Hosts with a self-serve table
Buttons and truffles let guests take a piece without breaking up a bar. They suit a table where people will come back for food throughout the evening; check the pack weight before deciding how many to put out.
Who is each format for?
Hosts planning a small tasting
Several bars give guests different flavours or cocoa percentages to compare. Break them into portions before serving and keep track of which ingredients belong to each bar. Montezuma’s lists a Dark Bar Library containing five 90g bars, although its stated contents may change.
Hosts accommodating dietary needs
Choose and serve chocolate using the information on each exact pack, rather than assuming that a dark label means it is free from milk, wheat, soya or nuts. Keep packs identifiable if you put out more than one chocolate.
What should you check before buying?
Decide how guests will eat the chocolate, then check quantity, flavour choice and pack information before placing an order.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving format | Choose pieces for a self-serve bowl, or bars if you can portion and identify each variety. Check whether the pack contains one chocolate or an assortment. | I want guests to take a piece as they pass the table, without stopping to break up bars. |
| Amount | Read the pack weight and consider whether chocolate is one of several snacks or a main part of the spread. Montezuma’s lists 120g button bags; Lindt lists a 1kg LINDOR Dark 70% truffle box. | For a larger gathering, I need to check whether one pack is enough. For a small tasting, several flavours may matter more than one large box. |
| Cocoa and flavour | Compare the stated cocoa percentages and any fillings or added flavours. Montezuma’s lists 60%, 74% and 100% cocoa buttons, so its options do not all have the same flavour profile. | My guests may have different preferences; I would rather offer a choice than make a very high-cocoa chocolate the only option. |
| Ingredients | Check every exact pack’s ingredients, allergen declaration and precautionary statements. Keep the information with the chocolate after decanting it. | If someone needs to avoid an ingredient, I want them to know which chocolate came from which pack. |
| Arrival | Check the delivery date and any exclusions at checkout. Leave time before New Year’s Eve in case the available service does not fit your plans. | I need the chocolate to arrive before I set out the party food. |
What can go wrong at the party table?
-
Assuming dark chocolate is suitable for everyone
Lindt’s ingredient information for its 1kg LINDOR Dark 70% truffles lists milk, soya, lactose and barley malt extract, with a precautionary warning for nuts. Montezuma’s lists milk, wheat and soya for its Dark Bar Library and warns of possible nuts and peanuts. A shared, unlabelled bowl makes those distinctions harder for guests to see.
Check each exact pack and leave its packaging beside the serving dish. Keep different chocolates identifiable rather than treating the words ‘dark chocolate’ as an allergen declaration.
-
Putting out only the highest-cocoa option
A 100% cocoa button and a 60% cocoa button are different flavour choices. One very high-cocoa selection may not fit a group with varied preferences.
If you do not know what guests prefer, offer more than one cocoa intensity or flavour. Keep the highest-cocoa pieces identifiable for guests who want them.
-
Equating a sharing bag with a party-sized supply
A 120g button bag and a 1kg truffle box serve different plans for the table; neither pack weight tells you how much your guests will take.
Consider the guest count and the other food on offer, then decide whether to put out one bag, several bags or a larger box.
Which brands offer relevant formats?
Montezuma’s
Montezuma’s lists dark buttons for a self-serve bowl and a multi-bar selection for a tasting.
- Its listed 120g buttons include Giant 60% Dark, Organic 74% Dark and Absolute Black 100% Cocoa options.
- Its five-bar Dark Bar Library needs portioning for a buffet; the listed contents may change, so check the exact selection and ingredients.
Lindt
Lindt lists a 1kg LINDOR Dark 70% truffle box that offers a different pack size from a small button bag.
- The listed 1kg box gives hosts a large format to consider for a gathering.
- Its ingredient information lists milk, soya, lactose and barley malt extract, and warns that it may contain hazelnuts and other nuts.
Hotel Chocolat
Hotel Chocolat lists dark batons, selectors, slabs and a chocolate box, offering formats to compare when planning a spread.
- Its listed dark range includes 70% and 85% cocoa batons and other flavoured selections.
- Check the weight and contents of an individual selector before treating it as the chocolate supply for a group.
Divine
Divine lists 90g dark bars, including a 70% cocoa bar and a 70% cocoa mint crisp bar. Divine describes the business as farmer co-owned.
- Different listed bars can be portioned for a tasting with more than one flavour.
- Bars require preparation if you want guests to pick up individual pieces from a buffet.
Green & Black’s
Green & Black’s lists a bulk format of its 70% dark 90g bars, which is relevant if you plan to portion several bars.
- The listed format provides repeat bars of the same stated cocoa percentage.
- Bars still need dividing into serving pieces for a self-serve table.
Dark chocolate options on Joybuy
These two boxed options are worth comparing if you want chocolate guests can choose from at a party table: one is a 200g LINDOR dark pack and the other a 348g Black Magic dark chocolate box. Check the exact contents and ingredients before deciding which fits your guests.
No image available
Lindt Lindor Dark 70% Cocoa 200g
Consider this 200g pack for a self-serve chocolate bowl if its stated 70% cocoa suits your guests’ preferences. Check the exact ingredient and allergen information, and decide whether 200g fits the number of people and the other food on offer.
No image available
Nestle Black Magic Dark Chocolate Box 348g
Consider this 348g box if guests would prefer to select from a boxed dark-chocolate assortment. Check the pieces and ingredient information on the exact pack, then compare its weight with the amount you plan to serve.
Questions about serving dark chocolate
How much dark chocolate should I buy for a New Year’s Eve party?
Base the amount on your guest count and whether chocolate is one snack among several or a main part of the food table. Montezuma’s lists 120g button bags, while Lindt lists a 1kg dark-truffle box; check the weight of the particular pack you choose rather than assuming that ‘sharing’ describes a fixed number of servings.
Is dark chocolate automatically suitable for guests avoiding milk?
No. Lindt’s listed ingredients for its 1kg LINDOR Dark 70% truffles include milk and lactose. Check the ingredient and allergen information on the exact pack you intend to serve rather than relying on its cocoa percentage or the word ‘dark’.
What information should I leave beside a sharing bowl?
Keep the original pack or its ingredient and allergen information available, and make clear which chocolate came from it. If you serve several products, use separate, identifiable dishes so guests can check the information relevant to each one.
Are bars or bite-size chocolates easier for a party table?
Buttons and truffles are simpler to put in a bowl for guests to pick up; bars give you more scope to set out a tasting but need portioning first. If you use several bars, identify each variety so its flavour and ingredients remain clear.
Should I order close to New Year’s Eve?
Check the delivery date shown at checkout and allow time before you need to set out the food. Delivery options and exclusions depend on the order, so choose a service whose stated arrival fits your party plans.