Best giant Easter eggs of 2018

With Easter fast approaching on April 1, chocolate eggs are already appearing in shops and supermarkets. But if ordinary sweet spheres don't float your boat, it's time to step things up with something a bit more luxurious.

The most awesome Easter eggs are the ones that leave you in awe, and brands like Pierre Marcolini and Fortnum's have gone all out to bring chocoholics some stunning chocolate creations this spring.

From Bettys' classic milk chocolate egg decorated with intricate spring flowers to Pierre Hermé’s sculpture-like offering, here's our selection of the finest Easter eggs money can buy.

Pierre Marcolini Egg Hat

Master chocolatier Pierre Marcolini is known for avant-garde creations made with the finest ingredients, and this showstopper of an Easter treat beautifully illustrates his approach. It’s sculpted mostly from dark chocolate and topped with a bunny-eared white chocolate bowler hat, but the fun doesn’t stop there. The egg is nestled on a two-drawer shelf containing a host of mini eggs and caramel animals in milk, white and dark flavours.

£135, Pierre Marcolini, Buy it now

Pierre Hermé Infiniment Grand

If you’re searching for an egg that will leave a lasting impression on loved ones, look no further than this stunning 85cm-high sculpture from French chocolatier Pierre Hermé. Made from Pure Origin Brazilian dark chocolate, the shell is delicately adorned with entirely handcrafted lace. And when you crack it open, there’s a generous 3kg of different-flavoured mini eggs inside to delight your taste buds even further. Hashtag perfection.

£1,700, Pierre Hermé, Buy it now

Hotel Chocolat Classic Ostrich Egg

At Hotel Chocolat the attention to detail is second to none, so you can expect something really amazing over the Easter period. This extremely decadent 1060g offering, divided in two milk chocolate halves and filled with a tray of 27 dessert-inspired chocolates, provides plenty to go round. One half of the shell is loaded with crunchy cookies and puffed rice, while the other gets its crispy texture from feuilletine.

£80, Hotel Chocolat, Buy it now

Bettys Milk Chocolate Spring Flowers Egg

Yorkshire’s famous Bettys tea shop is well known for its sumptuous afternoon tea, but its staff know a thing or two about chocolate too. At 24cm high, the handcrafted Spring Flowers egg, created from creamy Swiss milk chocolate, showcases an intricate floral design and is stippled with rich dark chocolate. Not only does it make a statement, but also tastes wonderfully moreish. ​

£57.50, Bettys, Buy it now

The Dorchester’s Fat Free and Floral Easter Egg

Philip Hammond – the designer florist at Mayfair’s glittering Dorchester hotel – has created this bespoke floral Easter egg using tightly bunched roses, providing a stunning non-edible alternative to the traditional chocolate shell. Priced from £195, each egg is tailor-made according to the customer's size requirement and colour preference.

Call 02073197256 to purchase or email Florist.TDL@dorchestercollection.com

Fortnum and Mason The Colossal Egg

The most discerning of chocolate connoisseurs will be impressed by this splendid Fortnums creation, weighing at 1.4kg and packed with four separate eggs inside. An adventure for your taste buds, the Colossal Egg offers flavours of milk chocolate and salted honeycomb, dark chocolate orange and white chocolate with strawberry and black pepper.

£90, Fortnum and Mason, Buy it now

Montezumas Enormous Chocolate Honeycomb Egg

Sharing with a large family? This lavish shell, made from a blend of milk, white and dark chocolate infused with crunchy honeycomb pieces, provides enough to go around all weekend. The chocolate itself is impressively thick and tastes divine, with an extra sweet kick from the honeycomb. It stands at over 30cm tall and weighs a hefty 1kg.

£44.99, Montezumas, Buy it now

Artisan du Chocolat Sculpture Egg​

For the modernist in your life, you needn't look further than this shimmering wonder from Artisan du Chocolat. Crafted from decadently rich dark chocolate, the shell holds a minature ganache-filled egg adorned with an 18 carat gold leaf. A variety of mini eggs in playful flavour combinations, such as cherry and cardamom, can also be found in its packaging.

£35, Artisan du Chocolat, Buy it now

M&S Bennet Bunny

Thanks to this giant bunny sculpture from M&S, those on a small budget can still live large this Easter. It’s sculpted from 900g of smooth Swiss chocolate and is a steal at just £20.

£20, Marks and Spencer, Buy it now

Booja Booja Organic Champagne Truffles Decorative Easter egg

Hand painted by Kashmiri artists, this decorative shell is filled with 150g of champagne truffles made from carefully chosen organic ingredients. These eggs come in four striking colours and designs, so customers will be sent whichever is available.

£35, Selfridges, Buy it now

Godiva Ultimate Treasure Egg

In creamy Belgian milk chocolate, this grand creation from Godiva weighs in at almost a kilo and tastes as good as it looks. Once you’ve scoffed the shell, there’s a generous helping of foiled chocolate eggs and other small chocolate treats in rich and delightful flavours. Great as a gift for a loved one, it comes beautifully presented in cellophane tied with a satin green ribbon. Available in boutiques only.

£60, Godiva, Visit site

Artisan Du Chocolat Pineapple Easter Egg

The intricate design of this tropical-themed egg makes it hard to beat. Designed in the shape of a pineapple, it's created with milk chocolate and dusted with gold shimmer powder. If that doesn’t get you in the mood for a beach holiday, the dazzling egg is also surrounded by dark chocolate Pina Colada truffles. Bliss.

£20, House of Fraser, Buy it now

Pierre Hermé Blond Oeuf Fragments

This extravagant offering from Pierre Hermé is a blond chocolate shell, boasting toasty notes of biscuit and a cracked finish. Hidden inside is a dazzling gold egg made from Pure Origin dark chocolate of 64 per cent cocoa. It also comes with 50g of mini eggs.

£43, Pierre Hermé, Buy it now

Harrods Artisan Milk Chocolate Easter Egg

When it comes to luxury sweets, the confectionary at Harrods is spot on. With notes of malt, banana and caramel, this decadent Easter treat from the department store is made with 780g of Columbian milk chocolate of 45 per cent cocoa – so you can expect a lot of flavour here. Perfect for sharing or enjoying all by yourself.

£45, Harrods, Buy it now

Verdict

The melt-in-the-mouth taste and stunning design of Pierre Marcolini’s Egg Hat make it our top choice for luxury lovers. Created with plenty of attention to detail, it will set you back £135 – but the drawers containing 60 other treats means there’s enough for the whole family over the weekend . If you’re watching the pennies, go for Artisan du Chocolat’s generously sized and reasonably priced Sculpture Egg (£35).