For a mixed Christmas party, individually sized chocolates or a selection box make sharing simpler, while a plain 70% bar gives guests another dark-chocolate choice. Add a higher-cocoa bar if guests enjoy a stronger cocoa flavour, but check the current packaging of every product for allergens before serving.
A selection box offers different flavours, while individually sized chocolates and batons give guests pieces they can take without breaking up a large bar. Check the assortment: Lindt’s EXCELLENCE Tasting Collection, for example, includes milk chocolate as well as dark recipes.
A bar with a declared cocoa percentage makes it easier to offer a plain dark option. Products in the researched ranges include 70%, 74% and 85% chocolate; choose among them according to what your guests enjoy, not on the assumption that a higher percentage suits everyone.
Check each current pack before serving. The allergen statements differ even among plain dark bars, and a vegan recipe does not necessarily make a chocolate suitable for someone with a milk allergy.
Decide how guests will take a portion, then choose the cocoa levels and flavours you want to offer. Check ingredients and allergen statements for every product in the final selection.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Sharing format | Look at the number and size of pieces, or whether a bar needs dividing. Divine lists a pack of 160 individually sized 12.5g bars; Hotel Chocolat lists 70% batons in a 15-finger format. | I want guests to take a piece easily from the serving table, without repeatedly handling a large bar. |
| Cocoa and flavour | Check the cocoa percentage on the exact product and whether it is plain or flavoured. A tasting collection may include sea salt, caramel or hazelnut rather than only plain dark chocolate. | Some guests want plain dark chocolate; others would welcome a flavoured piece or a stronger cocoa option. |
| Allergens | Read the ingredients, allergen statement and any “may contain” warning on each current pack. Check every recipe in a mixed box rather than relying on its name. | If a guest has an allergy, I need the packaging available so they can check whether a particular chocolate suits them. |
| Ingredient preferences | Check claims such as Fairtrade or vegan against the exact product. Divine describes its 70% bar as using Fairtrade ingredients; such claims do not replace an allergen check. | I may want a stated sourcing or ingredient characteristic, without assuming it applies to every chocolate from the brand. |
Allergen statements vary by product. Lindt says its EXCELLENCE 70% bar follows a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy; the M&S Dark Chocolate Selection also carries several allergy exclusions.
Check the current packaging of every chocolate you serve and keep it available to guests. Only set aside an alternative after checking it against the guest’s disclosed requirements.
An 85% bar gives guests who enjoy that cocoa profile a choice, but it does not offer a plainer 70% option or a different flavour.
If preferences vary, consider offering a 70% product alongside the stronger bar or a flavoured selection.
Lindt’s EXCELLENCE Tasting Collection includes milk chocolate and a hazelnut recipe. M&S lists filled centres in its Dark Chocolate Selection, which states 56% minimum cocoa solids.
Read the contents of the exact box. If plain high-cocoa chocolate matters to your guests, provide it as a separate, clearly identified option.
Divine lists a plain 70% bar and a pack of 160 individually sized 12.5g 70% bars, giving hosts both bar and party-sharing formats.
Lindt lists an EXCELLENCE 70% plain bar and a tasting collection with several dark recipes and a milk-chocolate recipe.
Montezuma’s dark range includes a 74% bar and flavoured options. Its Lordy Lord bar combines 70% dark chocolate with cocoa nibs for crunch.
Hotel Chocolat lists shareable dark-chocolate formats, including 70% and 85% batons and high-cocoa collections.
M&S lists an 85% dark bar and a boxed Dark Chocolate Selection. They serve different preferences: plain, higher-cocoa chocolate or varied filled pieces.
Green & Black’s lists a 70% dark 90g bar, including a bulk-order format relevant to group purchasing.
These options cover a boxed 70% chocolate, a filled selection and plain dark bars at different stated cocoa percentages. Match the format to how you plan to serve guests, and check each current pack before putting it out.
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A boxed truffle option for offering guests individual pieces. Check the current pack if allergies matter: the listed product information identifies milk, soya and barley, with a warning for several tree nuts. Confirm the piece count and whether the truffles are individually wrapped if either affects your serving plan.
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A filled-chocolate box for guests who want a choice of centres rather than a plain bar. The listed product information states 40% minimum cocoa solids and identifies almonds, hazelnuts, egg and milk among its allergens; it also warns that the chocolates are not suitable for children under 4 because of choking risk. Check the current pack before serving.
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A plain 70% bar for guests who prefer dark chocolate without a filled centre. Check how you would divide and serve it, and read the current pack: the listed warning says it may contain almonds, hazelnuts and milk.
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A plain bar to offer alongside a lower-cocoa or filled option if guests want different choices. Plan how to divide it for serving. The listed allergen information identifies soya and warns that it may contain milk, nuts, peanuts and cereals containing gluten; check the current pack.
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An 85% bar to add when guests specifically want a stronger cocoa flavour, rather than assuming it will suit the whole group. Decide how to portion it, and check the current pack: the listed warning says it may contain almonds, hazelnuts and milk.
It can provide a plain high-cocoa option without making an 85% bar the only choice. Divine describes its 70% bar as having subtle sweetness, while Lindt describes its EXCELLENCE 70% bar with vanilla notes. If you know some guests prefer stronger cocoa, offer that as an additional option.
Choose pieces that guests can take without breaking a large bar if self-service matters. Divine lists a pack of 160 individually sized 12.5g bars, and Hotel Chocolat lists 70% batons in a 15-finger format. Check the piece count and packaging of the exact product you buy.
Do not assume so. Lindt says its EXCELLENCE 70% bar is made to a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy because it is made in a facility using milk. Check the current pack of the exact chocolate before serving it.
Keep the current packaging available so guests can check ingredients and allergen statements for each product. This is particularly useful for a mixed box, where individual recipes can differ, and for any guest who has disclosed an allergy.
England’s Department for Education school food standards guide concerns school food, not private Christmas parties. If you are buying for a school-catering event, ask the responsible organisation which current standards apply and check the exact product rather than assuming every dark chocolate has the same classification.