Chocolate will stay fresh and delicious if kept in one place - not the fridge

During December, many homes are well stocked with delicious chocolate for the festive season. Whether it is delicious artisan bars for the perfect evening indulgence over Christmas or a classic standard bar ready for some baking, many homes will have a good stash of the sweet treat.

But it can be disappointing to find the chocolate has become chalky or lost its intense flavour. This is often due to incorrect storage, but there is an easy solution to keep chocolate fresh, and it is not in the fridge. Hotel Chocolat's expert chocolatier, Samantha Allen, has shared her advice on where is best to store your Christmas goodies this year.

Samantha advised against the fridge and said: "Keep chocolate in a cool, dry place, away from direct sunlight. A kitchen cupboard is ideal.

"Avoid putting your chocolate in the fridge as condensation can cause bloom and avoid putting chocolate near a fireplace or somewhere warm."

Chocolate bloom is when the sugar and fat inside the bar react to temperature change and can make the chocolate appear grey or have a white cast.

While this is still perfectly fine to eat, it can alter the taste and texture.

Samantha also said chocolate can sometimes take on the flavours of foods around it, so take care what you place alongside, especially if the packets are open.

She said: "Once open, make sure your chocolate gets sealed back up so that it doesn't absorb other odours that can taint the taste."

Hotel Chocolat has a number of Christmas chocolate collections this winter and two new festive hot chocolate flavours, Peppermint-White and Mince Pie, for their Velvetiser hot chocolate maker priced at £149.95, which The Express reviewed earlier this year.