Treasure hunt eggs are essential for Easter celebrations, whether you're hiding them in a backyard for kids or eating them straight from the bag.

Good Food scored four common brands for texture and flavour, plus how long each egg can maintain its shape without melting at the first sight of sun – very important on a hunt.

Lindt Lindor Assorted Mini Eggs, 90g, $3

Score: 3/5

"I think one of the most important things with treasure hunt eggs is how easily you can get the wrapper off," says Bowden. "In that respect, these are a big fail. But I like the variety of milk, dark and white chocolate, and the smaller size means they almost burst on your tongue. Sweet, but not offensively so."

Cadbury Dairy Milk Easter Eggs, 114g, $4.50

Score: 2/5

"Quite soft and really sweet," says Bowden. "This is far from the creamy Dairy Milk taste I remember from my childhood." Cadbury's little foil-wrapped treats also melted faster than the other hunting eggs, potentially causing one heck of a mess if left undiscovered for too long.

Darrell Lea Milk Chocolate Hunting Eggs, 120g, $4.75

Score: 3.5/5
Good Food Taste Test Award: Bronze

Surprisingly good. "Darrell Lea was always bottom of the barrel for me growing up, but these aren't bad at all," says Bowden. The chocolate is chewy and dense and these can also hold their own in the sun. "You couldn't eat more than one at a time without your teeth sticking together, though," says Bowden.

Koko Black Dark Little Eggs, 150g, $15

Score: 4/5
Good Food Taste Test Award: Silver

Certainly the best quality cocoa tasted, but Koko Black does come with a higher price tag. "Notably, the chocolate fat doesn't linger in your month," says Bowden. "Cheaper Easter chocolates can coat your mouth with fat and it's a struggle to get rid of it." At 54 per cent dark, these are hunting eggs for grown-ups.

The tasting panel

• Callan Boys National food and drink writer for Good Food.
• Andrew Bowden Pastry chef at Andy Bowdy Pastry and owner of Saga cafe in Enmore, Sydney.
• Aimee Graham Owner of Cherry Moon general store, cafe and bakery in Annandale, Sydney. Graham avoids gluten and dairy, but enjoys plant-based chocolate.