Chocolate chilli tortillas, date sugar bars and dipped figs – upgrade your seasonal treats

Never in a million years did I expect to like chocolate tortillas, and yet here I am recommending this Frankenstein’s monster: M&S’s Dark Chocolate Chilli Tortillas. I don’t know what subversive minds thought of this across the boardroom table, but they work. While you’re there, and if you like mint and chocolate, M&S’s Peppermint and Mint Chocolate Rolls are worth squirrelling away in your basket for eating while you write your Christmas cards (early mention).

If you like super-creamy milk chocolate but are trying to buy better quality, give Zotter’s Squaring the Circle 50% Milk with Date Sugar a go. It’s one of the creamiest milks I’ve tasted in recent times, and date sugar is still sugar, but we can all pretend it’s healthy. Once you’re on the Cocoa Runners site looking at Zotter, its Butter Caramel Filled bar is rightfully a bestseller: creamy, chewy, caramelly and buttery – just what you need for colder autumn days.

If, like me, you like something exciting after a meal – something quite dark, chewy and with an exciting centre – then look no further than Solkiki’s Figs dipped in 70% cocoa chocolate and filled with hazelnut ganache. These were delicious, satisfying and rather gorgeous.

Final word to Arthouse Unlimited’s Dark Chocolate with Orange and Popping Candy, at £7.35 a bar. Because we all need a bit of fizz at this time of year and it’s an excellent cause.