Easter chocolate hen

Why is the chocolate hen an Easter must-have?

This tradition has the same roots as that of Easter eggs. In ancient civilizations, among the Persians, Egyptians, Romans and Gauls, the egg was a symbol of life that was customary to offer in the spring. Later, among Christians observing the forty days of Lent, eggs accumulated, because they were not allowed to be eaten. They were decorated, offered and eaten on Easter Day which marked the end of this lean period. This meaning associated with renewal, has naturally extended to the hen (because after all, it is she who lays it!) in the symbols of Easter. In the 19th century, chocolate having entered the gourmet pleasures of high society, each chocolatier had fun inventing his own increasingly elaborate molds, allowing to make eggs entirely in chocolate, but also Easter hens. Depending on the regions of the world and the traditions, different animals hide the eggs on Easter Day, from the fox to the rabbit to the cuckoo: this is why the chocolate bestiary is so varied, to the great delight of gourmets!

Stuffed chocolate hens: what are they hiding?

They tenderly cover an assortment of homemade chocolate and praline candies (to die for, we guarantee). Once you break their shiny and crunchy shell, you will enjoy our dry friture with dark chocolate, milk chocolate, or filled with a soft praline heart. Also nestled inside is a farandole of praline eggs, papillotes in beautiful iridescent colors.

Discover all our praline eggs here

Our various filled chocolate hens

A la Mère de Famille has imagined two cocottes with very different looks to meet all your gourmet desires. Our recipes are made from our signature couverture À la Mère de famille. Our chocolatiers make our cocoa paste in our workshop, using a unique blend of beans, to create flavors that you won't find anywhere else. Under their round faces and mischievous eyes, our delicious chickens come in intense dark chocolate or creamy milk chocolate: it's up to you to choose the hen that suits your gourmet desires. In our opinion (which is ours alone), they are both equally delicious. And the good news is that everything in our chickens is edible, from their cute beaks to the decor on which they are placed! Their adorable silhouettes, designed by us, happily bring together fish, shellfish and crustaceans, to be picked with your fingertips with a pleasure renewed! Fans of traditional Easter casts will love the elegant plumage of our Julia hen , dressed in a ribbon in the House's colors. It comes in dark, milk or ivory chocolate, and also contains treasures to be discovered once its shell is broken.

Black is black, with our 65% dark chocolate chicken

The enticing shine of our dark chocolate cocottes houses an assortment of equally dark chocolates. Our signature 65% dark chocolate with its woody and earthy notes will delight you, before you savor at your own pace the chocolate candies hidden inside. Pick one of the papillote eggs with a praline heart, where the sweetness of the caramel contrasts with the intense aroma of its shell. Let yourself be surprised by the different praline recipes, our house specialty, where almond, gianduja or nougatine blend brilliantly with the power of dark chocolate. Our dry fritters melt in the mouth thanks to the cocoa butter, enhanced by a hint of vanilla powder and salt. When necessary, to ensure the recipe holds together, our artisans add a touch of soy lecithin.

Softness and creaminess with our 36% milk chocolate chicken

Adored by young gourmands, our signature milk chocolate chicken will melt you with its delicious look and its pronounced taste of milk and caramel.

It hides under its shell our dry milk chocolate fritters, and an assortment of milk chocolate praline eggs, with recipes as varied as your desires: hazelnut fleur de sel, almond nougatine, gianduja, almond hazelnuts (a classic not to be missed!), or even almond hazelnuts puff pastry with an irresistible crunch. Besides, who's talking about resisting? Surely not us!

Chocolate figurines: rabbits, eggs and other animal fantasies

Because we never tire of imagining new creations, every year we expand the bestiary of chocolate animals that keep our Easter chickens company! From rabbits (obviously) to chickens, including traditional eggs and bells, the collection is expanding with adorable (and very big!) bears, new fish molds (also filled with sweets), but also boxes welcoming a happy band of lobsters, scallops, salmon, squirrels, dogs, cats... to delight young and old! In total, nearly 100 models are made with rare attention by our chocolatiers, who hand-make the eyes and spray the molds of the thousands of pieces that leave our workshop.

Show me your easter bunnies and their friends

And let's not forget of course an unbeatable classic, our large Easter egg in dark, milk or ivory white chocolate, inspired by the decor of our historic boutique. Its tall size is adorned with the iconic cement tile that covers the floor of 35 rue du Faubourg Montmartre. This molding hides Under its shiny and crunchy shell, a delicious assortment of dry fritters, praline fritters and small praline eggs.

Yum, one Easter Egg giant to offer or to treat yourself

How far in advance can you buy a chocolate chicken?

Are you more the type to anticipate the Easter festivities and buy your chocolate hen in advance to avoid any risk of stock shortages? No problem! Kept at a temperature close to 18°C, in their original packaging, protected from humidity, air and light, our chocolates retain all their freshness for up to four months after your purchase. Which answers another existential question for gourmands. Whether they are presented in a bag, a box or a pretty box, you can also eat your Easter chocolates up to four months after hunting them in the garden or behind the living room curtains. Phew!

Did this reading give you a huge craving for chickens and little praline eggs to nibble on? À la Mère de Famille offers you several ways to buy your Easter chocolates.

Visit one of our stores

Push open the door of one of the Maison's boutiques, where our team will be happy to advise you in choosing your sweet treats. Our lobsters, salmon, scallops, squirrels, dogs, cats being more fragile due to their elaborate molding, they are reserved for sale in shop to ensure they arrive whole to you… before being broken into a thousand tasty pieces! While you’re there, take the opportunity to buy a bar (or two, or even three) of dark or milk chocolate, whose subtle aromas will make the magic of Easter last even longer.

Find a store at the Mother of the Family

Order your chocolates online on our website

Do you live far from Paris or an À la Mère de Famille store? Do you want to give your company's employees or loved ones a cute Easter chicken as a gift? By ordering on our site, we ensure the shipping of your chocolates anywhere in mainland France and Europe, including express delivery if time is of the essence! Any order placed before 2:30 p.m. can also be sent the same day. Of course, each one is packaged in a container suitable for travel. Worried about product availability? Choose free in-store pickup to be sure to find the assortment of your dreams in stock.

We explain our terms and conditions to you chocolate delivery

Rest assured, all our packages are carefully packaged so that your chocolates arrive in the best conditions. However, some carriers may not be very gentle, especially during busy periods such as Easter or Christmas. In this case, don't panic, as soon as you receive the package, quickly send us a message to our customer service who will respond to you as soon as possible. Customer satisfaction is our priority!