rule out milk cross-contact. | If a guest has a food allergy, I need the product’s own label available rather than relying on the words “dark” or “vegan”. |
| Flavours | Check inclusions such as fruit, ginger or nuts, and label different recipes separately. Inclusions can change both flavour and allergen information. | I’d offer a distinctive flavour as an extra tasting choice, while keeping a plain bar for guests who prefer one. |
| Intended use | Check whether a product is presented as a ready-to-serve chocolate or as cooking chocolate for baking and melting. | If I’m making a cake or dessert component, cooking chocolate may fit that plan; for pieces on the tea table, I’d choose a serving format deliberately. |
What can go wrong?
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Assuming more cocoa suits every guest
Montezuma’s describes its 100% chocolate as unsweetened and markedly bitter. That makes cocoa intensity a taste choice, not a measure of how suitable a bar is for a mixed tea table.
Serve a plain option around 70% cocoa for mixed tastes, with a more intense bar clearly labelled as an additional choice.
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Treating dark or vegan chocolate as allergy-safe
Lindt says its EXCELLENCE Dark 70% bar is made to a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy. Dark chocolates can also carry warnings for other allergens.
Check each physical pack before serving, keep its wrapper available and avoid putting differently labelled chocolates into an unlabelled mixed bowl.
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Making a strongly flavoured bar the only option
Ginger, fruit and nuts make a different tasting choice from a plain bar; added ingredients can also change the allergen information guests need.
Set out a plain dark chocolate and offer flavoured pieces separately, with their own labels.
Brand references for dark chocolate
Divine
Divine offers a plain 70% bar and individually wrapped 70% mini bars for different serving plans.
- Divine lists its 12.5 g mini bars in a pack of 160, a format to consider when setting out individual portions.
- Its plain 70% bar carries “may contain” warnings for gluten, milk and nuts; check the exact pack for guests with allergies.
Montezuma’s
Montezuma’s describes different cocoa intensities and offers a 70% ginger bar for a separate flavoured choice.
- The brand describes 70% as approachable and 100% as having pronounced bitterness.
- Its 70% ginger bar contains soya and may contain milk, nuts and peanuts, according to the product page.
Hotel Chocolat
Hotel Chocolat lists dark slabs at 70%, 80% and 85% for hosts who want to serve distinct cocoa levels.
- The brand describes its slabs as snappable, allowing a host to break them up for sharing.
- Check the ingredients and allergen label of each exact slab before offering it to guests with dietary requirements.
Lindt
Lindt’s EXCELLENCE Dark 70% is a 100 g bar with a stated minimum of 70% cocoa solids.
- The plain bar provides a single 70% recipe to portion for a tasting plate.
- Lindt says the vegan-recipe bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy and may contain nuts, milk, soya and sesame.
M&S
M&S lists a dark chocolate bar with at least 70% cocoa solids.
- A plain 70% bar can be portioned for serving or considered for a planned dessert recipe.
- M&S states that its listed bar is not suitable for people with milk, nut or peanut allergies and advises checking the physical label.
Dark chocolate options on Joybuy
These options include individual truffles, bars to portion, a raspberry-flavoured bar and cooking chocolate for a planned dessert. They serve different parts of an afternoon tea rather than offering interchangeable guest portions.
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Lindt LINDOR Dark 70% Cocoa 200g
Consider these truffles when you want individual pieces rather than a bar to break up. The product is described as having creamy centres; it contains barley, milk and soya and may contain nuts, so check the exact pack before serving guests with dietary restrictions.
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Green & Black’s Dark 70% Chocolate 90g
This plain 70% bar is an option when the host will break and portion chocolate for the table. It may contain almonds, hazelnuts, other nuts and milk; check the exact pack before serving guests with allergies.
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Morrisons The Best 72% Cocoa Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate 100g
This 72% bar offers another cocoa level close to the 70% starting point for a host-portioned plate. It contains soya and may contain gluten, milk, nuts and peanuts; check the physical label before serving guests with dietary restrictions.
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Divine Chocolate 70% Dark Chocolate with Raspberries 90g
Serve this raspberry bar as a separately labelled flavour choice alongside a plain option. Its dietary information conflicts on milk and soya, so check the physical pack before offering it to guests with allergies or other dietary restrictions.
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Menier Dark Cooking Chocolate 70% Cocoa 100g
This is cooking chocolate to consider for a cake or dessert component, rather than a ready-to-serve tea-table portion. It contains milk and may contain eggs, gluten and tree nuts; check the exact pack when planning food for guests with dietary restrictions.
Common questions
Is 70% dark chocolate a sensible starting point for afternoon tea?
Yes, for a group with mixed tastes it is a reasonable starting choice. Montezuma’s describes its 70% chocolate as approachable, while its 100% chocolate has pronounced bitterness; offer a more intense bar separately if guests want one.
Should I serve mini bars or break up a slab?
Choose wrapped mini bars for individual portions and a slab when guests will share or compare pieces at the table. Divine lists 12.5 g wrapped bars in a pack of 160, while Hotel Chocolat describes its dark slabs as snappable; check which format and pack size fit your gathering.
Is vegan dark chocolate suitable for someone with a milk allergy?
Not necessarily. Lindt says its EXCELLENCE Dark 70% bar is made to a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy, so use the allergen statement on the exact pack you plan to serve.
How should I store the chocolate before the party?
Follow the instructions on each pack. M&S directs shoppers to keep its 70% dark chocolate cool, dry and away from sunlight.