Hosts looking for a stated cocoa percentage
If a high-cocoa recipe matters more than the word “dark” on the front of a pack, look for a cocoa-solids declaration. Lindt, Tony’s Chocolonely and Divine Chocolate each describe a cited bar as 70% cocoa.
Who is this for?
Hosts giving each participant a separate treat
An individually packaged format avoids breaking up a sharing bar during the hunt. Divine Chocolate lists a pack of 30 separate 35 g dark bars; check the pack’s allergen information before distributing them.
Families checking allergies and children’s safety
Read the ingredients and precautionary allergen statement on each chosen pack. For hunts involving babies or young children, heed the Child Accident Prevention Trust’s warning about small round sweets, including mini-eggs.
What should you check?
Choose the cocoa declaration and treat format for your hunt, then check the exact pack against each recipient’s needs.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa content | Look for an explicit cocoa-solids percentage. Do not confuse the proportion of dark chocolate coating on a wafer bar with the cocoa-solids percentage of the chocolate. | I want a stated high-cocoa recipe rather than choosing by the word “dark” alone. |
| Treat format | Check whether the product contains separately packaged bars or a sharing bar that needs dividing. Divine Chocolate lists a 30 × 35 g format for its 70% dark bars. | Each participant needs a separate treat, without breaking up a large bar during the hunt. |
| Allergens | Read the exact pack’s ingredients and precautionary “may contain” statement. A vegan recipe does not, by itself, resolve milk cross-contact warnings. | If I am choosing for someone with an allergy, I need to check the particular product and pack, not rely on “dark” or “vegan”. |
| Young children | Consider the treat’s shape and the child’s eating ability. The Child Accident Prevention Trust warns that small round sweets, including mini-eggs, can block an airway. | For a hunt involving young children, I need treats they can eat appropriately and an adult present while they eat. |
Common buying mistakes
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Assuming every dark bar has a high cocoa percentage
KitKat says dark chocolate accounts for 67.2% of its four-finger bar. That describes how much of the wafer bar is chocolate, not the chocolate’s cocoa-solids percentage.
If a high-cocoa recipe is the aim, look for an explicit cocoa-solids declaration on the product and pack.
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Treating “vegan” as an allergy guarantee
Lindt describes its EXCELLENCE 70% bar as made to a vegan recipe but says it is not suitable for people with a milk allergy because it is made in a facility using milk.
Check both the ingredients and precautionary allergen statement on the exact pack before giving it to anyone with an allergy.
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Hiding small round mini-eggs for young children
The Child Accident Prevention Trust warns that round hard sweets, including mini-eggs, can completely block a young child’s airway.
Keep unsuitable treats out of young children’s reach, choose treats appropriate to their eating ability and stay with them while they eat.
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Choosing a sharing bar for one-per-person treats
A sharing bar needs dividing, whereas separately packaged bars can be handed out individually.
If each participant needs their own bar, check the packaging format before buying. Divine Chocolate lists a pack of 30 separate 35 g bars, which still requires an allergen check for each recipient.
Relevant brand examples
These examples show different bar formats and labelling considerations; the details apply to the cited products, not every product from each brand.
Lindt
Lindt EXCELLENCE Dark 70% is a 100 g plain bar with a stated minimum of 70% cocoa solids.
- The cocoa-solids declaration makes its high-cocoa recipe clear.
- Lindt says the 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.
Divine Chocolate
Divine Chocolate lists both a 90 g 70% dark bar and a pack of 30 separate 35 g 70% dark bars.
- The 35 g format offers separate bars when treats are allocated individually.
- The cited products carry precautionary warnings for milk, gluten and nuts; check the exact pack for each recipient.
Tony’s Chocolonely
Tony’s Extra Dark is a 180 g sharing bar described by the manufacturer as 70% cocoa.
- Its stated cocoa percentage and sharing-bar format make the recipe and distribution choice clear.
- The cited bar contains soya lecithin and carries a precautionary warning for gluten, egg, milk and nuts.
KitKat
KitKat 4 Finger Dark is a 41.5 g wafer bar covered in dark chocolate, rather than a plain dark tablet.
- The four-finger wafer format offers a different type of single bar.
- The stated 67.2% is the proportion of dark chocolate in the bar, not a cocoa-solids percentage. The cited ingredients include wheat and milk.
Cadbury
Cadbury Bournville Classic Dark is a 180 g dark chocolate sharing bar described by Cadbury as suitable for vegetarians.
- The sharing-bar format may suit a hunt prize that will be portioned later.
- If a particular cocoa-solids percentage matters, confirm it on the pack rather than assuming one from the word “dark”.
Dark chocolate bars on Joybuy
These bar options suit a hunt where a stated cocoa percentage matters. Check the packaging if you need one separately wrapped treat per participant, and check each exact pack for allergens.
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Morrisons The Best 72% Cocoa Dominican Republic Dark Chocolate 100g
A 100 g dark bar to consider when a stated 72% cocoa recipe matters more than individual treat packaging. Check whether its wrapping works for your hunt and read the exact pack’s allergen information before distributing it.
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Green & Black's Dark Chocolate 70% 90g
This 90 g dark bar has a stated 70% cocoa level for shoppers choosing by a declared percentage. If participants need separate wrapped treats, confirm the packaging format; check the exact pack for ingredients and allergen warnings.
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Divine Chocolate 70% Dark Chocolate with Raspberries 90g
This 90 g bar combines a stated 70% cocoa level with raspberries. Check its wrapping if you need individual treats. Do not rely on vegan-friendly wording for allergy suitability: the product information also identifies milk, so check the current pack’s ingredients and warnings before buying.
Questions about hunt treats
Does “dark chocolate” mean a bar is suitable for someone with a milk allergy?
No. KitKat Dark lists milk ingredients, while Lindt says its cited EXCELLENCE 70% bar is unsuitable for people with a milk allergy despite being made to a vegan recipe. Read the ingredients and precautionary allergen statement on the exact pack for each recipient.
Are mini-eggs suitable for babies or young children at a hunt?
Avoid small round mini-eggs for babies and young children. The Child Accident Prevention Trust warns that round hard sweets, including mini-eggs, can completely block an airway. Choose treats appropriate to the child’s eating ability and stay with children while they eat.
Where should I check a chocolate bar for allergens?
Check the ingredients and any precautionary “may contain” statement on the exact pack. Do this even for a bar described as dark or vegan: the cited products show that recipe ingredients and manufacturing cross-contact warnings can differ.
How should I store a dark sharing bar before the hunt?
Follow the instructions on the bar you buy. For its cited Extra Dark bar, Tony’s Chocolonely recommends a cool, dark, dry place and advises against storing it in the fridge; consider those instructions when planning where to keep treats before the hunt.