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Chocolate is a universal love language for good reason.
Historically speaking, no singular gift idea has represented the epitome of “romance is not dead after all” than chocolate. It’s probably been that way ever since our ancestors started to honor love between two (or more) people on Saint Valentine’s Day. And every romantic symbol that’s ever managed to reignite humankind’s faith in love always trickles down into more than a few shopping lists. So cut some tension out of your brainstorming this February 14 and heed these words: The fairest gift on this loveliest holiday of them all can be back-to-basics chocolate.
Gifting chocolate is ingrained into this frigid but idyllic celebration between lovebirds in the last month of winter. And it just works, guaranteed to pique the interest of any sweet tooth. Here, we’ve got 27 can’t-fail chocolate confections that beat the boring drug store offerings. Truffles or bars, Belgian or Swiss, Godiva or artisan chocolatier—not to mention myriad flavors and edible designs—these chocolates will exhilarate even the most discriminating palate in your partner, and steal away their heart, if it isn’t already yours.
If your partner is a true chocolate connoisseur, they’ve probably tasted the best of the best. But have they tried a collection curated by a Michelin-starred chef and a chocolatier virtuoso, made in French techniques with classic American notes like cheesecake and banana foster?
You can’t go wrong with the most classic, go-to option from the noted Belgian chocolatier when it comes to chocolate gifting, especially when you’re gifting signature flavors with fillings in a timeless gold box.
Make your dark chocolate selection the best (and darkest) from luxury chocolatier Vosges Haut-Chocolat, which also offers Exotic, Italian, and Milk Chocolate collections.
The smoke of single malt scotch whisky and the luster of chocolate truffles come together to put a spontaneous smile on their face on the very first bite.
Here are 26 bits of edible art, a.k.a. handmade, hand-painted chocolate truffles in salted caramel, birthday cake, vanilla latte, rose, strawberry, honey peanut butter, matcha green tea, and more flavors, not to mention the doozy of a box they come in.
Since it’s the gesture that counts, giving them Toblerone, the Swiss milk chocolate we know all too well from every candy store and checkout counter, which you can personalize to make it a little more sincere.
Is there anything in the culinary world as dreamy as sinking your teeth into the core of a chocolate truffle and letting the silky blend melt on your tongue? No. So 48 truffles for a chocolate lover to relish day by day make a big-time statement of love.
It’s the day to celebrate love, with an emphasis on celebration. Hence, a fine champagne is needed, not in unimaginative bottle form, but alongside cognac in a creamy mousse ganache form that is definitely in the upper echelon.
Unroasted dark chocolate bars of aged bourbon cask, oat milk, pink sea salt, maple & nibs, and green tea crunch flavors will make any curious chocolate lover gleeful. And if they like it that much, consider a subscription.
For the partner who loves it when a delicate square of dark chocolate has an intriguing topping that’s not too hard to bite into, like sesame purée.
If nine chocolates in fruity, nutty notes like raspberry rose, hazelnut and orange weren’t beguiling enough, these bonbons are also naturally vegan.
The beautiful Haitian gourmet chocolate bars in this medley are niche but up-and-coming. There’s even a dark chocolate bar of 90 percent cacao, to balance a partner who is more sweet than bitter.
For the partner who’s secure enough to dig your cheeky humor. Instead of fighting, why not channel anger into breaking a milk chocolate heart with a hammer? You don’t even have to clean up the mess of pretzels, cookies, and chips—just eat it straight off the table.
Spend a night with chocolate and wine—an undeniably romantic duo. After you’ve made your pick of vino, bring out this pack of “books” to pair with it. Tips: Milk chocolate goes with Chardonnay, and dark suits cabernet sauvignon, merlot, or pinot noir.
Salted caramel chocolate is a cult favorite due to the unexpected mingling of sodium and sucrose.
These are not just chocolate, they’re exquisite, edible art painted by artisan chocolatiers using colorful cocoa butter. Each piece is polished till it sparkles, and each abstract design expresses the piece’s flavor.
We don’t particularly advocate for a literal take on gifting love, like a heart-shaped box of chocolates, but if the flavors are good and when all else fails, such a gift will still strike the right chord.
Here are some chocolate truffles that have definitely been savored by James Bond, for the person in your real life who’s as stylish as he is. The infused flavor is inspired by 007’s chosen cocktail, a vodka martini—shaken, not stirred, clearly.
A small gift that kills two birds with 12 Swiss milk chocolate rosebuds.
This one’s packaging makes your gesture of love obvious, and the 10 chocolate pralines of various shapes make it fun.
A box of five chocolate all-stars from around the world will satisfy their adventurous spirit. Bonus points if they can accurately name the flavor notes in Sicilian salted lemon.
Peppermint brings a streak of invigoration, and milk chocolate brings smoothness. The collision makes a melt-in-your-mouth after-dinner treat on Valentine’s Day.
Cannabis chocolates are as enlivening as your one true love. These CBD-infused, nutty dark chocolate bonbons are also as unforgettable as your love.
Harlem Chocolate Factory cleverly imparts the cultural richness of Harlem in its confectionery recipes. In its gift set, each chocolate bar is an edible sculpture, drenched in gold and carved in the form of a Harlem brownstone. Though they really look too heavenly to be digested in a stomach, they sure taste good.
These sweets are decorated, both on the outside with whimsical images and on the inside with mouth-watering ganache.
There’s no better, more subtle way to get an “I do” out of your partner than by gifting this bevy of strawberries in either white gowns or formal suits and ties. Actually, not subtle at all.
Three chocolate bars steeped in earl grey, matcha, and lemon flavors should be everyone’s cup of tea.