Delivery & Returns & FAQS

Delivery

All orders received by 1.00 pm will be dispatched the same day, Monday to Friday. We do not dispatch goods on Saturdays, Sundays, or Bank holidays—free Delivery on orders over £30.

All UK deliveries are made by Evrie couriers with a time frame from 1 to 2 working days (DEPENDING ON YOUR POSTCODE AREA) to be delivered to your provided address in the UK.

Please note that the delivery date is NOT GUARANTEED.

If the recipient is not in and it is impossible to leave the item in a secure area, Evri will make two further attempts to deliver it (the “Further Attempts”). If they’re still unable to deliver your Parcel, Evri will return it to us.

We accept no liability if delivery is not made due to the recipient not being available or the recipient failing to divert the order to safe-place, neighbor, or closest Parcel Shop or Locker.

Furthermore, please note that by leaving instructions for a delivery to be left in a specific place, it is not the responsibility of Chocolate Express if it goes missing and a replacement/refund will not be considered.

UK Delivery Area: the United Kingdom includes Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the Channel Islands.

 

How Much is Postage & Packaging?

Free Delivery on orders over £30.

Express, Evri Delivery, order before 1 pm, depending on location can take 1 – 2 working days. Requires a signature on delivery. To track your order please visit www.evrie.com/track-a-parcel/ and enter your 16 character reference.

  • up to 400g £4.99
  • up to 500g £5.50
  • up to 700g £5.99
  • up to 800g £6.50
  • up to 900g £6.99
  • up to 1000g £7.50
  • up to 1250g £7.99

Jersey Delivery: 2 – 4 Days

  • up to 2.000g £4.50
  • up to 4.000 g £7.99

Click and collect: Ready in Store Next Working Day

Orders wrapped in tissue paper, for a gift presentation. Packed in specially-designed outer polystyrene casing in warmer months or environment-friendly cardboard boxes.

To pre-order, please specify your desired dispatch date (not delivery date) in the comments section at checkout.

 

Exclusions to Next Day Delivery – Post Code Areas

Delivery to those outlying areas is from 2 to 5 days by Evri

Scottish Islands – IV41-51, IV55-56, KA27-28, KW15-17, PA41-80, PH42-44, PH15-18

Scottish Highlands – FK17-22, IV1-40, IV52-54, KW1-4, PA20-38, PH15-41, PH49-50, AB36-38, AB54-56

Northern Ireland – BT

Channel Islands/Isles of Scilly – GY, JE*, TR21-25

Durable, Safe Packaging

To ensure your order arrives with you in perfect condition, we have our specially-designed outer polystyrene casing which protects the fresh Belgian chocolates from temperature changes in transit, for use in our warmer months. We also use environmentally friendly packing for our smaller ballotins. All orders are wrapped in tissue, for a gift presentation. Our Luxury gift boxes have been chosen as they provide a hard firm casing.

To help complete your gifts, you also will be able to add your own free personal message and choose luxury wrapping and personalised ribbon.

Destinations We Ship To

We are currently shipping to the UK and the Channel Islands only.

Unfortunately, we are no longer shipping to any countries outside of the UK and the Channel Islands. If you have any difficulties placing an order over the website, please call the shop on 01534 873834.

Hot Weather Delivery

As we hopefully look forward to an extended sunny periods, we would just like to draw your attention to the fact that the hot temperatures are not overly conducive to dispatching chocolate.

While our store is temperature and humidity controlled, once your order leaves with our couriers Evrie they are very much open to temperature fluctuations. Please note that while it might not be very hot where you are, the delivery may have to travel across most of the country to get to you, passing through many warmer climes in the process.

We can not accept responsibility for Evrie leaving your parcel in the sun/heat or melted chocolates.

If you are not happy to take the responsibility for the delivery then please leave us a dispatch date in the comments at checkout of order and we will dispatch it to you then.

What happens if my order has melted?

We are sorry that your order didn’t arrive in perfect condition.

Please contact us on support@chocolate-express.co.uk sending email containing your order number & picture attachments of the damaged chocolates or incorrect order, or call us on 01534 873843 from 9am to 4pm.

Jersey Delivery and Click & Collect Jersey Only

Jersey customers now have the option for items to be posted locally.

There are 2 delivery options:

  • Local delivery (Jersey: starting from £4.50) Please note that we use Jersey Post for our local deliveries. Items may take 1-2 working days to arrive. 
  • Click & Collect Jersey only’, Items must be collected in-store with this service the next day after ordering. If you need a set date for collection, please contact us with your requested collection date when ordering.

When will my order be posted?

We will dispatch orders the same day, (Monday to Friday) for orders placed before 1.00 pm. Orders placed after 1.00 pm on a Friday will be sent the following Monday, as long as the following Monday is not a bank holiday. As a general rule, our cut-off time is 1.00 pm Monday to Friday, however, we may be able to take orders up until 1.30 pm, please call us on 01534 873834 to check. Please note we close at 2 pm on a Thursday afternoon.

Large or multiple orders will take a few days to complete (as all online orders are handpicked)

Orders over £30 will be sent as a Express tracked service at no extra charge, to ensure safe delivery, however, they will require a signature on delivery. We will send you a confirmation email on receipt of your chocolate by post order and a shipping e-mail to confirm shipment.

Items we do not ship

Please note that we DO NOT ship gift certificates.

These are sent by email. Once purchased the value of the Gift Certificate will be added to your own personal Gift Certificate Account. If you have funds in your Gift Certificate Account, you will notice that the amount now shows in the Shopping Cart box, and also provides a link to a page where you can send your Gift Certificate via email.

Points to note

Multiple orders may not all be dispatched at the same time. During busy periods, e.g. Christmas or Easter chocolates, delivery times have been known to increase by 24 hrs. We are unable to deliver on bank holidays and Sundays.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer multi-address orders now and suggest if you need to send to multiple addresses making separate orders or contacting us by phone and we’ll process it for you.

Evrie will not deem a parcel to be lost until it has been in the postal system for a period of 7 days (UK). Although it is highly unlikely deliveries will take this amount of time we are unable to dispatch a replacement until 5 days from the dispatch date.

Due to Customs requirements, the value of the contents is displayed on the customs shipping note on the outside of the box within the Customs information. Customs do require that the value of the contents is displayed on the shipping information on the outside of the box.

Once your order has been dispatched we are unable to cancel it or request postal address changes or recall it. Due to the fresh nature of our chocolates, we do not accept orders back (or provide refunds) unless there are delivered 15 days after posting. Our standard delivery dates are not guaranteed by Evrie.

What if the recipient is away at the time of delivery?

Some of our boxes are designed to fit through the majority of UK letterboxes. In cases where the item cannot be posted through the letterbox and the recipient is not at home, the Evrie service may try to leave in a secure location, or after 3 failed delivery attempts it will be returned to us.

Can you deliver to hospitals or business addresses?

We deliver to all UK post codes including businesses and hospitals. Due to the nature of larger hospitals and businesses we highly recommend providing as much detail to the delivery address, this helps reduce the risk of your goods going missing.

Can you deliver on a pre determined day?

No, you can advise us of a day you would like your products to be dispatched, however, this would mean that the package would have to be signed for. Our Express delivery service is with Evrie and normally is delivered before 1 pm  1-2 working days. Delivery is Monday to Friday, however, some areas do provide delivery on a Saturday as well.

Christmas Delivery

Our recommended last postage date for pre-Christmas delivery is Thursday 21st December. We will have a further dispatch date on Friday 22nd which may arrive before Christmas.
Our next dispatch day will be 27th December after Christmas.

Bank Holidays

Please note we do not post out on any Bank holidays. Our store is based in Jersey, one of the Channel Islands, which enjoys an additional Bank holiday to the rest of the UK which falls on the 9th of May, known as Liberation Day. All orders placed on a Bank holiday will be dispatched on the next working day.

Security & Privacy

All payments are processed through our secure site in accordance with the standing Consumer Protection Distance Selling Regulations, we will mail you details of your order and confirmation details of payment.  It is our policy not to sell or pass on any personal details. We will store and process any details you provide at the time of registering or purchasing to help support our service to you and from time to time we will provide you with details of our products and special offers.

Payment

Payment will be processed are. The name and billing address given, at the time of order, must be the same as the registered name and address of the cardholder. Failure to supply correct details may result in your order being delayed. In accordance with the standing Consumer Protection Distance Selling Regulations, we will mail you details of your order.

You may cancel your order at any time before dispatch. Should you wish to cancel your order please contact our customer services on 01534 873834.

Refunds

If you are in any way dissatisfied with our products or our service we will always do our best to ensure that we resolve the problem to your satisfaction. You may cancel your order at any time before it is dispatched and we will issue a refund. Once your order has been dispatched we can only offer a refund for damaged goods, as our products cannot be resold, due to the freshness of the products.

We may ask for any damaged goods to be returned, so that we may investigate the damage, we will refund the original cost of the product or send out a replacement box to you, once we have received the original damaged order back.  Please contact us before returning the goods by email at support@chocolate-express.co.uk.

We do not offer refunds for the late arrival of chocolates.  After 7 days we will send out a replacement box, as a tracked service that will require a signature upon delivery. Please ensure your chocolates have not been left with the local parcel shop or locker, as we will submit claims for non-delivery with Evrie.

Chocolates numbers and Stated weights

As the nature of our product is handmade and fresh, the weights and sizes of chocolates do vary, therefore the quoted number of chocolates may vary accordingly. Our loose chocolates vary in weight from approximately 15 – 28 grams therefore our shipping weights can also vary accordingly. Shipping weights are measured in Gross (e.g. Item + Packaging = Gross Weight).

It is our aim to bring you the very best in Belgian chocolates.

We will always endeavour to dispatch your order the day it is placed (Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays) – providing your order is received by 1.00pm. On the rare occasion that a product is not in stock this may not be possible. Should this happen we will contact you to propose an alternative product of equal value.

Accounts And Ordering

Do I have to create an account with you?

No, we have a ‘Just Checkout’ service where you can place an order without registering with us, as a guest. If you wish to store delivery addresses and view your order history or take advantage of our loyalty scheme then you will need to create an account with us. We also can accept payment by PayPal for your ease.

Self-Selection product restrictions

Disclaimer: Due to sizing and packaging restrictions, please note we can only include a limited number of highlighted chocolates. Due to their sizes more will NOT fit in the box.

We are unable to include the following:

  • Mendiants – Due to their thin flat shape these chocolates are packaged in a certain way to avoid damage in transit.
  • Powdered Pyramid Truffles – Due to the nature of these truffles (powder transferring), they have to be packaged separately.

Please also note that these chocolates are available separately.

Has my order gone through?

If your order is successful you will be given an order number and receive an automated email to confirm the order details. If you’re in any way unsure please call our customer services on 01534 873834.

Can I place my order on the telephone?

We are happy to take phone orders, however your order will be processed quicker online.

Can I cancel or amend my order?

It may be possible to change your order or delivery address if your order has not been processed. We aim to dispatch all orders before 1.00pm Monday to Friday excluding bank holidays. As our main priority is to process orders as quickly as possible, we may not have received or processed email queries before your order has been prepared and dispatched. Please ensure that your delivery address is accurate for your order. We will, of course, endeavor to make any changes required if your order has not been dispatched.

You can cancel your order providing it has not already been dispatched. You cannot do this online, unfortunately.

My order is different from what I placed

If you have received an incorrect order, please take a photo of your order received and email it to us at support@chocolate-express.co.uk along with our order number. We will then be able to investigate this and get back to you promptly.

Once my order has been dispatched, can I change my address & postcode?

Once an order has been placed with us and has been marked as dispatched, we reserve the right to charge a postage administration fee of £5. After the order has been collected by Evri we are unable to recall or alter the delivery address as we no longer have access to the parcel.

Can I place a corporate / large order?

We do accept corporate/ large orders, please email support@chocolate-express.co.uk with your requirements for your order.

As corporate/ large orders involve a high number of bespoke items, the ability to make alterations after purchase is costly and time-consuming, therefore if a large order has been placed with us, we have the right to charge an administration of £15 for each alteration made, before the order has been sent.

After the order has been shipped we are unable to recall or alter the delivery as it is in the hands of Evri.

Help choosing your luxury chocolates / Choose Your Own

For the ultimate personal gift, choose your own selection. To help choose, you can view our flavour guide or visit our chocolate menu pages, which are sectioned under flavour types, i.e. Butter Creams & Caramel, Ganache, Pralines, Truffles etc.

Once decided, click on ‘Choose Your selection’. From here, you can view & select our chocolates & the quantity required. Then click ‘Add to basket’.

Alternatively, you can use our ‘Chocolate Preferences Box’ to free type your order or an approximate breakdown of flavours e.g. a mix of white & milk only, pralines only, no nuts.

Or call us on 01534 873834 and we will take your order direct at support@chocolate-express.co.uk

You can also use the gift box message section to provide any extra information. 

Assorted Selections

As our chocolates are fresh, the contents of each selection will vary, although some key signature pieces will always be in stock like the Manon Blanc and Manon Cafe. Others will be in and out of stock and with over 100 different chocolates, it is not possible to get one of each!

In Belgium, “praline” is the word for chocolate with a filling. In the UK, “praline” is a term often used for a specific type of chocolate with a filling consisting of a fine paste of nuts, sugar and chocolate. This naturally causes some confusion!
On this site, we refer to our chocolates as “Belgian pralines”.

“Buttercream” is the name for a delicious, fresh, flavoured soft filling. It is made from a base of real fresh butter, fresh cream and milk, and flavoured with either coffee, vanilla or fruit.

Can we gift wrap?

All of our traditional Belgium Ballotin Chocolate Boxes can be gift-wrapped, you can choose between different wrappings and we also have seasonal variations. All wrapped boxes are finished off with a hand-tied luxury Leonidas ribbon.

How can I choose your own printed ribbon and message in greeting cards?

You can leave a message in the free gift message box under each product for the greeting cards. If you want the bespoke ribbon please write what you want on it in the Bespoke Ribbon Text box.

When will my item arrive?

We dispatch all orders placed before 1.00 pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). We do not dispatch goods on Saturday or Sunday or any bank holidays. It may be possible to process orders up until 1 pm, however, you will need to call our customer service team to arrange on 01534 873834.

Please note that the delivery date is NOT GUARANTEED. If the recipient is not in and it is not possible to leave the item in a secure area, Evri will attempt up to 3 delivery attempts.

We accept no liability if delivery is not made due to the recipient not being available or due to the recipient failing to  within a reasonable time to arrange collection from local Parcel Chop or Locker.

Furthermore, please note that by leaving an instruction for a delivery to be left in a specific place, it is not the responsibility of Chocolate Express if it goes missing and a replacement/refund will not be considered or that the Evri Courier does not read your delivery instructions for your order.

UK Delivery Area: the United Kingdom includes Scotland, England, Wales, and Channel Islands.

Discount codes

Any discount seasonal codes are issued to VIP customers only and will have a limited time and quantity of usage, this information will be stated on the newsletter itself.

Can I use more than one promo code?

Please note that you cannot use more than one promotional code at one time.

Jersey delivery

Jersey customers now have the option for items to be posted locally. At the checkout, choose Please note that we use Jersey Post for our local deliveries. Items may take 1-2 working days to arrive.

Easter Delivery

Our recommended final day for Easter delivery is Wednesday 05th for express deliveries.

We will continue to ship express deliveries until Thursday 6th April 2023.

As per Evrie they will deliver orders placed by Thursday 06th April 2023 by 1pm on Tuesday 11th April 2023, due to Evrie being closed over the Easter Bank Holidays.

Saturday Deliveries are dependent if the Evrie services your provided postcode area.

Our next dispatch day will then be 11th April 2023 after Easter.

Ingredients and Dietary requirements

Can I eat Leonidas products without having to worry about allergic reactions?

It all depends on what type of allergy you have. Some Leonidas products contain allergens (gluten or nuts for instance). If you have a food allergy, simply send us an e-mail and we’ll be happy to tell you which chocolates are safe for the allergy you specify.

In short:
Nuts: Leonidas Products may contain Nuts and are processed in a factory that contains nuts.
Alcohol: Leonidas products may contain Alcohol.
Eggs and egg derivatives (albumin): Some Leonidas products contain eggs. Please see our Flavour & Allergy Guide for further details.
Gluten: Gluten is a molecule found in cereals such as wheat, barley, oats and their derivatives such as malt and starch. Some Leonidas products are made with ingredients that contain gluten and that may contain traces of gluten. All Leonidas products are made in factories where gluten is present.
Dried fruits: Many Leonidas products contain nuts (hazelnuts, walnuts, almonds, etc.). All Leonidas product can contain traces of dried fruit.
Milk (lactose, milk proteins, etc.): Dairy products are naturally key ingredients in the manufacture of some Leonidas products. Leonidas quality assurance procedures demand that between manufacturing cycles, i.e. between different types of chocolate, the equipment will be properly cleaned and rinsed. Despite the implementation of good manufacturing practices, traces of milk proteins may be found in some of our dark chocolates. The American Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFA) have identified milk proteins as a food allergen. However, methods of analysis have recently become available to manufacturers that allow milk proteins to be detected in minute proportions of parts per million. For the benefit of its customers, Leonidas prints the following statement on all its packagings at the end of the list of ingredients for its dark chocolate “Peut contenir des traces de protines de lait” (may contain traces of milk proteins).

Gluten-Free

Gluten is a molecule found in cereals such as wheat, barley, oats and their derivatives such as malt and starch. While our fudge is not a Leonidas product and is sold to us as a ‘gluten-free’ product, it is made in a factory where gluten is present. We have been advised that the chances of cross-contamination are slim to none but there is still a remote possibility that it may contain traces of gluten.

What ingredients go into Leonidas Chocolates?

All the chocolates used in the production of our pralines are free from colourants and preservatives.
Dark chocolate (min 54% cocoa) cocoa paste, sugar cocoa butter, emulsifier, soya lecithin (may contain traces of milk proteins).
Milk chocolate (min 30% cocoa) sugar, powdered milk, cocoa paste, cocoa butter, emulsifiers, soya lecithin, flavourings and natural vanilla.
White confectionery (min 26% cocoa) sugar, powdered full milk, cocoa butter, emulsifier, soya lecithin, flavouring and natural vanilla.
Pralines (chocolate candy min 25% chocolate) one of the three (3) chocolates mentioned above and the fillings/preparations containing some of the following ingredients. Cocoa paste, cocoa butter cocoa powder, coffee, fresh butter, fresh cream, milk cream, evaporated full milk and powdered full milk, sugars, (sucrose, fructose, dextrose, lactose) glucose syrup, emulsifier, soya lecithin and among other fruits, candied fruits, dried fruits, (almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts,…) popped rice, spirits and liqueurs, natural and artificial flavourings, colouring agents, E102, E110, E122, E132, E141, preservative, E200, E202, acidity corrector, E330, Marzipan made of at least 33% rough almonds, sugars, (sucrose, lactose) almonds, glucose syrup, preservatives E200, E202, colourants, E102, E110, E122, E132, covering agent, E904.
All our products may contain traces of nuts and/or nougat.

Where Does Chocolate Come From?

Chocolate is made from the seeds of the tropical cacao tree, theobroma cacao. The cacao tree was named by the 17th-century Swedish naturalist, Linnaeus. The Greek term theobroma literally means “food of the gods”. Cacao beans were used by the Aztecs to prepare a hot, frothy drink which had stimulant and restorative properties. The chocolate itself was reserved for warriors, nobility and priests. The Aztecs valued its supposed ability to confer wisdom and vitality. A fermented chocolate drink was also used in their religious ceremonies. The sacred concoction was associated with Xochiquetzal, the goddess of fertility. Emperor Montezuma allegedly drank 50 goblets a day. The Aztecs paid their taxes in cacao beans, 100 cacao beans could buy a slave.

Do Leonidas products contain vegetable fat?

No. From 3rd August 2003, a European Directive has allowed chocolate manufacturers to use vegetable fats (instead of cocoa butter) in their chocolates, albeit under certain very strict conditions. This Directive caused a lot of controversy among manufacturers and consumers but at Leonidas, we have a very clear and simple position on this issue. Leonidas only uses 100% cocoa butter in its chocolates and fillings. The statement that “Leonidas is 100% pure cocoa butter… and 100% quality” is truer now than ever.

Kosher Chocolates

We are happy to inform you that a great selection of our chocolate is approved under the Kashruth certification of the cRc (Chicago Rabbinical Council). We are happy to create a bespoke box containing your favourite flavours.

No Added Sugar or Low in Sugar

These specific pralines are not ‘sugar-free’ but rather ‘Low in sugar’. ‘Low in sugar’ does not mean that there is no sugar in the product. The product still contains the sugar naturally present in milk (lactose). The sugar which is normally used when making the chocolates and fillings is replaced by sweeteners.

Do Leonidas Pralines Contain GMO'S?

The company that supplies Leonidas with its couverture chocolate guarantees that the soya lecithin used in the manufacturing process is exclusively from soy plantations that are strictly controlled to ensure they do not contain genetically modified soya and is PCR negative.

As for glucose and products containing glucose, our suppliers guarantee that the glucose is either produced from starch from non-genetically modified wheat or that controls are in place to ensure that no genetically modified maize is used in the course of manufacture.

Does Leonidas use palm oil in their products?

Leonidas Maîtres Chocolatiers are obsessed with quality. For their creations, they only want pure cocoa butter. So you won’t find a single drop of palm oil in Leonidas chocolate. It’s better for the taste and the planet!

Does Chocolate Increase Cholesterol Levels?

Quite the opposite in fact. Once it has been absorbed by your body, cocoa produces 72% unsaturated fatty acids which actually reduce your cholesterol level and clean your arteries. It contains only 20% saturated fatty acids – the kind that isn’t so good for you. There’s very little cholesterol in dark chocolate made from 100% cocoa butter, like that of Leonidas. In milk chocolate, the cholesterol varies from 15 to 18mg per 100g which is pretty insignificant.

Does Chocolate Contain Magnesium?

We all need magnesium in our diets to promote good neurovascular function, but our normal food intake barely provides the minimum. The good news is that chocolate is rich in magnesium.

Chocolate Storing and Eating

Why are Leonidas Chocolates better than other brands?

Leonidas chocolates are fresh and mostly other brands are compromised by the need for longevity, therefore, they do not pay as much attention to this vital quality of total freshness.  Many brands of chocolate tend to be pre-packaged and designed to spend time on shelves, where we ship our chocolates in fresh weekly and package them on the day of purchase.  Leonidas tradition of total quality means they make no compromises what so ever, Leonidas chocolates do not contain any vegetable fat only 100% cocoa butter instead. They use fresh ingredients, the fresh butter and cream in the buttercreams chocolates set them apart from the rest and give them a unique flavour.

Leonidas has also obtained an ISO 9001 certification for quality, which is well over and above the necessary requirements for producing chocolate. Only a small number of retailers are licensed to sell Leonidas chocolates, because of the strict requirements for careful storage and freshness.

In response to the question “what is your favourite chocolate?”, most consumers said: Leonidas, the undisputed Number 1 Belgian chocolate. This was the outcome of the well-publicised “National B®ands competition 2004” organised by the LDV advertising agency and its partners. The basis for the competition was very simple: a list of the leading brands in each sector, from cars to washing powder was drawn up. A panel of consumers (25,252 as it happens) were then asked to express their likes and dislikes, choosing their preferred brand in each category. In the “chocolates” category, there was only one winner: Leonidas chocolates. 51.7% of consumers considers Leonidas to be and remain the most popular chocolate in Belgium. The National Brands Competition is organised every year, over the Internet, attracting an ever younger section of consumers, who clearly love Leonidas chocolates, just as much their parents do. For the first competition, held in 2003, Leonidas won the “Chocolates” category in the National Brands Competition hands down.

How long can I store Leonidas chocolates?

To ensure you enjoy the optimum flavour to the full, Leonidas chocolates should be eaten fresh. Leonidas chocolate bars have a use-by date of six months in order to guarantee quality and authenticity of flavour.

How do I best store Leonidas chocolates?

If you want to enjoy the Leonidas chocolates containing alcohol or buttercream at their best, we recommend storing them in a cool place and eating them cool. Our pure chocolates and those with praline, ganache, cream, liqueur cream or almond paste fillings, and our truffles are best stored at temperatures of between 15 and 18 C.

Care should also be taken not to store the chocolates and chocolate in general near foods or substances that have a strong odour since chocolate absorbs odours very readily.

What happens in hot weather?

Our chocolates are stored in a temperature and humidity controlled store. Once your order leaves with Royal Mail, they are very much open to temperature fluctuations.

We highly recommend getting any orders that you have in to us as early as possible so that we can monitor and dispatch at the earliest opportunity the weather cools.

Why do some chocolates have a 'bloom'?

Fatty bloom: This is caused by fats migrating to the surface of the chocolate, or by them re-crystallising. This can be caused by the chocolate layer being too thin, poor tempering, the filling migrating, or the chocolate being stored at too high a temperature. This is very rare with our chocolates.

Sugar bloom: This is caused by the re-crystallisation of the sugar in the chocolate. This happens when condensation forms on the chocolate due to a temperature difference and high humidity.
Chocolate should always be stored in dry conditions at between 15 and 18C. That’s precisely how we store all our LEONIDAS chocolates to ensure that they reach you in the best possible condition.

What's The Best Way To Eat A Leonidas Chocolate?

Chocolate should involve every one of your senses: sight, touch, hearing, taste and smell. Each chocolate should look smooth and shiny, with a rich brown colour. The smell of sugar should not be too apparent. A perfectly made chocolate should crack when you first bite into it. If a praline starts to melt in your hand before you bite into it, this is a sign that it contains a lot of cocoa butter, a very good sign. Allow the chocolate to start to melt in your mouth – it should be smooth, without any hint of graininess. Two or three bites should release the secondary aromas in the filling. Finally, push the chocolate gently against the roof of your mouth to allow the flavour to linger on your palate. Above all, take your time to enjoy the experience. After all, we took our time making it.

Gift certificates

Purchasing Gift Certificates

Gift Certificates are purchased just like any other item in our store. You can pay for them using our standard payment method(s).

Once purchased the value of the Gift Certificate will be added to your own personal Gift Certificate Account. If you have funds in your Gift Certificate Account, you will notice that the amount now shows in the Shopping Cart box, and also provides a link to a page where you can send your Gift Certificate via email.

Please note that gift certificates are NOT SHIPPED and, once purchased, CANNOT be CANCELLED OR REFUNDED.

How to Send Gift Certificates

To send a gift certificate to someone else you need to go to our ‘Send Gift Certificate’ page. You can find the link to this page in the shopping cart box in the right-hand column of each page.
When you send a gift certificate, you need to specify the following: The name of the person you are sending the gift certificate to, The email address of the person you are sending the gift certificate to, the amount/value.
(Note: you don’t have to send the full amount that is in your Gift Certificate Account) and a short message which will appear in the email.
Please ensure that you have entered all of the information correctly, although you will be given the opportunity to change this as much as you want before the email is actually sent.

Buying with A Gift Certificate

If you have funds in your gift certificate account, you can use those funds to purchase items in our store. At the checkout stage, an extra box will appear.
Enter the amount to apply from the funds in your gift certificate account.
Please note, you will still have to select another payment method if there is not enough in your gift certificate account to cover the cost of your purchase.
If you have more funds in your gift certificate account than the total cost of your purchase the balance will be left in your gift certificate account for the future.

Redeeming Gift Certificates

If you receive a gift certificate by email it will contain details of who sent you the gift certificate, along with possibly a short message from them.
The email will also contain the gift certificate redemption code. It is probably a good idea to print out this email for future reference. You can now redeem the Gift Certificate in two ways.
1. By clicking on the link contained within the email for this express purpose. This will take you to the store’s Redeem Gift Certificate page.
You will then be requested to create an account before the Gift Certificate is validated and placed in your Gift Certificate Account ready for you to spend it on whatever you want.
2. During the checkout process, on the same page that you select a payment method, there will be a box to enter your Gift Certificate Code.
Enter the Gift Certificate Code here, and click the Redeem button. The code will be validated and the amount added to your Gift Certificate Account. You can then use the amount to purchase any item from our store.

Additional Queries

Are Leonidas Products Well Known in Belgium?

When a recent survey asked 20,000 Belgians what they thought about different brands, Leonidas was the outright winner in the chocolate category. In fact, 1 in every 3 top quality Belgian chocolates sold comes from Leonidas – and 55% of Belgians say that we are the most highly-rated chocolate maker in the country. Not bad, in the most chocolate-obsessed country in the world.

Should I Say Pralines Or Chocolates?

Praline is the Belgian name for chocolates, both in French and in Flemish. A praline is a Belgian chocolate made of delicious Belgian chocolate enclosing a mouth-watering filling. The English, however, use the word “praline” for what we call Praline, i.e. a mixture of nuts, sugar and chocolate, usually used as a filling.

Is Chocolate Good For Your Health?

Chocolate is known to have anti-depressant qualities, which could be linked to the small quantity of serotonin found in chocolate. Serotonin is a substance which is found naturally in the brain and affects our moods. Other substances contained in chocolate help you stay awake and alert, help your muscles work, stimulate the appetite, and help mental activity and alertness. Remember that a good quality chocolate only contains cocoa, pure cocoa butter and sugar.

Does Chocolate Make You Live Longer?

It may just be a coincidence, but some of the world’s oldest people, like Jeanne Calment (1875-1997) and Sarah Knauss (1880-1999), were passionately fond of chocolate. Jeanne Calment habitually ate a kilo of chocolate per week until her physician forced her to give up sweets at the age of 119, three years before she died. You can draw your own conclusions, but one thing we are sure of is that a life without chocolate certainly feels a lot longer!

Is Chocolate Good For Lovers?

The Aztec Emperor Montezuma, Casanova, Madame De Pompadour and the Marquis de Sade certainly all thought so. Although it’s not really an aphrodisiac, one of the substances it contains, phenylethylamine, causes your body to react in the same way as it does when you’re in love. So chocolate may not make you a great lover, but you can’t help loving chocolate!

Does Chocolate Cheer You Up?

Yes, it really does. Chocolate perks up your body and your mind. It has a lot of energy in a very small volume because of its main nutrients such as carbohydrates (sugars) and fatty acids or lipids. Your body absorbs the sugars rapidly to give you a quick energy boost. It processes the fatty acids (the cocoa butter) more slowly to give you energy over an extended period. The mineral salts, oligo elements and vitamins in chocolate also make it a good regenerative food for the brain. Its theobromine stimulates the nervous system and boosts concentration.

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