Hosts serving guests with different tastes
If you do not know everyone's preferred cocoa strength, offer more than one bar or flavour so guests can choose what to try.
Who is the chocolate for?
Guests who seek out high-cocoa chocolate
An 85% bar or a separate 100% cocoa tasting option gives these guests a choice without making the most intense bar the only one available.
Hosts serving guests with allergies or dietary requirements
Check each exact product's current ingredients and precautionary allergen statements. The Food Standards Agency advises that vegan labelling is not a substitute for allergen information.
What should you check before buying?
Choose the range of cocoa strengths first, then check whether the format provides enough variety or portions for your group. Treat allergen suitability as a separate, product-specific decision.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Cocoa strength | Compare the stated cocoa percentages. Consider a choice around 70% to 85%, with 100% cocoa served separately if wanted. | I want guests to have a high-cocoa choice without assuming everyone wants a 100% cocoa bar. |
| Sharing format | Check the number and size of bars or pieces against your guest count. For a selectable assortment, confirm which dark varieties you can choose. | A mix of strengths would let my guests sample different options; for a larger group, I also need to plan how much to put out. |
| Allergen information | Read the current ingredients and precautionary statements for every bar, including plain and vegan-labelled products. Keep packaging available when serving. | If a guest has an allergy, I need information for the exact chocolate served, not an assumption based on its name or a vegan label. |
| Flavours and inclusions | Check whether a selector contains nuts or fruit and whether a plain alternative is available. Keep clearly labelled options separate. | I may want some flavour contrast, but I do not want a fruit-and-nut selector mistaken for plain chocolate. |
What can go wrong at the table?
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Assuming vegan means suitable for a milk allergy
Lindt says its vegan-recipe EXCELLENCE 85% bar is made in a facility using milk and is not suitable for people with a milk allergy. The Food Standards Agency also advises against using vegan labelling in place of allergen information.
Check the exact pack's ingredients and precautionary statements with the guest concerned before serving it.
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Putting out only 100% cocoa chocolate
Montezuma's Absolute Black is made from 100% cocoa with no added sugar. As the sole dark option, it leaves no alternative for guests who would prefer a lower cocoa strength.
Offer it as a separate, labelled tasting option alongside bars around 70% to 85% cocoa.
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Assuming a plain-looking option resolves nut concerns
Hotel Chocolat's Fruit & Nut 80% Selector contains almonds and hazelnuts. An option without visible nuts is not automatically suitable for someone with a nut allergy: M&S says its plain 85% bar is not suitable for people with nut or peanut allergy.
Keep nut-containing chocolate separate and check the current label of any alternative before offering it to an affected guest.
Which brand ranges offer relevant options?
These examples show different ways to assemble a party selection; allergen information applies to the named products, not every bar from the brand.
Lindt
Lindt's EXCELLENCE build-your-own selection lets you choose nine 100g bars, including dark options at different cocoa strengths.
- A selectable format can provide several dark-chocolate choices for tasting.
- Select the dark variants deliberately. Lindt says its vegan-recipe EXCELLENCE 85% bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy.
Divine
Divine offers an 85% dark chocolate bar in a 90g format, with a 15-bar case option.
- The case format provides multiple bars of the same cocoa strength for a group.
- Check the current allergen statement before serving it to guests with allergies.
Montezuma's
Absolute Black is a 100% cocoa bar with no added sugar, suited to a separate tasting option rather than the only chocolate on a mixed-guest table.
- Its stated cocoa content makes its place in a tasting line-up clear.
- Check its current precautionary allergen statement before serving.
Hotel Chocolat
The Fruit & Nut 80% Selector adds almonds, hazelnuts and cherries to an 80% dark-chocolate option.
- It provides a flavoured, textured contrast to plain bars.
- It contains nuts; keep it distinct from alternatives being considered for guests with allergies.
M&S
The M&S Collection 100g bar is a plain dark option with at least 85% cocoa solids.
- A plain 85% bar offers a different format from a fruit-and-nut selector.
- M&S says this bar is not suitable for people with a milk allergy; check the current pack for all relevant warnings.
Dark chocolate options on Joybuy
These truffles and bars offer 70%, 72% and 85% cocoa options for a party table. Check pack information and plan the number of bars or boxes for your group.
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Lindt Lindor Dark 70% Cocoa 200g
A 200g dark-chocolate truffle option for guests who want a stated 70% cocoa strength. Check the current pack for ingredients and allergen warnings before sharing.
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Green & Black's Dark 85% Chocolate 90g
A single 90g bar at 85% cocoa for the higher-cocoa end of the table. Plan the number of bars for your group and check the current allergen statement.
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Morrisons The Best Ecuador 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate 100g
A 100g bar at 85% cocoa to serve alongside a lower-percentage option. Check the current pack for allergen information and how many bars your group will need.
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Morrisons The Best Dominican Republic 72% Cocoa Dark Chocolate 100g
A 100g bar at 72% cocoa, providing another stated strength beside the 85% bars. Check the current allergen statement before serving.
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Lindt EXCELLENCE 85% Cocoa Dark Chocolate 100g
A single 100g bar for an 85% cocoa choice. Lindt says its EXCELLENCE 85% bar is made to a vegan recipe but is not suitable for people with a milk allergy; check the current pack before serving.
Questions about serving dark chocolate
Should 100% cocoa chocolate be the only dark option?
For a group with different tastes, serve it as an additional tasting option rather than the only dark chocolate. Bars around 70% to 85% cocoa give guests other strengths to choose from.
Does a vegan label mean a bar is suitable for a milk allergy?
No. The Food Standards Agency advises that vegan labelling is not a substitute for allergen information. Lindt says its vegan-recipe EXCELLENCE 85% bar is made in a facility using milk and is not suitable for people with a milk allergy; check the exact current pack.
How can I keep allergen information clear at the party?
Keep each product's packaging available, identify what is being served and read both ingredients and precautionary statements before offering chocolate to a guest with an allergy. Keep nut-containing selectors separate, but do not assume a plain bar is allergy-suitable without checking its label.
Is a tasting assortment or a single cocoa strength more practical?
A selectable assortment gives guests a choice of strengths if you deliberately select the dark varieties. Several bars at one cocoa strength provide a consistent option instead; in either case, check the contents and quantities against your guest count.