Ditch the last-minute supermarket dash this Valentine’s Day. If you’re opting to say it with chocolates, say it with the finest ones available on the market.
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Koko Black The Liqueur & Spirits Collection Praline Gift Box
Koko Black The Liqueur & Spirits Collection Praline Gift Box, 18 pieces, $44.90, kokoblack.com
The go-to for lovers of boozy chocolates. This one ticks off milk and chocolates with smooth liqueur centres – there’s a vanilla spiced rum number, another with lemon-myrtle gin, and an orange and Cointreau truffle. Simply bliss.
Meltdown Artisan Typoflora Valentine’s bonbons
Meltdown Artisan Typoflora Valentine’s Bonbons, 9 pieces, $45, meltdownartisan.com
There’s lots to love about this Sydney chocolaterie by Jen Lo. The business says it uses chocolate that’s 100 per cent traceable, meaning it can ensure fair wages and sustainable farming practices across its supply chain. As part of its Valentine’s collection, Meltdown Artisans have collaborated with stationery design studio Typoflora on these floral-stamped milk chocolates. Each heart-shaped treat comes filled with crisp macadamia praline.
Just Bliss, SA
Just Bliss Love Heart Chocolate Truffles, 16 pieces, $41 justbliss.com.au
This 16-piece collection from the Adelaide chocolaterie is pure joy. Lift the lid and you’ll find a selection of heart-shaped truffles filled with a variety of flavours including dark raspberry, salted caramel and vodka-lemon-lime. Simply beautiful.
Sue Lewis Chocolatier, WA
**Sue Lewis Chocolatier Rocky Road Heart, $20, suelewischocolatier.com
It’s the rocky road you know and love, replicated in a pretty heart-shaped form. Perth’s Sue Lewis Chocolatier’s Valentine’s edition rocky road is a blend of milk and dark chocolate, with homemade marshmallow, sandalwood nuts and almonds, plus cranberries and raspberries.
Koko Black, Vic
Koko Black Chocolatier’s Selection Praline Gift Box, 36 pieces, $79.90, kokoblack.com
Choosing 36 pieces of chocolate for Valentine’s Day is a tough job, so Koko Black chocolatiers have done the hard work buy packaging up their favourites. From a dark raspberry ganache to a milk salted-caramel, it’s hard to go wrong here.
Haighs’ Chocolates milk & dark assortment
Haigh’s Chocolates Milk & Dark Assortment, $81 for 500g, haighschocolates.com.au
You can’t go wrong with these SA-made chocolates. Look inside, and you’ll find a good-looking assortment of soft and hard centres, coddled in a milk- or dark-chocolate casing. It’s going to be hard stopping at just one (so it’s a good thing there are 32 pieces of life-giving chocolate).
Winnow Chocolates, NSW
Winnow Chocolates Pretty Pink Ombré Box, $15.50, winnowchocolates.com
For a Valentine’s Day chocolate box to impress, it has to be these sculptural beauties. White chocolate inside, ombré pink on the outside, and decorated with 23-carat gold leaf, these are the chocolate present your loved one will remember.
Gourmet Basket chocolate box hamper, $70
Gourmet Basket Chocolate Box Hamper, $70, gourmetbasket.com.au
There’s chocolate, and then some. This sweet hamper has it all – a dark chocolate bar from Zokoko, chocolate and walnut fudge by Fudge by Rich, plus melting moments, and white chocolate and macadamia cookies.
Burch & Purchese
Burch & Purchese “I Love You” Milk Chocolate Block, 100 gm, $15, burchandpurchase.com.au
Who could resist these sweet chocolate hearts inscribed with sweet nothings? From the Melbourne “sweet studio” comes this 100-gram block of Belgian milk chocolate, in which white-chocolate hearts carrying their messages of love, are embedded.
Luka Chocolates, NSW
Luka Chocolates artisan box of chocolates, 36 pieces, $75, lukachocolates.com.au
For an easy win on Valentine’s Day you can’t go past Wyong’s own Luka Chocolates. For $75, you can expect a selection of 36 chocolates made with premium Belgian couverture.
