Blending the traditional with the modern

The art of chocolate tasting, aromatic innovation and tradition are once more showcased in the new collection of Easter chocolates designed especially for the occasion by Maison RICHART.

Easter: tradition above all

This year, Gautier Richart has decided to pay tribute to Jean de La Fontaine by drawing inspiration from his renowned fables that shape childhood in France. Considered one of the greatest masterpieces of French literature, the Fables of La Fontaine have graced France’s cultural heritage and permeated its popular wisdom with their timeless morals since the 17th century. So it was with great pleasure that Maison RICHART has drawn inspiration from this world of animals that is fabulous and mysterious, like the traditions of Easter, revisiting six famous fables: The Fox and the Crow, The Ant and the Grasshopper, The Tortoise and the Hare, The Lion and the Rat, The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs and The Heron. Does that bring back childhood memories?

The origins of Easter traditions

With roots in both paganism and religion, Easter is very firmly established as one of the most popular celebrations. Chocolate eggs, chickens, fish and rabbits… the hunt for Easter eggs and other goodies fascinates children, and enjoying chocolates in a wide range of flavors is a delight for the whole family. But do you really know where these gourmet traditions come from?

The symbolism of the Easter egg

The egg has always been considered as a symbol of renewal, and it can be found throughout history. Thus, in ancient times, the Persians and Egyptians used to exchange decorated chicken eggs as lucky charms. A legend of ancient Babylon has it that an egg of an extraordinary size fell into the Euphrates, was pushed onto the bank by fish and then was brooded by doves. This is how Venus, the Queen of Heaven, was born with the name Astarte, which is where the word “Easter” comes from. The resulting celebration with this name commemorated this birth every year, through the exchange of eggs.

This tradition of sharing eggs is also found in religious customs that celebrate the resurrection of Christ. Indeed, Easter marks the end of Lent, the period of forty days of fasting. But chickens continued to lay eggs during this time, so their eggs had to be used up quickly on the morning when the fast ended: Easter Sunday. This is where the idea of exchanging eggs came from. Over time, the eggs began to be embellished with colorful decorations, and now, chicken eggs have been replaced by chocolate eggs.

The symbolism of the Easter bells in France

French legend has it that church bells fly to Rome to be blessed by the Pope and come back beribboned, ringing and carrying Easter eggs that they drop into gardens. They resonate as a symbol of joy associated with a holiday often celebrated with family around a good meal. And when they ring out on Easter Sunday, they announce the beginning of the Easter egg hunt!

The symbolism of the Easter bunny

Although in France it’s the bells that bring the Easter eggs, it’s the Easter bunny that hides them in gardens in other countries, such as the United States and Germany.
Like eggs, the bunny symbolizes renewal and fertility.

The symbolism of little solid chocolate Easter treats in France: “la friture”

In France, little solid chocolate Easter treats make reference to the Biblical episode of the miraculous catch of fish. Jesus’ disciples were fishing unsuccessfully when he showed them where to cast their nets. Thousands of fish were then caught in the nets, which the disciples saw as proof of the resurrection of Jesus. The abundance of solid chocolate Easter treats thus recalls this plentiful catch of fish.

These powerful symbols of life and fecundity also coincide with the renewal of spring, the season when nature, awakening from her winter slumber, begins to teem with life. The anthropomorphic animals of the Fables of La Fontaine, other than the grasshopper, also go about their business to get ready for the beautiful season that’s on the way.

Whether brought by bells or by the Easter Bunny, the chocolate eggs, chickens and lollipops and little solid chocolate Easter treats have become a delicious highlight of this holiday.
The new Easter collection of Maison RICHART will delight young and old alike with its classic, traditional molded chocolates: deluxe eggs and filled eggs, lollipops, little solid chocolate Easter treats, and more. The new Easter collection is also proudly original, thanks to newly created flavors and the design of the finely wrought imprints.

An inspiring collection for connoisseurs of original, artisanal chocolates

Recipes using only the finest ingredients and unique designs

Easter is an excellent occasion to indulge in playful, aesthetically pleasing, scrumptious chocolates.

For its new Easter chocolate collection, Maison RICHART has designed 6 original graphic designs inspired by the Fables of La Fontaine. We’ve crafted our chocolates with all-natural ingredients, carefully selected for the richness of their range of aromas:

• Fillings, bursting with delicious promise: tonka bean or mango and passion fruit ganache, kumquat coulis and gianduja praline in deluxe half-eggs.
• Coatings made of single origin Peruvian dark chocolate or white chocolate with hints of creamy warm milk, with raspberry or passion fruit for eggs and morsels filled with roasted nuts or little solid chocolate Easter treats.
• Molded candies made of dark or milk chocolate, garnished with little solid chocolate Easter treats and filled Easter eggs; sure to delight every chocolate lover.
• Milk chocolate or white chocolate lollipops featuring joyful graphic designs, flavored with raspberry or passion fruit juice, to the great delight of children!

Gift boxes, for an even better holiday

When the Easter chocolate collection is combined with other original creations by Maison RICHART, the Easter Bunny will bring irresistible gift boxes to houses and gardens.

For blissful chocolate tasting:

• Mini-macarons will win you over: inside their crisp shells, they delicately hold luscious ganache, fruit compote (mango and passion fruit, raspberry, blackcurrant, 3 lemons, hazelnuts, rose, vanilla, pistachio, Sambiraja, and more), or salted-butter caramel.
• Petits RICHART chocolates are also featured, an iconic collection by Maison RICHART. Since 1988, Petits RICHART chocolates will take you on a journey to new realms of flavor, with the 7 RICHART aromatic families.
• Deluxe Ultra-Fines will take you on an Easter journey around the world, to discover the key regions of cocoa production: Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, São Tomé, and more. Each delicate Ultra-Fine releases all the power, fullness and subtlety of each selected bean’s flavors.

Secrets of chocolate

Like wondrous jewels in a box, the deluxe half-eggs contain delicious treasures to be discovered with every bite. Indeed, you’ll find ganache, praline and coulis with powerful, unique aromatic notes inside of crisp chocolate coatings decorated with whimsical, esthetically pleasing imprint designs inspired by the Fables of La Fontaine. We’ll tell you some little secrets about our half-eggs, made with ingredients selected for their highly aromatic power:

• The Fox and the Crow: under a dark chocolate coating, ganache made with cream from Bresse and single origin cocoa from Peru, in which the sweetness of fruity aromatic notes are expressed, typical of the cocoa beans of this region.
• The Tortoise and the Hare: under a dark chocolate coating, silky ganache, featuring all the aromatic power of mango combined with passion fruit.
• The Lion and the Rat: under a dark chocolate coating, all the aromatic power of roasted hazelnuts, paired with the sweetness of milk chocolate in luscious gianduja praline.
• The Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs: under a subtle, slightly sweet milk chocolate coating, the aromatic power of kumquat puree, paired with lemon verbena, selected for its invigorating, refreshing notes.
• The Ant and the Grasshopper: the lush aromatic notes of the tonka bean burst in the mouth under a milk chocolate coating that brings sweetness to this ganache.

The moral of the story…

Slow and steady wins the race.
So, to avoid being caught empty-handed when the Easter egg hunt begins, order your Easter chocolates online now from your artisanal chocolate-maker and discover all the gift boxes of Maison RICHART.

Marvel at the new collection featuring exceptional products made with French craftsmanship. Experience the joy of sharing delicious treats as a family. Sink your teeth into our deluxe chocolates, inspired by these whimsical, spirited fables that will take you on a delicious journey back to childhood.