“Life is a box of chocolates,” goes the famous epithet from Forrest Gump. “You never know what you’re gonna get.”
Except of course, if you’re the one buying it. This Valentine’s Day, go one step further and opt to gift your loved one artisanal chocolates made in Singapore over big commercial brands. These are often made with heart in small batches, which almost automatically equates to quality. Take your pick from our list below.
Fossa Chocolate
Award-winning Fossa Chocolate is well-known for their adventurous flavours. Think along the lines of fermented yomogi – a mugwort tea with the refreshing scent of young grass, as well as white sesame and seaweed. The more traditional amongst us however, can go for the single origin chocolate bars from hyper local cocoa growers like Semuliki Forest in Uganda and Davao City. At a loss of what to pick? Fret not as the chocolate makers have ready-made gift packs filled with a variety of chocolates to take the guesswork out for you.
Anjalichocolat
A taste of Anjalichocolat’s fine chocolates is not one to forget. The Dempsey-based artisanal chocolate brand is known for its flair for spices with flavour combinations like infusing dark chocolate ganache with star anise as well as lemongrass with coconut. For a gift guaranteed to win every local over however, look to its Singapore collection where everything from kaya toast to gula melaka and even the Singapore Sling are interpreted into little chocolatey nibbles.
Laurent Bernard
French chocolatier Laurent Bernard is perhaps the most traditional option from our selection of local names. These chocolates come in the form of truffles and placed delicately in boxes making it the perfect neat gift to present to your loved one. Choose from the nine-piece, 16-piece or 25-piece box and be sure to include a few hazelnut pralines for its crunch and all-round deliciousness.
Leela’s Fine Chocolate
If you’re looking for something truly artisanal, consider Leela’s Fine Chocolate. It’s started by Irish lawyer-turned-chocolatier Leela Titus in 2013 who only creates each little morsel by hand when an order comes in. The gift boxes would be the ideal Valentine’s Day gift, coming in either four, eight, 16 or 20 pieces. But if you truly want to present something memorable, the edible footwear in which the chocolate is shaped into an actual true-to-life high heel is bound to draw some amusement.
Happy Cioccolato
Is your loved one vegan or into sustainability? Happy Cioccolato, founded by former tax consultant Jolyn Yong will tick all your boxes. Her chocolates are not only vegan but also capitalise on Asian ingredients to add a bit of intrigue. These come in the form of bars with flavour pairings like uji matcha, chrysanthemum and goji berry as well as black sesame. Keep your eye out of the vegan rum choco truffles which are limited edition and sells out quickly upon release.
