Couples planning a self-service sweet table
Batons and mini bars let guests take a piece without cutting a shared bar. Keep the varieties identifiable as you replenish the display.
Who is this for?
Hosts catering for different dark-chocolate preferences
A choice of cocoa strengths makes more sense than treating every dark chocolate as equally intense. The ranges discussed here include 70%, 74%, 85% and 100% options.
Hosts organising allergen information
Keep the packaging for each variety so guests can check its ingredients and allergen statements, particularly when serving filled chocolates or mixed selections.
What to check before buying
Decide how guests will take the chocolate before comparing pack quantities: a counted piece and a full-size bar need different serving plans.
| Priority | What to check | Your needs |
|---|---|---|
| Serving format | Check whether guests can take a piece directly or whether bars need breaking and plating. Confirm the piece count where portions matter. | I want guests to serve themselves without handling a shared bar, so batons, mini bars or separate chocolates suit my display. |
| Cocoa and flavour | Read the cocoa percentage and check whether each item is plain, flavoured or filled. Label stronger and flavoured choices separately. | For a mixed guest list, I would offer a less intense dark choice as well as any 85% or 100% chocolate. |
| Allergen clarity | Check each exact pack’s ingredients, declared allergens and precautionary statements. Keep varieties identifiable and use separate serving utensils. | Guests need to know which chocolate they are choosing, especially when the table includes nuts or filled centres. |
| Quantity | Compare the number of pieces or bars with the total weight. Work out how much you intend to display and how you will replenish it. | A box of batons and a case of full-size bars call for different portion plans, even if their pack counts look similar. |
Buffet planning pitfalls
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Assuming all dark chocolate has the same allergen profile
Filled and flavoured selections can contain ingredients not apparent from the words “dark chocolate”. Marks & Spencer’s Dark Chocolate Selection, for example, lists milk, hazelnuts and soya.
Check every exact pack, retain its information during service and keep varieties and their serving utensils separate. Do not describe an option as suitable for a dietary requirement unless its product information supports that claim.
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Assuming every item in a bundle is dark chocolate
A custom selection or mixed library may contain different chocolate types, which matters if the buffet is intended to be dark-only.
Check the contents before ordering. If you deliberately include other types, identify them individually on the table.
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Making high-cocoa chocolate the only choice
Hotel Chocolat lists 85% batons and Montezuma’s lists 100% dark chocolate alongside less intense dark options. They need not serve the same guest preference.
For a mixed guest list, consider a less intense dark option alongside clearly labelled high-cocoa pieces.
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Comparing packs by count alone
Hotel Chocolat’s 15-baton pack, Green & Black’s box of 15 full-size bars and Lindt’s 9 × 100 g bar selection have different weights and serving formats.
Compare total weight and intended portions, then allow for any breaking, plating and replenishment the format requires.
Relevant brand ranges
Green & Black’s
A bulk-bar reference for hosts prepared to portion chocolate themselves.
- The brand lists a box of 15 Dark 70% Chocolate 90 g bars.
- Full-size bars need a plan for serving whole or breaking into portions; check the current pack’s allergen information.
Divine
Dark-chocolate bundles for a smaller buffet or tasting table.
- Divine lists Dark Chocolate Lover’s Bundles in 3-, 5- and 7-pack formats.
- Check the contents and allergen statement for each flavour in the chosen bundle.
Lindt
Build-your-own EXCELLENCE bar selections where the host wants to choose the mix.
- Lindt Shop UK lists 5 × 100 g and 9 × 100 g selections.
- Check that the bars selected are dark chocolate and retain each product’s label information.
Montezuma’s
A range to consider when guests will be offered different cocoa strengths and flavours.
- The dark range lists 74% and 100% options and a 10 × 25 g mini bar library.
- Check the library’s exact contents; identify flavoured and plain products separately.
Hotel Chocolat
Counted batons for a self-service display with a high-cocoa option.
- Hotel Chocolat lists a pack of 15 batons made with 85% dark chocolate.
- Offer another cocoa strength if the buffet needs to accommodate guests who prefer a less intense dark chocolate.
M&S
A boxed selection to consider when filled chocolates can be clearly identified.
- Its 292 g Dark Chocolate Selection contains filled chocolates; the dark chocolate is stated as at least 56% cocoa solids.
- The listed ingredients include milk, hazelnuts and soya. Check the full pack statement before offering it to guests with dietary requirements.
Joybuy chocolate options
These boxed dark-chocolate options suit a shared buffet display. Check the piece count and each box’s allergen information before deciding how to set them out.
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Lindt Lindor Dark 70% Cocoa 200 g
A boxed dark-chocolate choice for a shared buffet display. The title specifies 70% cocoa and 200 g; check the piece count, whether pieces are individually wrapped and the current pack’s allergen statement before planning servings.
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Nestle Black Magic Dark Chocolate Box 348 g
A boxed dark-chocolate selection for guests to choose from. The title specifies 348 g; check the piece count and the current pack’s ingredients and allergen statement so each variety can be identified at the buffet.
Common questions
Which dark-chocolate format is simplest for self-service?
Batons or mini bars let guests take a piece without breaking a shared bar. Hotel Chocolat lists 15 batons in its 85% dark pack; a case such as Green & Black’s 15 × 90 g bars needs a separate plan for plating or serving whole bars.
Should every chocolate have the same cocoa percentage?
No. If guests have different preferences, offer a less intense dark option alongside any clearly labelled 85% or 100% chocolate. Check flavours as well as cocoa percentages when choosing a mixed display.
Can I call a dark-chocolate selection safe for guests with allergies?
Not on the basis of its dark-chocolate name. Check each exact pack’s ingredients and allergen statements: Marks & Spencer’s Dark Chocolate Selection, for example, lists milk, hazelnuts and soya and states further restrictions for people with allergies and for coeliacs.
What allergen information is needed at a catered buffet?
If the caterer is operating as a food business, Food Standards Agency guidance says allergen information must be provided for prepacked and non-prepacked food and drink. Keep the original packaging or an accurate allergen list for each chocolate variety so guests can identify what is being served.
How should the chocolate be stored before the wedding?
Follow each pack’s storage instructions. Marks & Spencer, for example, directs buyers to keep its Dark Chocolate Selection in a cool, dry place away from sunlight.