End of Season half price sale, 50% off Christmas chocolate from Hotel Chocolat.

Hotel Chocolat’s chocolate sale gives you a wonderful opportunity to buy some delicious chocolate, half price!

Discount chocolate from the luxury chocolate brand, a great way to buy your thank you gifts or to get yourself something yummy for half the price.

View all the chocolate on sale here. Hotel Chocolat is not the only online chocolate shop having a sale; even more cheap chocolate is available from other shops.

A wonderfully Christmassy chocolate box filled with a selection of twenty-eight individual luxury Hotel Chocolat chocolates especially for Christmas.

The Classic Sleekster Christmas Selection Box is the essence of the Hotel Chocolat Christmas collection, brought together in a sleek and festive chocolate box; the flavours of Christmas mixed with quality chocolate and moulded into beautiful shapes, and let’s not forget a dash of booze in one or two.

The Classic Christmas edition Sleekster contains twenty-eight Hotel Chocolat chocolates in sixteen different mouth watering recipes, including:

• Zesty Marzipan Star – Two festive layers of silky smooth almond marzipan and zesty orange truffle with a deep dark shell dabbed with edible gold.
• Christmas Mess – Upliftingly fruity mousse, made with white chocolate and lots of strawberry and raspberry and finished with crushed meringue and strawberry pieces.
• 40% Milk Christmas Tree – Hotel Chocolat’s signature milk chocolate with classic creaminess and a good cocoa hit.
• Cinnamon Praline – A dome shaped milk chocolate truffle decorated with a star, inside is a beautiful cinnamon and hazelnut praline combination. The cinnamon gives the praline a rich texture without being too dense or affecting the cocoa flavours.
• Ginger Cheesecake – The firm textures and sour cream notes of cheesecake on top of a layer of spicy ginger.

• Rum Truffle – Lashings of premium golden rum from Saint Lucia in a milk chocolate truffle.
• Champagne Truffle – Our uplifting milk chocolate and cream truffles with an elegant splash of champagne.
• Sea Salt & Caramel Bauble – 40% milk chocolate with crushed caramel pieces and a hint of sea salt to intensify the flavours.
• Mulled Wine – The traditional winter spice flavours of cinnamon, clove and bitter orange, with a generous splash of warming, ruby red port.
• Chilli Truffle – Deep and dark truffle with a mouth-warming chilli tingle, an alchemic combination.

A mixture of white, milk and dark chocolates, fruit, nuts, marzipan, chilli, caramel, cinnamon and ginger, some with and some without alcohol a cornucopia of flavours and textures all wrapped up in a Christmas chocolate box – perfect for sharing or as a chocolate Christmas gift.

If you are not a fan of boozy chocolates or don’t drink then Hotel Chocolat have created another version of the Christmas Sleekster, the Sleekster Christmas Selection Without Alcohol the same delightful selection of flavours, textures and shapes but without the alcohol.

The Classic Sleekster Christmas Selection and the Christmas Sleekster without Alcohol both have the same amount of chocolates, twenty-eight in each, and the boxes are both the same size, designed to fit through the letter box, making them the perfect gift to send through the post.

£22.00 for 28 Christmassy Hotel Chocolat chocolates.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

Final Delivery

Both Christmas chocolate boxes and all of the chocolates from Hotel Chocolat can be ordered right up until 4pm on Friday the 23rd of December for delivery on the Saturday in time for Christmas.

Only a few online chocolate shops have given specific times and dates for Christmas, hopefully more will soon.

Christmas Last Orders.

Express Delivery is either be Special Delivery by Royal mail, if they are not on strike again! or from a courier service; DHL, Parcel Express etc. and will cost more.

Because of the of the snow in some areas, it may be best to double check with the sites if delivery is effected and it might be better to use the next day option where you can – just to be safe.

The three different “packages”, as they call them, include chocolates from right across the Christmas chocolate range grouped together by theme, the Kids’ Gift Package is aimed at children with cute, fun and novelty chocolates, the Finishing Touches Package has a selection of chocolate decorations for the table and Christmas tree and the Family Package contains Christmas chocolates for the whole family to share.

The Free Chocolates

Each of the chocolate packages has a different free gift, to compliment the different chocolates in the set.

The Chocolate Santa is free with the children’s package, included in the Finishing Touches Package is the decorative Mini Chocolate Wreath and in the family Christmas chocolate to share set are the Christmas Dinner chocolates.

Both the Santa and wreath are £6.50 and the small box of chocolates is £7.50, or £6.50 when you buy four or more, and each completely free when you buy the chocolate package.

Children’s Chritsmas Chocolate Set

The very cute Kids’ Gift Package has lots of little individual chocolates featuring the adorable Christmas chocolate characters; Jolly Santa, Dasher the Reindeer and Cool Penguin.

Inside the kids’ chocolate package is;

• Christmas at Santa’s House, a children’s gift box filled with fifteen chocolate shapes in 40% milk chocolate.
• Dasher the Reindeer Gift Basket, A really appealing gift basket featuring Dasher the Reindeer filled with two small boxes of chocolate shapes, a chocolate lolly and a mini chocolate slab.
• Christmas Stocking, a traditional Christmas stocking filled with Christmas chocolate treats; a box of white chocolate Santa, milk chocolate drops, a reindeer chocolate lolly and a mini chocolate slab.

And the FREE Chocolate Santa worth £6.50.

£56.00.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

Christmas Chocolate Decorations Set

In the finishing touches package are chocolate the bits and pieces for the home to make it a little more festive.

• Rather Large Christmas Cracker, possibly the largest chocolate filled Christmas cracker you can buy, this huge table decoration is filled with enough hats and jokes for twelve people and a massive forty individual chocolates.
• Chocolate Christmas Tree Decorations, a pack of ten little boxes with gold ribbons, for hanging from the tree, each on has a single chocolate inside.

And the free chocolate is the mini chocolate wreath worth £6.50.

£53.00.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

Christmas Chocolate Gift Set

A Christmas chocolate box and smaller chocolate gifts are included in the family pack;

• Christmas Chocolate Box, Hotel Chocolat’s bestselling Christmas chocolate box the Classic Christmas Sleekster filled with a selection of twenty-eight festive chocolates and Christmassy recipes.
• Nutty Noel Pick Me Up Gift Bag, a chocolate gift bag filled with a Selector of Cinnamon Almonds, a Selector Six of Gingerbread Truffles and a dark chocolate penguin bar.
• Christmas Mini Wreath, a rather wonderful wreath of luxury fruit and nut and milk and dark chocolate.

And a free box of chocolates worth £7.50.

£40.50.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

All available from the Hotel Chocolat website.

With so many beautiful chocolate Christmas tree decorations available to buy from lots of different online shops, this is a quick list of some of them and the three main types of chocolate decorations for the tree; chocolate baubles, chocolate shapes and tree chocolates.

Chocolate Baubles

There are two different types of chocolate baubles, chocolate filled baubles and baubles made from chocolate either wrapped in foil or clear wrappers. Both types of bauble hang from the branches of the Christmas tree, either by a ribbon or cord already attached to the decoration.

Chocolate filled baubles tend to be a little pricier that normal baubles, but they can be refilled and reused year after year.

Heidel’s chocolate filled Christmas bauble features a jolly Santa Claus, the same design which matches the rest of the Heidel range, and is filled with mini chocolate bars. Thorntons bauble tin is bright red with silver and black detailing and also celebrates their centenary and inside are chocolate praline Melts. The Christmas Tree Baubles from Plush Chocolate each contain a bag of Belgium fairtrade milk chocolate caramels and are decorated in red and gold.

Chef Marshall at John Lewis has two chocolate baubles in ribbon tied clear wrappers, both in with the same Christmas tree design and in two different sizes; the Chef Marshall Chocolate Bauble and the Mini Chef Marshall Chocolate Bauble.

Foil wrapped chocolate baubles; Rita Farhi chocolate baubles come in a range of different coloured foils; reds, golds and blues, some with stars and some plain, presented in a clear box. The chocolate Christmas tree baubles from Montezumas are a mixture of milk, white and dark chocolate. Rita Farhi Chocolate Christmas Tree Decorations, similar to the chocolate baubles but with different shapes and colours.

The classic Christmas colours, red and gold, are used for almost all of the Christmas baubles meaning you can mix and match between brands and they will work well with each other and look fabulous.

Chocolate Shapes

Chocolate shapes are very similar to the Christmas tree baubles, they also hang from the tree with either a ribbon or cord, but they are different shapes and sizes.

The Chocolate Trading Company has a wonderful selection of chocolate novelties some of which hang from the tree, these solid milk chocolates are wrapped in festive foil with gold cords attached and are available in three different designs; Angel, Nutcracker Soliders and Santa.

chocolatebuttons stock the wonderful Christmas tree decorations from Plush Chocolates, along with the chocolate filled baubles, all of the chocolate from Plush is fairtrade and organic.

The Plush Chocolate Filled Christmas Tree Decorations are festive boxes filled with chocolate buttons, featuring cute designs with Santa, snowmen and reindeer, the Plush Chocolate Star Christmas Tree Decorations are solid star shaped chocolates, in milk, white and dark chocolate and the Plush Chocolate Filled Christmas Stockings are red and white fabric stockings which also have chocolate buttons inside.

Hotel Chocolat’s Chocolate Christmas Tree Decorations are individual chocolates in little boxes which hang from ribbons, in red, gold and purple in a pack of ten and Thorntons Chocolate Santa Christmas Tree Decorations are hollow milk chocolate Santas with cords in a box of nine.

Chocolate shapes are more novelty and fun chocolates; they work well with most themes and add some festive joy to a tree.

Tree Chocolates

Tree chocolates are chocolates which are not necessarily meant to be used as Christmas tree decorations, but ever since I was young we have always has chocolates in the tree, normally chocolate Santas or other foil wrapped chocolates, but you can use anything which is light enough to sit in the branches of the tree.

The Lindt Gold chocolate figures are ideal for decorating a tree, light enough not to bend larger branches and they add a splash of gold, along with the classic Lindt Gold Bell and Lindt Gold Reindeer is the Lindt Gold Bear, each of the Lindt chocolates are in gold foil with red ribbons round them.

Christmas crackers are always fun to put in a Christmas tree and two of Hotel Chocolat’s crackers will work perfectly; Hotel Chocolat Mini Christmas Crackers and Hotel Chocolat Chocolate Filled Christmas Cracker.

If you are decorating your tree with crackers, it would be a good idea to finish your tree first and then add the crackers after – this way when you take the crackers off it won’t look bare.

Hotel Chocolat’s Alternative Mince Pies; six milk chocolate cups filled with caramel, topped off with a layer of chocolate praline and a decorative star.

Presented as a small, gold, box of chocolates with black detailing and a clear window on the top so you can see the chocolates peeping through from inside.

I am not sure if these are alternative mince pies or an alternative to mince pies, I will go with the latter as they seem to be more chocolate cupcakes to me or rather a version of a cupcake made from chocolate, delicately fluted milk chocolate cups filled with a generous helping of salted caramel below a layer of praline and finished off with a chocolate star.

The case gives a gentle snap before the glossy caramel is released, the rich salted caramel is runny and almost liquid inside, and enriched with the salt the flavours are wonderful, added to that is the smooth layer of praline for extra texture and a hint more of chocolate.

The cupcake vs. mince pie issue aside the six chocolates in their little Christmas box are just delicious; sweet, sticky, gooey and rather indulgent, and I highly recommend them.

£7.50, 95g 6 chocolates.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Alcohol Free

More Caramel Chocolates

The Alternative Mince Pies are much more about the salted caramel inside rather that the chocolate, if you are a fan of Hotel Chocolat’s caramel chocolate I would suggest either Chocolate Penguins or the Caramel Angels.

All from the Christmas 2011 chocolate collection.

If you love a perfectly laid out Christmas table with coordinating table cloth, runner, napkins and Christmas crackers you may need to rethink you colour theme to make sure it matches Hotel Chocolat’s Rather Large Christmas Cracker.

This stunning Christmas cracker is decorated in Hotel Chocolat’s 2011 Christmas colours, matching perfectly with the rest of their Christmas chocolate collection, white with vintage gold detailing and motifs on the outside and deep purple inside, tied with ribbons to add that finishing touch. Making the perfect Christmas table centre piece, either by itself or with the smaller chocolate filled Christmas crackers.

Crammed with 40 chocolates, a balanced selection of dark, white and milk chocolates, some with alcohol and some without, each one individually wrapped. And the Christmas cracker essentials, 12 party hats and jokes.

64cm across, that’s a massive 25inches, the Rather Large Christmas Cracker by Hotel Chocolat is easily the largest Christmas cracker available.

£38.00, 12 Luxury Christmas Crackers in one.

A set of ten chocolate Christmas tree decorations with very cute milk chocolate shapes in elegant little boxes, each with a ribbon so you can hang them from the tree.

Cast in milk 40% chocolate, the chocolates inside, are some of the adorable characters seen throughout Hotel Chocolat’s range; a chubby Santa, Dasher the Reindeer and the sweet Cool Penguin.

The little decorative boxes are in the 2011 Hotel Chocolat Christmas colours; red, gold and purple, so they will match any other Hotel Chocolat chocolate decorations perfectly.

Because the chocolates are inside boxes there is always the temptation to “sample” them, luckily Santa’s House is filled with fifteen of the same chocolates and can be used are replacements.

£15.00, for ten chocolate filled Christmas tree decorations.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Alcohol Free.

A very cute chocolate gift bag, filled with Hotel Chocolat chocolates, the perfect gift to put a smile on someone’s face.

The chocolate goody bags have windows in the sides so you can see all the delicious chocolate, charming Hotel Chocolat characters and Christmas shapes within.

In side the goody bag you will find; a milk chocolate slab with a Christmas Gift on, a very cute Pocket Reindeer bar, a Selector Six of Billionaire shortbread and the milk and dark chocolate mini festive wreath.

Wonderful as a Christmas gift, but they also make great party bags and alongside the Goody Bag of the Season, you can have a choice of party bags.

£17.00, 350g of Hotel Chocolat chocolates in goody bag.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

Californian almonds, caramelised to release the flavours and add a touch of sweetness, covered in 40% milk chocolate flavoured with a hint of festive cinnamon and presented in a smart tin – Hotel Chocolat’s Cinnamon Chocolate Almonds.

From experience I always imagine chocolate covered almonds or even sugar coated almonds, for that matter, to be a little bit dull and the almond inside to be a little moist and chewy, but as it turns out not all almonds are created equal and I was more than pleasantly surprised by Hotel Chocolat’s offering.

The almonds themselves have a wonderful texture, having been caramelised they have a richer darker colour and are delightfully crisp with a satisfying crunch, with an enhanced flavour not what was I was expecting at all.

The cinnamon in the milk chocolate gives the chocolate covered almonds a delightful smell which escapes each time you open the tin; warming, welcoming and very tempting, the cinnamon flavour is subtle against the 49% cocoa but does add a richness and depth to the chocolate.

Combined together the two are simply charming; a thick layer of milk chocolate with the mild spice of cinnamon followed by the sweetness of the sugar and finally the satisfying crunch of the nut inside.

Little moan: although I do like the new tins I think they were probably designed more for the Liquid Chocolat range rather than the enrobed nuts. My main problem with them that the tin is just too big, 250g of chocolate covered almonds only fills half of it, so when you open the tin for the first time it is a little disappointing and make that “ohh” sound, which kind of distracts from the rather special chocolate treats inside.

£10.00, 250g of chocolate covered almonds, in a reusable tin, which are definitely worth trying.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Alcohol Free

Chocolate Covered Nuts

Also from the Chritsmas range at Hotel Chocolat are the Dark Chocolate Brazil Nuts, in the same style tin.

And from the Selector collection, Dark Chocolate Caramelised Almonds and the chocolate covered selection with chocolate covered hazelnuts, raisins, peanuts, the dark chocolate almonds and a milk version to name but a few.

A box of ten penguins cast in dark chocolate with a hint of chilli, to tingle the taste buds at Christmas.

Two layers of 70% cocoa dark chocolate chilli penguins, these very cute little chocolate penguins have been spiced up with a hint of mouth-warming chilli.

One of three mini chocolate boxes filled with Christmas Shapes from Hotel Chocolat, these Christmas chocolate boxes which make perfect chocolate stocking fillers, Secret Santa presents and chocolate gifts.

£7.50 for 10 dark chocolate chilli penguins, 110g.

Labelled: Alcohol Free, Dairy Free and Vegan.

Multi buy

The Dark Chocolate Chilli Penguins are one of three small chocolates which are on multi buy; the other two are the smooth milk chocolate The Christmas Dinners and the delicous Caramel Angels. Buy any 4 or more for £6.50 each.

All three boxes are the same size, so if you are buying for siblings there will be no quibbling about who has a bigger present.

A beautiful luxury advent calendar, brimming with mini chocolate truffles, designed especially for couples or those who like to share.

Behind each window are two gorgeous chocolate truffles, a selection of milk chocolate and dark chocolate truffles with ganache and praline filled centres, some with a hint of booze, and decorated with a splash of colour, using natural colourings, making an impressive 48 luxury chocolate truffles in total.

Dramatically decorated with white and purple stars on a black background, using the same intricate star design which adorns all of Hotel Chocolat’s 2011 Christmas chocolate collection, the luxury Truffles to Share advent calendar makes the perfect gift for a couple, any adult or a chocolate truffle lover.

One of five chocolate filled advent calendars from Hotel Chocolat, this is the largest and most expensive of them all, counting down to Christmas 2011 in style, and of course with chocolate.

£25.00, for a stunning Hotel Chocolat Truffles to Share Advent Calendar.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Gluten Free.

One of the best things about Hotel Chocolat, apart from the fantastic chocolate of course, is the amount if effort they seem to put into their seasonal chocolate collections and Christmas 2011 is no exception.

Their colour scheme for this year is festive red, deep purple and vintage gold mixed in with Hotel Chocolat’s signature black and white, the range is brought together with an intricate star motif which features on, almost all, of the Christmas chocolates.

Most of the range is available to buy now; some hampers and some gifts will be ready closer to Christmas. You can see all of the Christmas chocolate on Hotel Chocolat’s site here. These are some of the wonderful chocolates ready at the moment.

Chocolate Boxes

At the heart of the Christmas range is a chocolate box called the Classic Christmas collection; milk, dark and white chocolates with and without alcohol in Christmassy shapes and flavours presented a seasonal Sleekster box.

The Classic Christmas Sleekster is always very popular and sells out fast.

The Classic Sleekster comes in three sizes; Double Layer (only available online), Luxe and Sleekster with fifty-six, forty and twenty-eight individual chocolates respectively. The Double Layer Classic is the largest chocolate box in the Christmas collection. The Classic collection is also available without alcohol, also with thirty chocolates but with the recipes containing booze removed.

The two Christmas Sleeksters, Classic and Without Alcohol, also come in H-Box size; the same flavours and recipes as the larger versions but in a smaller box containing thirteen chocolates, and colour coordinated.

For anyone familiar with the Simple Thanks mini chocolate box, you will be very pleased to know Classic collection also comes in the “eight” box and the even cuter “four” size, these miniature boxes make great gifts (and table favours).

So that is most tastes and budgets catered for in just the boxed chocolate selection, and one of two of my Christmas gifts bought already – they make great gifts in any size.

Chocolate Decorations

Simple calling the chocolate decorations is quite simply doing them an injustice. These decorative chocolates not only taste fantastic but look wonderful too, intricate chocolate wreaths and chocolate filled Christmas crackers, all in a variety of sizes.

Probably my favourite are the Christmas chocolate wreaths, chocolate beautifully sculpted into dramatic Victorian style wreaths, thick chocolate packed with a luxury fruit and nut in milk and dark chocolate.

The chocolate wreaths come in two sizes, large and the very cute but just as beautiful and delicious, mini wreath. The Purist Christmas Wreath is made from Hotel Chocolat’s award-winning 66% Rabot Estate dark chocolate and is dairy free/vegan. The other two wreaths are a mixture of both milk and dark chocolate.

For a more traditional Christmas look and feel, Hotel Chocolat have created their own Christmas crackers, mini cracker chocolate tree decorations and the very impressive Rather Large Christmas Cracker filled with chocolates, party hats and favours for all to share.

The large chocolate wreaths and the large Christmas crackers make wonderful centre pieces for a Christmas table and are complimented flawlessly by the mini wreaths, used as table favours, or the mini cracker tree decorations as they are all in matching colours.

Christmas Themed Novelty Chocolates

Fun shaped novelty chocolate slabs and figures, probably meant to be chocolate for kids, but I love them – I just think they are so cute they would make anyone of any age smile!

The milk chocolate 3D figures are hollow and come as two different characters, Dasher the Reindeer and Jolly Santa,

Both Dasher and Santa are part of the Christmas chocolate slabs line-up and are joined by the white chocolate Snowman. Santa and the Snowman have berry flavoured chocolate scarves and Dasher is all dark chocolate and dairy free.

Chocolate Stocking Fillers

Gorgeous little boxes of scrummy chocolates, perfect stocking fillers, handy little chocolate gifts or treats for you!

The Tiddly chocolate boxes are one of the cheapest chocolate gifts from the Hotel Chocolat Christmas range, they are available in four flavours; milk chocolate, caramel, white and vegan/diary free dark chocolate.

The three different shapes, snowman, reindeer and Santa Claus are the same charming characters as the chocolate slabs and novelty chocolates – perfect for children.

Slightly larger than the Tiddly chocolate boxes are the Chocolate shapes, in slim elegant boxes in three Christmas varieties; dark chocolate chilli penguins, Angel shaped caramels and “Christmas Dinner” shaped chocs.

Chocolate Yule Logs

Hotel Chocolat’s take on a Christmas tradition a chocolate version on the Yule Log, a choice of three flavours; chilli and orange, ginger and hazelnut or simply nutty.

Bars of gianduja studded with candied fruits and nuts, perfect stocking fillers for a foodie, a chocolate gift or dessert.

Children’s Christmas Chocolate

Quite a lot of the chocolates from Hotel Chocolat are ideal for children, especially the fun shapes and characters, but they have also created some gifts just for kids.

The Children’s Gift Box, Santa’s House, is a box filled with fifteen milk chocolates in fun shapes and Dasher the Reindeers Gift Basket has a selection of chocolate boxes and a mini chocolate slab in a very cute reindeer basket.

Giant Chocolate Slabs

And of course the giant chocolate slabs, festive versions of the famous huge chocolate bars weighing in at an impressive 500g, half a kilo. Wonderful Christmas gifts and perfect for sharing.

That’s quite a lot of chocolate and there is still more to come for Christmas 2011 including; flavoured hot chocolate, chocolate covered fruits, winter chocolates, chocolate hampers, gift sets, gift bags and a Christmas stocking! You can see everything on their website here.

Hotel Chocolat’s Tiddly Caramel Chocolate Santas; a box of eight, very cute, caramel flavoured chocolate Father Christmas’s.

These miniature chocolate Santa’s are new for Christmas 2010 and are one of the cheapest chocolate gifts from Hotel Chocolat, making them ideal stocking fillers and Secret Santa gifts.

Cast in solid 33% cocoa milk chocolate flavoured with caramel, probably my favourite flavoured chocolate from Hotel Chocolat; these are rather wonderful little chocolates.

The box they come in isn’t the biggest in the world, just 8cm by 11.5cm, but the little chocolate treats are crammed in, with four on each level, each chocolate Santa is quite chunky and very satisfying.

As you open the box you get a beautifully sweet aroma of caramelised sugar, which matches the flavour of the smooth chocolate. The caramel slightly stronger than I was expecting but as the chocolate melts it really works to create a very pleasing and moreish chocolate experience.

There are three different “Tiddly” chocolate shapes in four types of chocolate. The chocolate shapes are based on the Best Dressed characters, which can be seen throughout the Hotel Chocolat Christmas range. The caramel chocolate Santa’s are the only flavoured chocolates, the other are “plain” milk, white and dark chocolate.

Probably deigned to be kids Christmas gifts, but I would be very happy to receive any of the Best Dressed chocolates, the Jolly Santa is just so adorable, and the caramel chocolate Santa’s are just delicious.

£5.00, eight chunky chocolate Santas.

Labelled: Gluten Free and Alcohol Free.

A stunning chocolate Christmas tree, luxury fruit & nut milk chocolate beautifully shaped into a giant tree and decorated with dark chocolate and truffles, a mouth-watering centrepiece for the Christmas table.

Smooth 40% milk chocolate with cranberries, caramel Florentines and crunchy roasted almonds; luxury fruit and nut chocolate, finished with smooth Gianduja truffles and chocolate decorations.

This gorgeous chocolate truffle tree is a chunky 2cm deep, 22cm across at its widest point and 35cm tall, and weighting in at a massive 580g (over half a kilo!) – a very impressive chocolate creation.

£22.00, 580g of Christmassy Hotel Chocolat chocolate.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Alcohol Free and Gluten Free.

A small box of Christmassy chocolates in four different flavours in seasonal shapes and festive flavours, all wrapped in a sleeve and tied with a gros-grain ribbon featuring the Hotel Chocolat logo.

Simply calling this a small box of chocolates really isn’t doing it justice; these chunky chocolates are rather fabulous, packed with flavour, wonderful textures and looking very smart, they make a wonderful gift, perfect as stocking fillers or Secret Santa presents.

The chocolates in the “Classic Christmas Choc 8″ are taken from the abundant array of chocolate boxes available from Hotel Chocolat this Christmas, a sampler if you like of the whole range.

• Starberry – a milk chocolate square “Union Jack” with the Hotel Chocolat logo, filled with a light and fluffy pale centre with flecks of zesty pink fruits.
• Gianduja Praline – A thick shell if dark chocolate with sugar crystals on the outside for added crunch and inside is a beautifully smooth marble of praline, a wonderful combination.
• Praline with Crispy Pancake – A super smooth praline crammed with crispy bits and a very cute Santas hat on the top of the milk chocolate outer.
• Cinnamon Praline -A dome shaped milk chocolate truffle decorated with stars, inside is a beautiful cinnamon and hazelnut praline combination. The cinnamon gives the praline a rich texture without being too dense or affecting the cocoa flavours.

It’s really hard to pick a favourite but if I had to if would be the Starberry, also called the “Red Berry Mousse”, its light and refreshing and works perfectly with the milk chocolate and it is in all the Christmas Classic boxes, worth getting just for that one chocolate!

£8.00, 8 chocolates in 4 flavours.

Labelled: Alcohol Free.

A luxury gift bag filled with an assortment Hotel Chocolat treats from their Christmas chocolate collection, just a taster of the whole delicious range.

This large chocolate gift bag is three gifts in one, just the right size for a couple or small family to share or somebody really special, with both milk chocolate and dark chocolate goodies and a smattering of white chocolate in the selection box there is something for everyone.

The chic white bag is decorated with snowflakes and cocoa pods in red and silver tied with a ribbon and finished with a gift tag. Inside is:

• The Alcohol Free Christmas Chocolate Sleekster, a box of Christmassy chocolates.
• A box of milk chocolate shapes, design to look like the Christmas Dinner!
• A mini dark chocolate fruit & nut wreath.

I like to stock up on a few emergency presents, for those people that turn up unexpectedly or a last minute party invite, and gift bags, chocolate boxes and boxes are perfect. This chocolate gift bag is ideal as it is already wrapped, ribboned and tagged so all you have to do is write out the tag and social crisis averted.

£35.00 for three chocolate treats in a gift bag.

Labelled: Alcohol Free.

An alluring collection of dark chocolate treats from the Hotel Chocolat Christmas and Purist ranges, all brought together in a chocolate gift bag.

This mainly vegan dark chocolate collection contains four Hotel Chocolat Christmas chocolate and a dairy free Purist chocolate bar – a dark chocolate adventure with exciting flavours, luxury chocolate and festive goodies.

Hotel Chocolat dark chocolate collection bag contains:

• A dark chocolate wreath
• A mini version of the chocolate log.
• Dark chocolate Chilli Penguins
• A Purist Bar
• A Selector Six of dark chocolate Cranberry & Almond chocolates.

Presented in a ribbon tied gift bag with a tag so no need to warp, just fill in the card and your chocolate gift is ready to be enjoyed.

£35.00

Milk and dark chocolate goodie bag, a selection of spiced and mellow chocolate treats for Christmas.

A gift box of Hotel Chocolat chocolates for Christmas, an ideal last minute present, secret Santa or stocking filler, all in a festive black and gold tented box with clear panel so you can see all the chocolate inside.

The Gold Christmas Pick-Me-Up contiains; a Cinnamon Crunch 100g slab, a zesty orange dark chocolate Penguin, a Selector Six of Caramel & Praline Stars, Holly cast in honey milk chocolate and a milk chocolate Santa Lick.

£10.00.

Labelled: Alcohol Free.

Fruit and nut chocolate wreath from Hotel Chocolat, 50% cocoa milk chocolate and luxury fruit and nut beautifully crafted into a Christmas wreath.

This stunning chocolate creation is perfect to slice and share, great as a dessert after a meal or just a treat for the family and friends.

Deliciously smooth milk chocolate packed with cranberries and raisins for moist texture and pistachios, almonds and hazelnuts for that nutty crunch, shaped into an exquisitely designed Christmas wreath.

The fruit and nut chocolate Christmas wreath is 20cm round and a chunky 2cm deep.

£15.00, 450g.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Alcohol Free.

Twenty four Hotel Chocolat chocolate recipes especially selected for the Signature Collection, a gorgeous chocolate box for Christmas.

Luxury hand finished Hotel Chocolat chocolates, presented in a chic deep red embossed box. Inside the chocolate box the chocolates are lined up by shape, tempting you to savour the experience.

A sample selection of the gorgeous truffles, mouth watering caramels and fabulous flavours within the Signature Collection:

• Mocharetto Star: A dreamy, super soft ganache made with Columbian coffee, a dash or two of smooth cream liqueur and a little almond oil to give it an Italian feel with amaretto-style almond flavour notes.
• Banana Split: A gorgeous combination that plays on the winning blend of banana and caramel flavours – with the fruity flavours of red banana balanced by the rounded sweetness of caramel.
• Vanilla Butterscotch: The first thing you will notice about this chocolate is the gorgeous light whipped buttercream peppered with tiny vanilla seeds, encased in a mellow chocolate shell.
• Almond and Raspberry: A brand new take on the concept of fruit and nut with two layers just waiting to melt away. The first is a velvety smooth praline made with finely ground almonds and the second is a silky soft mousse with the zippy
  flavours of all natural raspberry.
• Striking Strawberry: Inside this creamy white chocolate shell you’ll discover there’s a striking fruity experience waiting for you – it’s bursting with the fresh flavours of natural strawberry blended into a white chocolate mousse.
• Orange Marmalade Praline: This milk chocolate praline has been blended with essential oil of bigarade orange, prized for its full flavour, which delivers more edgy citrus flavours than those of sweeter oranges.

The exquisite Hotel Chocolat Signature Collection is available in three sizes; each a multiple of twenty four, so you always get at least one of the fantastic flavours.

The Christmas Signature Collection 24, containing one of each of the sought-after chocolates, can also be found in two of the Personal Shopper gifts bags, gifts bags with tag and a bow so no need to wrap, alongside a bottle of red or white wine.

A spectacular array of Hotel Chocolat chocolates bound to impress, no matter the size of box.

Signature Collection Chocolate Boxes:

• £25.00, 360g – 24 Chocolates.
• £40.00, 720g – 48 Chocolates.
• £65.00, 1.35kg – 96 Chocolates.

Personal Shopper Bags:

• £45.00, 360g 24 Chocolates, and 75cl Prosecco, white.
• £45.00, 360g 24 Chocolates, and Chateau Chocolat, red.

Hotel Chocolat’s interpretation of the traditional Christmas log, smooth dark chocolate mixed with Piedmont praline and nuts to lift the chocolate flavour and add texture.

Christmas logs, or Yule logs, represent the last log to be brought in to be burnt on the fire, big enough to see the family through the winter months.

Traditionally the Yule Log cake is made from rolled sponge, like a Swiss roll, and then cover in chocolate icing.

The chocolate log from Hotel Chocolat is the grown up version, of the classic chocolate cake, dark chocolate blended with praline, Piedmont hazelnuts which milled to produce a velvety smooth praline, studded with pistachios and more hazelnuts and shaped into a Christmas log.

Part of the Sweet Obsessions range from Hotel Chocolat, classic British chocolates and sweets.

£7.50, 190g.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan and Alcohol Free.

A great chocolate hamper for the family to share, packed with Hotel Chocolat chocolates for everyone.

Sparkling Prosecco wine for the adults to share over a selection box of chocolates, chocolate treats for the children, a hamper of chocolate for the family with flavours to discover and enjoy.

Hotel Chocolat’s Christmas Bliss Chocolate Hamper contains:

The Hotel Chocolat Christmas Selection Chocolate Box; the Christmas edition Sleekster. A box of 40% Milk Chocolate Batons, slim bars of solid chocolate cast in Hotel Chocolat’s house blends. A cute bag of chocolate covered Brazil Nuts; roasted Brazil nuts tumbled in ultra smooth milk chocolate and cocoa powder.  Christmas Pralines Chocolate Box; a praline selection box. A box of cute Tiddly Snowmen. A bag of Snowball Munchkins.  A box of Dark Chocolate Chilli Penguins.  A box of milk chocolate Festive Fairies.  A tub of Winter Liquid Chocolat.  A gorgeous Cookies & Caramel Chocolate Wreath and a 75cl bottle of Prosecco.

All presenetd in a smart white, Hotel Chocolat, box.

£100.00, 2.5kg hamper of Hotel Chocolat chocolates.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

A gorgeous box of praline filled chocolate stars, a selection of flavours for the season in an attractive Christmas box.

There are three Sparkling Stars chocolate boxes for Christmas 2009 from Hotel Chocolat; chocolate pralines, chocolate caramels and chocolate truffles.

The perfect chocolate gift for Christmas for anyone that loves pralines; fifteen chocolates in a choice of ten praline and chocolate recipes: cinnamon, lemon, orange, chilli, macadamia and coconut, peanut, gianduja, cane sugar, coffee and cocoa crisp.

£12.00, 15 praline filled chocolates.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Alcohol Free.

If you are stuck for Christmas gift ideas or you’re not that big a fan of wrapping presents, then the Personal Shopper chocolate gift bags from Hotel Chocolat are what you have been looking for!

A selection of luxury chocolate, so you don’t need to worry about choosing them, in a smart gift bag, so no need to wrap, with a bow, so no need for ribbons, with a message card, so you won’t forget.

The Large Christmas Personal Shopper bag contains;

Two chocolate boxes:

• Christmas Sleekster – a chocolate selection box full 30 Christmas chocolates.
• Sparkling Stars Chocolate Caramels – 15 individually flavoured chocolate caramels.

Two Mini Chocolate Slabs:

• Orange Nice Spice – a dark chocolate slab with orange and chilli.
• Nutty Noel – a slab of milk chocolate with crunchy nuts.

Two Chocolate Gifts:

• Enrobed Raisins – whole raisins covered in 50% milk chocolate.
• Baublicious – decorative milk chocolate baubles.

£55.00, 840g. Six chocolate gifts in a gift bag, bagged, bowed and with a message card.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

An irresistibly cute milk chocolate reindeer, dressed up for winter in his flavoured chocolate scarf.

Novelty chocolate at its best, cast in solid 40% cocoa milk chocolate with a winter berry chocolate scarf, the adorable “Best Dressed” chocolate reindeer from the Hotel Chocolat Christmas chocolate collection is sure to bring a smile to anyone’s face.

One of two “Best Dressed” chocolate characters, the other being the “Best Dressed” snowman who features on the giant chocolate snowman slab and the mini cinnamon chocolate slab.

£6.50, 150g of endearing novelty chocolate.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free and Alcohol Free.

Luxury fruit and nut surrounded in irresistible dark chocolate, sculpted into a stunning chocolate wreath.

A classic combination of fruit and nuts with chocolate, with added luxury.

The contrast of colourful fruit and whole roasted nuts against the deep dark chocolate is simply mouth watering. Pistachios, cranberries, hazelnuts, raisins and almonds peep through the 72% cocoa chocolate tempting you in.

The dark chocolate fruit and nut wreath not only a beautiful chocolate gift for Christmas, but also makes a rather dramatic table decoration which can then be shared out to your dinner guests for dessert.

£15.00, 450g.

Labelled: Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Vegan, Dairy Free and Alcohol Free.

A stylish box of “Sparkling Stars” from Hotel Chocolat, a wonderful selection of caramel filled chocolates in two different star designs.

15 individual caramel chocolates each with its own caramel recipe, a chocolate tasting adventure in a box.

Each chocolate caramel is wonderfully decorated, with naturally coloured chocolate, to reflect the sparkling flavours within:

• Caramel with hints of fruit – Cherry, Toffee Apple, Banana and Blood Orange.
• Boozy chocolate caramels – Golden Rum, Orange Liqueur and Toffee, Whisky and Apricot Brandy.
• Gastronomic chocolate filled caramels – Caramel Crunch, Praline, Balsamic, Salted Almond and Salted Caramel.

Hotel Chocolat has three Sparkling Stars chocolate boxes for Christmas 2009, caramels, truffles and pralines.

£12.00, 15 individual chocolate caramels.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

A great little box of Christmas chocolate goodies, Discovery Boxes from Hotel Chocolat explore the tastes and textures of the season in chocolate.

Presented in a gold slide open box with the four chocolate goodies inside, this is a wonderful way to sample the festive flavours from Hotel Chocolat before you buy your chocolate Christmas presents, purely for research purposes, of course. It also makes an ideal Christmas gift as it can be one easy to wrap gift or four chocolate stocking fillers.

The Christmas Chocolate Discovery Box by Hotel Chocolat contains:

• Cinnamon Almonds Munchkins – Whole roasted almonds wrapped up in mellow milk chocolate and warming cinnamon.
• Cinnamon Crunch Slab 100g – Mini milk chocolate slab, featuring the “Best Dressed Snowman” and flavoured with cinnamon and caramel.
• Snowball Munchkins – A bag of white chocolate snowballs with crunchy cookies centres.
• Selector Six – A selection of six, caramel praline and gianduja, chocolates from the Christmas range.

£18.00, 440g of Christmas chocolates.

Hotel Chocolat’s “chocolate bars” are a little bit special; the chocolate is shaped into a rather chic chocolate slab rather than bars. Organically shaped solid chocolate slabs, the luxury chocolate bar.

The chocolate slabs come on three main types; giant slabs, mini slabs and The Purist range, but all quality chocolate in differing sizes and flavours.

There are four mini chocolate slabs in the 2009 Christmas chocolate collection from Hotel Chocolat:

Cinnamon Crunch Mini Chocolate Slab

A very cute mini chocolate slab featuring the “Best Dressed” snowman.

Melt in the mouth 40% milk chocolate with cinnamon spiced crispies for a warming Christmassy flavour and crunch. Pressed into the milk chocolate base is the caramel flavoured chocolate snowman. And it’s even decorated to look like its snowing!

£3.95, 100g.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

Orange Nice Spice Mini Chocolate Slabs

Slabs of 70% cocoa dark chocolate with a dash of chilli to warm you up in the cold winter months and zesty Valencia orange to lift the notes of the smooth dark chocolate, a gorgeous spicy combination.

Finished with a dramatic splash of, naturally coloured, orange chocolate.

£3.95, 100g.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

Marzipan Ingot Boxed Mini Chocolate Slab

Chirstmas simply would not be complete without the gorgeously traditional pleasure – authentic marzipan, brimming with almonds, enrobed in 40% cocoa milk chocolate.

A must have for the marzipan chocolate connoisseur.

£3.95, 100g.

Labelled: Vegetarian.

Nutty Noel Boxed Mini Chocolate Slab

Milk chocolate slab with crunchy whole roasted almonds, hazelnuts and pecans giving the chocolate a rather fetching marbled effect.

The chocolate in the Nutty Noel chocolate slab is a slightly stronger, 50% cocoa milk chocolate blend, which balances perfectly with the nuts.

£3.95, 100g.

Labelled: Vegetarian and Alcohol Free.

If you are stuck for Christmas present ideas, you can’t go too wrong with a chocolate slab from Hotel Chocolat, a huge chocolate bar that always impresses and makes a spectacular chocolate gift for any chocolate lover!

Very cute and very Christmassy, the background of the giant slab is milk chocolate, the 40% cocoa Hotel Chocolat house blend, which makes a smooth milk chocolate with just the right amount of cocoa for the chocolate hit. The “Best Dressed” snowman, a very popular chocolate shape in the Hotel Chocolat Christmas range, is made of creamy white chocolate and his scarf is also white chocolate but flavoured with winter berry.

The Hotel Chocolat chocolate slabs come in elegant bags with handles, so I personally don’t think they need to be wrapped, making a perfect Hotel Chocolat Christmas gift.

£12.50, 500g. A huge half kilo of delicious chocolate.

Special Christmas edition, Hotel Chocolat – Cinnamon Hot Chocolate, flavoured chocolate flakes that melt deliciously into smooth and warming hot chocolate.

Slivers of rich dark chocolate with sweet hazelnut praline and warming cinnamon, just add warm milk and you have a beautiful hot chocolate drink with a wonderful aroma that fills the house and makes it feel just a bit more Christmassy.

The Cinnamon, Liquid Chocolat hot chocolate flakes ara a Chritsmas edition from Hotel Chocolat’s Liquid Chocolat range. A templting selection of easy to make drinking chocolate and gifts, that can be drunk hot or cold. I prefer them hot as I do with most types of drinking chocolate.

£7.50 for 275g of drinking chocolate flakes in a cute little bottle.