I wish you a very happy Saint Nicholas Day! If any of the chocolates we reviewed here found their way into your boot this morning you can count yourself truly lucky.

Sonya and I are on a hunt for this year’s top Christmas Bars. From supermarket chocolate to craft chocolate we reviewed it all (or most of it). The past week we spent scouring the World Wide Web and scanning chocolate aisles at high-end retailers and supermarkets across London. Sonya cycled as far as Ham to get her hands on a special Christmas edition from Ritter Sport. They don’t have an outpost there, but Hansel & Pretzel does. It’s our little German monastery of goodies from the Fatherland.

We had a lot of fun researching and of course tasting the chocolates. In this review we are looking for Christmas. This means spices, unique flavour notes and anything that takes you back to your favourite festive moments.

Here’s our list of chocolates we assembled for you:

• Table Chocolate – 62% Christmas Milk Chocolate
• Chocolarder – 74% Cinnamon Toasted Cacao Nibs
• Bare Bones Chocolate – 70% Togo Christmas Special
• Pump Street – The Winter Collection
• Ritter Sport – Weihnachstraum
• Ritter Sport – Gebrannte Mandel
• Ritter Sport – Winter Mandel Mousse
• Ritter Sport – Crunchy Creamy Winter

1. Table Chocolate – 62% Christmas Milk Chocolate (Limited Edition)

This bar is simply stunning. It melts in your mouth like caramel and all the Christmas lights switch on. The spices of Speculaas are most prominent. You get mulled wine spices and orange as well. Table hits the brief 100%.

• £8 for a 70g bar
• Origin: Dominican Republic
• Type: Milk 62%
• Order online here

Our verdict: 5/5 and one of our top picks.

2. Chocolarder – 74% Cinnamon Toasted Cacao Nibs

We are head over heels in love with cacao nibs. They just add something special. Chocolarder included nibs from Brazil that have been toasted with cinnamon. The chocolate is from Peru. So a match made in heaven!

While the chocolate melts in your mouth the flavour slowly develops. You taste notes of caramel and then there’s a lingering finish of cinnamon. Bingo, it’s Christmas!

• £6.15 for a 70g bar
• Origin: Brazil and Peru
• Type: 74% Dark
• Order online here

Our verdict: 5/5 and hands down a discovery worth celebrating this season.

3. Bare Bones Chocolate – 70% Togo Christmas Special

A fantastic bar of chocolate and an origin I am hard pressed to find anywhere else. You get flavour notes of hazelnut (or yule log) and coconut. Despite the lovely packaging it doesn’t give us the Christmas feeling we are after. It is missing something.

• £6.95 for a 70g bar
• Origin: Togo
• Type: 70% Dark
• Order online here

Our verdict: 4/5 as it is expertly crafted chocolate, but not Christmassy enough for us.

4. Pump Street – The Winter Collection

In case you haven’t done all your Christmas shopping yet, this series of winter bars from Pump Street is remarkable. The packaging is beautifully illustrated and the whole box is well presented. It’s like Christmas came early when we received the chocolates.

_{The entire box sells for £25.5 and includes 3x70g Christmas themed bars. Shipping is free.}

What do you get in this box?

1. 53% Maple Pecan

Although a milk bar, this one is our number one choice for several reasons. The roasted pecans give it crunch and great flavour. The smoky maple adds depth and the whole bar is utterly moorish. All of the flavour notes shine through. This chocolate is made for sharing with your loved ones.

• Origin: Ecuador
• Type: 55% Milk
• Order the single bar here

Our verdict: 5/5 this is chocolate packed with flavour!

2. 62% Gingerbread

Dios mio, another good one! From the moment the chocolate melts in your mouth you taste the refreshing and citrusy notes of ginger. If you adore ginger then this is a must try.

• Origin: West Papua
• Type: 62% Dark
• Order the single bar here

Our verdict: 5/5 flavour is king in this bar.

3. 70% Panettone

Grenada lends itself perfectly for this flavoured tablette. You can taste Panettone without a doubt. On a personal note I am not a big fan of chewing on candied peel.

• Origin: Grenada
• Type: 70% Dark
• Order the single bar here

Our verdict: 4/5 as you bite on candied peel and sugar crystals.

5. Ritter Sport – Weihnachtstraum

We used to have the factory just down the road in Germany and for many years this is the kind of chocolate we enjoyed eating. We still do. When it’s not in the name of research it would eat it when our sugar level is below zero.

It’s a real shame but Ritter Sport is too sweet. Usually sugar is listed first and in equal amount to cacao.

Weihnachstraum is a 3/5 for us. Why? It smells of Christmas and it certainly tastes of Christmas. You get notes of cinnamon and for us that’s still a win.

It is a 42% milk bar and slightly bigger than the standard square at 145g for €2.49.

Exclusively available in Germany or here at Hansel and Pretzel in Ham, Richmond.

6. Ritter Sport – Gebrannte Mandel

In English this one translates to candied almonds. As the name suggests it is sweet. It is so sugary sweet that we do not get any almond flavour nor does it taste of Christmas. You are biting on solid sugar.

• 30% Milk
• €1.89 for a 100g bar
• Order in Germany here

Our verdict: 2/5

7. Ritter Sport – Winter Mandel Mousse

This bar is filled with almond mousse. Unfortunately it is again so sweet that we can’t taste any flavour other than sugar.

• 40% Milk
• €1.89 for a 100g bar
• Order in Germany here

Our verdict: 1/5

8. Ritter Sport – Crunchy Creamy Winter

Our last square of Ritter is more on track with Christmas. Despite that it is too sweet and almost tastes like all the other Ritters.

• 39% Milk
• €1.89 for a 100g bar
• Order in Germany here

Our verdict: 2/5

In total we reviewed 10 Christmas themed chocolate bars for you.

Sonya’s favourite is the Pump Street Winter Selection and Table Chocolate. The box makes for an excellent gift and with Table you have the rockstar of flavour in our line up.

My personal favourite is also Table Chocolate and Chocolarder. The bar melts in your mouth and you have all the spices of Christmas coming together with Table. Chocolarder surprises with their use of cinnamon toasted nibs and Peruvian chocolate.

We didn’t include every single Christmas bar that’s under the tree (or sun), which is why I would love to know what chocolate you are enjoying this season and whether there are any from our list that you have tried. Please let me know in the comments below.

Enjoy your St Nicholas choci and I’m back next week with a recipe that you will love!

Robin