Regulars will know I am passionately opposed to Valentine’s Day-specific chocolates, as it’s often an excuse to repackage something mediocre, at increased expense, for an emotion expressed once a year, which should really be expressed every day. We’re all better than that.
If you want to express love to someone you, well, love then here are a few suggestions.
Solkiki make something called Doubloons, which are thick, satisfying, marzipan coins coated in vegan ‘milk’ chocolate (60%). These kept me going through January, are super tasty and really satisfying (one does the trick). Anyone who loves marzipan will adore these. Banish any thought of regular, commercially available marzipan-filled chocolate, these are something else (£12.50 for 8).
Sur Chocolates, makers of Argentinian alfajores (round, chocolate-covered biscuity cake with an amazing middle), made a limited-edition Origins box at the end of last year and in it was a standout alfajor made using black sesame and lime. I begged them to continue to do this on its own and I wasn’t alone, because it’s now joined the main collection. Sésamo & Lima is a dark cacao ‘biscake’ with a black-sesame praline and a lime-coconut caramel centre all coated in 85% Colombian chocolate. I’ve become very fond of black sesame in chocolate and often reach for that flavour first when available. They are not super cheap at £5.50 each, but make great treats in their little black tins.
Finally, thank you to all of you who bought the Lumi Chestnut Truffles last year, £400 was raised for Crisis at Christmas. (They are still available, but no charity donation is now made.)
