We know what you're thinking – who has leftover chocolate? While we agree that it's not the most difficult of foods to use up, if your collection of eggs has piled up over Easter or the kids have been gifted chocolate from relatives, you may well have a mountain of sweet treats to work your way through. If you don't fancy rationing it out over the next few months, there are plenty of ways to give your eggs a new lease of life; once they're melted down, for example, the chocolate can be used in all manner of desserts and baked delights. 

We've pulled together seven of our favourite recipes for inspiration – they include one which uses half an egg as its base, plenty of puds for those with a sweet tooth and even a savoury option if you're fed up of all things sugary. Some are more complex than others, but all are fantastic and, most importantly, will help you polish off the heaps of chocolate hidden in the cupboard. 

Perfect if you're after a use-up recipe which isn't overcomplicated, Josh Eggleton serves a home-made maple, nut and seed granola in a makeshift Easter egg bowl. He uses white chocolate eggs, but you could swap that out for whatever you have – an unusual, fun way to enjoy the indulgence of the season whilst also making a great family breakfast.

Jeremy Lee's luxurious dessert is topped with a rich chocolate cream, made with shards of dark chocolate which he melts down. Using the right chocolate is important – he recommends at least 70% cocoa solids – so it's ideal if you've got a slightly higher quality egg tucked away. With crushed amaretti biscuits soaked in sherry, this is a sophisticated dessert which would be perfect if you're hosting friends or family.

These rich éclairs are filled with a Nutella mousse and topped with hazelnuts and milk chocolate, which is melted in a bain-marie. A crowd-pleaser and delicious twist on the French classic. Fancy trying something closer to the original? Head this way for a guide with all your need to knows about chocolate éclairs, as well as a recipe.

This pretty-as-a-picture dessert uses white chocolate in two ways – melted in the mousse and fashioned into curls for an elegant garnish at the end. Sweet white chocolate balances brilliantly with tart rhubarb, which is now in season (though passion fruit also makes a great substitute, if that takes your fancy).

Chocolate and raspberry go hand-in-hand, something Marcus Wareing proves in this simple but delicious chocolate tart recipe. Floral thyme adds another layer of flavour, while the inclusion of 400g of milk chocolate means you'll be putting plenty of chocolate to good use.

This masterpiece from Howard Middleton is great for parties and will go down a treat if you're baking with the kids. It's gluten-free, and has the all-important cookie balance of crunchy and chewy. It uses white chocolate in the mix, as well as chocolate chips (swap them out for similar-sized pieces of chocolate), and you can also decorate the finished product with more melted chocolate for extra use-up points. 

Well and truly had your fill of all things sweet? Russell Brown's venison taco recipe gives the meat a Mexican twist, adding dark chocolate and ancho chilli for depth of flavour. It requires effort and time, but the finished dish is beautifully rich and complex – a real show-stopper.