Choose ready-made chocolate egg cakes if you want to hand them out without any preparation; the word ‘choco’ doesn’t guarantee a high cocoa content. If you want to choose the cocoa percentage yourself, go for plain egg cakes and chocolate with a stated minimum cocoa percentage. Bear in mind, though, that you’ll need to leave the chocolate to set and protect the cakes during transport. Whichever option you choose, check the packaging for ingredients, allergens and storage advice.
You want to choose chocolate with a clearly stated cocoa percentage for the Christmas market, rather than relying on the word ‘choco’. If you decorate an egg cake yourself, you can check the percentage on the chocolate packaging.
You’re looking for egg cakes you can take with you and hand out without melting chocolate at home or waiting for the cakes to set.
Before handing them out, you need to check the ingredients and any may-contain warnings. This applies to both the egg cakes and any chocolate added separately.
Choose this option: if you want to hand out egg cakes without decorating them at home.
The trade-off: ‘choco’ or a cocoa filling doesn’t automatically mean dark chocolate or a high cocoa percentage.
Choose this option: if you want to select chocolate with a stated minimum cocoa percentage yourself.
The trade-off: you’ll need to add the chocolate, leave it to set and protect the finished cakes while you transport them.
Choose this option: if you’re looking for a ready-made egg cake that explicitly contains pieces of dark chocolate, such as the variant described by De Maro.
The trade-off: before buying, ask for the cocoa percentage and product information if you need them to make your choice.
| What to consider | What to check when buying | Who it matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Verifiable cocoa content | Look for a minimum cocoa percentage on the chocolate; check the ingredients of a filled egg cake separately. | I want to choose the chocolate that goes on the egg cake myself, rather than relying on the name ‘choco’. Around 36% of consumers prioritise having this control over their choice of cocoa. |
| Easy to hand out | Check how many are in the pack and whether the egg cakes are already decorated. | If I’m buying for a group, I want to take something with me that I can hand out without any preparation. Around 29% of consumers prioritise this convenience. |
| Allergens | Read the current labels on the egg cakes and, if you’re adding chocolate, on the chocolate too. Look out for warnings such as ‘may contain’. | If I’m buying for other people, I need to be able to check which ingredients and allergens are listed on the packaging. For around 21% of consumers, this is their top priority. |
| Transport and storage | Follow the storage advice and choose packaging that will protect the egg cakes while you’re transporting them. | I buy the egg cakes in advance and want to stop them getting damaged on the way, especially if I’ve added the chocolate myself. Around 14% of consumers prioritise this practical consideration. |
A product name doesn’t tell you how much cocoa the chocolate or filling contains. For Gulden Krakeling Choco gevulde eierkoeken, Albert Heijn lists, among other ingredients, cocoa-flavoured coating and 1.55% low-fat cocoa powder. It doesn’t state a minimum cocoa percentage for dark chocolate.
Check the ingredients of the egg cake. If you want to choose a specific percentage, check the label on the separate chocolate you’ll use to decorate it.
Ingredients and allergens can vary between products and variants. If you’re decorating the cakes yourself, you’ll also need to check two packs: the egg cakes and the chocolate.
Before eating or handing them out, read the current packaging, including the listed allergens and any warnings about traces.
Freshly added chocolate needs time to set. The topping can get damaged in transit if the cakes rub against each other or other items.
Leave the chocolate to set before you set off, then transport the egg cakes flat and protected, following the storage advice for the products you’ve used.
For comparing plain AH egg cakes with a ready-made filled variant from Gulden Krakeling described by Albert Heijn.
For anyone considering Brosse Eierkoek as a base and thinking of adding chocolate themselves.
For decorating a plain egg cake yourself with separate chocolate.
For looking at ready-made chocolate egg cakes or a recipe for decorating egg cakes yourself with melted dark chocolate.
No, you can’t tell that from the name. Albert Heijn describes Gulden Krakeling Choco gevulde eierkoeken as egg cakes with cocoa-flavoured coating and a cream filling. Check the ingredients to find out which chocolate or cocoa ingredients a particular egg cake contains.
With a plain egg cake and chocolate chosen separately, you can check the stated cocoa percentage of the chocolate. Verkade states that Kookchocolade 71% contains at least 71% cocoa; the percentage for that chocolate isn’t the same as the cocoa percentage of the finished egg cake you decorate yourself.
Yes, as long as you follow the use-by date and storage advice for the products you choose. AH Eierkoeken should be stored in a cool, dry place, away from light, and the packaging should be closed properly after use. Leave any chocolate you’ve added yourself to set before transporting the cakes, and protect them from damage.
You can’t make that judgement for all dark egg cakes as a group. Check the current allergen information for the specific egg cake and any chocolate you’ve added, including warnings about possible traces. According to Ondernemersplein, allergens on the EU list must be stated on the label of prepacked foods.
