Let's cut to the chase: there's a lot of woefully disappointing Valentine's Day chocolates out there, but amid the duds are some true treasures. Armed with our short list of wow-worthy treats — we narrowed it down to a mere five favorites — you can rest assured that you won't give an all-style-and-no-substance sweet this holiday.
Cherry Caramel Hedgehogs
Even if Wild Ophelia's Tart Cherry Caramels [1] weren't absolutely fabulous, we still might indulge in a box for one simple reason: each caramel is shaped like a ridiculously adorable hedgehog. Luckily there's no reason not to buy a box: bite through the snappy shell of one of of these critters, and a wow-worthy tart cherry caramel oozes forth.
A New Spin on Chocolate-Covered Strawberries
Undoubtedly inspired by an iconic Valentine's Day sweet [2], Marich's Chocolate Strawberries [3] ($5) take the classic confection and spin it on its head by enrobing candy-sweet, chewy dried strawberries with a white chocolate shell for a bite that's both familiar and intriguing. If your valentine is firmly in the white-chocolate-lovers camp she'll devour these with glee.
A Floral Assortment
Jasmine, sunflower, and violet . . . no, those aren't flowers in a Valentine's Day bouquet, but rather, some of the flavors in La Maison du Chocolat's Floral Chocolates Gift Box [4] ($18). We'd give this box based solely on the strength of its peanut-butter-like caramelized sunflower truffle: its elegant packaging simply seals the deal.
A Truly Lovely Bar
A chocolate bar might not seem as impressive as a box of truffles, but once she tries a bite of Theo's My Cherry Baby [5] ($4), that'll cease to matter. Theo's smooth, sophisticatedly dark milk chocolate houses two hits of cherry flavor: crisp, tart, freeze-dried nuggets and chewy sweeter bits, for an exceptionally well-rounded experience.
Truffles For the Pink-Averse
At first glance, Norman Love Confections [6] ($13-$95) grassy-green packaging might not scream Valentine's Day, but that's precisely what we love about it. Add to that a fun flavor assortment — our favorites were cherry almond, peanut butter marshmallow, and sugar cookie — and it's hard not to fall in love with this line.