Chocolate

Best-value chocolate candy

The price of chocolate, like that of many luxury goods, does not adhere to strict guidelines. Chocolates may be priced by the piece or by the pound, making it difficult to comparison shop. Enthusiast Eric Postpischil discovered that a "one-pound" box from Vosges Haut-Chocolate actually weighed around 13 ounces, driving the price up from about $69 to about $84 per pound. Cook's Illustrated found that even customer-service representatives may not know the weight of a particular assortment. For this reason, we found it more accurate to price chocolates by the piece. While most gourmet chocolates cost $2 or more per piece, we did find a few companies offering high-quality chocolates for $1.50 per piece or less.

Reviews say that when it comes overall quality and value of boxed chocolate, L.A. Burdick (*est. $28 for 40 pieces and 2 mice) can't be beat. This New Hampshire-based chocolatier offers extraordinary handmade chocolates that Real Simple editors call "precious but unpretentious." Each assortment includes the company's signature items -- mocha, orange or cinnamon dark or milk chocolate mice with silk tails. Connoisseurs agree that L.A. Burdick's chocolates vary in intensity and sweetness, while the flavors range from familiar to exotic. L.A. Burdick's chocolates earned high marks in tastings at NPR and Real Simple. Connoisseurs Ed Levine, Jeffrey Steingarten, David Rosengarten, and Eric Postpischil all say that L.A. Burdick Chocolates are not to be missed. Postpischil downgraded L.A. Burdick, however, for failing to send him a confirmation e-mail and for shipping the chocolates on the wrong day. Despite these customer service glitches, Postpischil still selects Burdick as one of his top five chocolates. In addition to boxed chocolate, L.A. Burdick also incorporates candies into chocolate gift baskets.

Reviewers say that you can buy generously-sized truffles at a reasonable price from Wisconsin's Candinas (*est. $31 for a 25-piece box), but the tradeoff is that you can't choose your flavors, which may include hazelnut, caramel or liqueur, among others. Unlike most makers of high-end chocolates, Candinas does not provide a guide to the chocolates in each box (the company says this is because the flavors change daily). Reviews say that Candinas' truffles, which come in milk or dark chocolate, are smooth, with hints of butter and cream. These chocolates are not recommended for those with nut allergies, as the company cannot guarantee that a particular box will not contain nut fragments. The boxes themselves are made of sturdy cardboard, with a colorful, contemporary design.

Connecticut-based Bridgewater Chocolate (*est. $33 for a 20-piece box) creates American-style chocolates that arrive in hinged wooden boxes tied with red or American-flag ribbon. The selection includes turtles, "pilgrim hats," toffee, peanut-butter patties and pralines. Testers at NPR say that these chocolates will satisfy recipients with a sweet tooth who prefer candies to bittersweet chocolate, but those looking for a truly high-end chocolate box should look elsewhere. Bridgewater sells boxes individually or as part of a chocolate gift basket.

We read mixed reviews of Lake Champlain chocolates (*est. $36 for 22 pieces). While the company's caramel hearts, mint crunch squares and creamy truffles impressed NPR's panel, Cook's Illustrated's testers unanimously disliked the "cheesy" cardboard box and "cheap ribbon." Although they liked the chocolates, which included truffles, creams, pralines and maple crunch bonbons in milk, dark and white chocolate, testers felt that the box "looked like it came from the drug store." Lake Champlain chocolates are available in some drug stores and supermarkets, including most Whole Foods Markets. The company also offers a large range of chocolate gift baskets and corporate gifts.

Less expensive brands usually don't fare nearly as well. Drugstore staple Whitman's (*est. $24 for a 32-ounce box) earns poor marks from testers at NPR, who call the chocolates "mediocre." Money magazine's taste testers say that they're "more reminiscent of candy bars than of fine chocolate." Target's Choxie (*est. $25 for the 12.5-ounce Signature Collection) fares even worse in Money's test. Its reviewers call the chocolates "waxy," "bizarre-looking," and ultimately "inedible." Russell Stover chocolates (*est. $10 for 16 pieces) didn't stand out in any review.

Fannie May chocolates (*est. $20 for 27 pieces) rate a little better than most drugstore chocolates. Forbes names it the best value "by a landslide" in its report on "Best Chocolates for the Buck." They note that the candy can't be beat at its price. As for flavor, reports say that quality is mixed, but some -- especially nougats -- are good. Fannie May's website offers a bewildering array of chocolate gift baskets, towers and fancy boxes.

Gourmet chocolates

According to Michael Antonorsi of Chuao Chocolatier, consumers are moving away from shelf-stable chocolates and toward fresh chocolates with nuanced, layered flavors. Today's high-end chocolatiers are flavoring chocolates with wine, herbs, chiles, salt and even vinegar. A few chocolatiers, including John and Kira's of Philadelphia, use local ingredients whenever possible and emphasize sustainable agriculture. As you might expect, these new-wave chocolates tend to command a higher price than traditional chocolate candy.

Recchiuti Confections (*est. $80 for a 32-piece box) offers superb gourmet chocolates in novel flavors, such as lemon verbena, tarragon grapefruit, lavender vanilla and sesame nougat. Real Simple editors name Recchiuti Confections "best high-end artisanal" chocolatier, and Jeffrey Steingarten of Vogue calls owner Michael Recchiuti's chocolate "wonderfully smooth."

Although reviewers are impressed with the variety of Recchiuti chocolate gift boxes and their elegant packaging, a few add that some flavors fail to satisfy. Reviewer Elizabeth LaBau of About.com felt that a chocolate studded with malt, white chocolate and honeycomb was too busy; a sesame nougat chocolate was too sweet. Experts note that some failures are to be expected when a chocolatier takes as many risks as Recchiuti. Reviews say that when the flavor combinations are successful, however, they are nothing short of sublime. Reviewer LaBau says she "could eat a whole box" of the company's burnt-caramel chocolates. Recchiuti's website helpfully includes a guide to each box's contents.

In a tasting of truffles at Cook's Illustrated, Fran's Chocolates (*est. $48 for 35 large caramels; *est. $42 for 36 truffles) emerged as the editors' favorite. They describe the chocolates as "luscious but not too sweet" and the box as elegant and refined. Gourmet notes that each box is tied with a satin bow. Although Fran's chocolate truffles were "light on the tongue," her salted, chocolate-covered caramels are the real story, according to NPR and Gourmet taste testers. NPR's tasters found the combinations of sweet and salty irresistible. Gourmet magazine's editors say that these caramels "taste of fresh butter and of the sea." Ed Levine of SeriousEats.com notes that Fran Bigelow popularized salted caramels, which he still considers the best of their type. Fran's also offers corporate gifts and chocolate gift baskets.

According to reviews, John and Kira's Chocolates (*est. $40 for a 28-piece box) are noteworthy for their smooth, silky texture and their reliance on local ingredients, including mint grown at inner-city schools. The thin, dark chocolate squares come in a variety of unusual flavors, including ginger, lemongrass, honey-lavender and coffee-whisky. Editors at Gourmet and Chocolatier Magazine agree that the mint square is a standout, and that all the flavors are fresh and intense, but not overpowering. Chocolates are available in assortments of all ten flavors the company produces, as well as all-raspberry or all-mint. They are shipped in a simple wooden box tied with a ribbon.

Katrina Markoff of Vosges Haut-Chocolat (*est. $75 for a 32-piece box) is another inventive chocolatier whose flavors include sweet Indian curry, violet, ginger-wasabi and anise-fennel. Although NPR says that Vosges' gourmet chocolates are "delightful and creamy," and Real Simple praises their "pure flavors," tasters at Cook's Illustrated were split on the more unusual spices: some liked them, and some did not. All agreed, however, that the purple heart-shaped box tied with a satin ribbon was "truly high-end." Eric Postpischil, who admits to liking bold flavors in his chocolates, finds Vosges too mild. He also discovered that the one-pound box he ordered only contained 13.1 ounces, raising the price-per-pound from $69 to $84. At this price, "I do not recommend them to anybody," he writes.

Reviewers are divided on Jacques Torres (*est. $35 for a 25-piece box): some say that the chocolates are excellent, with bright flavors that complement the chocolate, but others find flavors overpowering or unpleasant. The company's website does not allow you to choose your flavors, which may include tropical fruit, apricot/marzipan and key lime, among many others. The brown and orange boxes are tied with satin ribbons. Slate magazine's box was "weighted with duds," according to YiLing Chen-Josephson. Eric Postpischil says that his ordering experience was fraught with problems, including unanswered e-mails and other communication breakdowns, and chocolates were left melting in the summer sun. If you're looking for ahead-of-the-curve flavors and textures, reviews say that L.A. Burdick is a better choice in this price class.

Chocolate truffles

Experts say that unlike American-style truffles, French truffles are rolled by hand and quickly dipped in chocolate or dusted with cocoa powder, which gives them a handmade appearance. American-style chocolate truffles are poured into molds, from which they emerge shiny and hard-shelled. Of the two, connoisseurs find French truffles more sensual, perhaps because they melt on contact with the lips rather than breaking into pieces when you bite into them.

Experts agree that La Maison du Chocolat's truffles (*est. $54 for a 20-piece box) are among the best truffles available at any price. La Maison took top honors in Slate's test of eleven chocolate boxes. Slate's YiLing Chen-Josephson describes the brown box the chocolates came in as being "nice enough to pass on to the grandkids," and the chocolates themselves as sophisticated and evocative. Vogue's critic considers La Maison's chocolates to be the best French-style bonbons available in the U.S., with a perfect balance between chocolate and "subtle" flavorings. NPR's testers liked these chocolates but questioned whether they were worth their high price.

With their earthy appearance, XOX hand-rolled chocolate truffles (*est. $30 for 30 truffles) exemplify the French style. David Rosengarten says that the fillings are "well-harmonized" and "super-dark," with flavors that include Earl Grey, bitter orange and caramel. Reviewers agree that these are superb truffles at an easy-to-swallow price. XOX offers a variety of brightly-colored gift boxes, which are topped with butterflies or bows.

Like La Maison du Chocolat, Richart and Michel Cluizel are also French chocolatiers. Slate's testers didn't enjoy Richart's chocolates (*est. $60 for 25 pieces); YiLing Chen-Josephson describes them as having a "toothpaste-like consistency" and a "fruitiness that overwhelms the chocolate." NPR's test testers found Michel Cluizel's pricey chocolates (*est. $55 for 10 pieces) to be "good, but nothing spectacular." At about $1 per truffle, XOX offers much better value, according to reviews.

Important Considerations: Chocolate

• Consider the tastes of the recipient. A high-end chocolate purveyor should allow you to select your own chocolates. Not only does this ensure a balance of flavors, it ensures that your order receives personal attention.

• Compute the shipping cost. Many chocolatiers ship only via overnight express mail or FedEx, which can cost almost as much as the chocolates themselves. La Maison du Chocolat's shipping, for example, starts at a whopping $28.

• Ask about allergies. If the recipient has dietary restrictions, ask what accommodations the company can make before ordering. Chocosphere.com is particularly attentive to the needs of customers with allergies, reviews say.

Our Consensus Report shows how many times products are top-ranked by reviewers included in our
All The Reviews Reviewed chart.

# of Picks	Model (with retailer links)	Details from Amazon.com
5	L.A. Burdick	(*est. $28 for 40 pieces and 2 mice)
5	Recchiuti Confectioners	(*est. $80 for 32 pieces)
4	Vosges Haut-Chocolat	(*est. $75 for 32-pieces)
4	Fran's Chocolates	(*est. $48 for 35 pieces)
4	La Maison du Chocolate	(*est. $54 for 20 pieces)
4	John and Kira's	(*est. $40 for 28 pieces)
4	Jacques Torres	(*est. $35 for 25 pieces)
3	Godiva (*est. $38 for 36 pieces)	details
3	Bridgewater Chocolates	(*est. $33 for 20 pieces)
3	Candinas	(*est. $31 for 25 pieces)
3	Norman Love	(*est. $70 for 32 pieces)
2	XOX Truffles	(*est. $30 for 30 pieces)
2	Richard Donnelly Chocolates	(*est. $40 for 16 pieces)
2	Garrison	(*est. $35 for 24 pieces)
2	Michel Cluizel (*est. $55 for 10 pieces)	details
1 each	Woodhouse, Teuscher, See's, Lillie Belle, McElrath , Harry and David , Fannie May , Chocosphere, MarieBelle , Lake Champlain , Moonstruck , Neuchatel, Ortrud Munch Carstens, Richart, House of Mary, Neuhaus , Two Poets

In the reviews we read for chocolate, taste testers nearly unanimously prefer chocolates from small companies to those from mass marketers. Small companies do a better job delivering fresh chocolate, with higher quality presentation and more innovative flavors. Some companies get top ratings particularly for niche chocolates, such as Fran's Chocolates for caramels and XOX truffles.

Sponsored links