Do not read on an empty stomach (but do forward to your partner): here are our very favourite Valentine’s Day chocolates
If you ask us, mama, every day of the year is the right time for chocolate. However, recognizing that Valentine’s Day is just a little bit sweeter than all the other days, we’re hardly going to argue when more sweets than usual suddenly become available. Who doesn’t love receiving Valentine’s Day Chocolate Gifts?!
But all chocolates are not created equal; your drugstore or chain chocolates might be ok for a Tuesday in July, but when it comes to Valentine’s Day, it’s worth stepping up your game for one of the following luxury chocolate brands (husbands take note!).
With this in mind, we’ve rounded up our very favourite chocolates in Singapore. From limited edition bonbons, to artisanal Smoked Maple Bourbon Whiskey truffles (how perfect for papas!), to chocolate paint and much more – here’s the best of the best, mamas! And best of all, they all allow online ordering – so no excuses!
This boutique dark chocolate café (dark chocolate is the best kind of chocolate, by the way: it’s rich in antioxidant flavanoids and is thought to help prevent heart disease!) at Millenia Walk serves up a bevy of handmade, artisanal, single-origin chocolates, all made right onsite in their Halal kitchen!
We are downright drooling over their limited edition Valentine’s Day bonbons, particularly the “white” (66% dark chocolate with rose tea ganache) and “grey (38% milk chocolate with caramelised figs). You’ll also find classics like salted caramel and mint. And their bean-to-bar craft dark chocolates are equally gorgeous, too!
Swing by their shop to see their full selection of chocolates, macarons and cookies, mama. We hear there’s a special Valentine’s Day offering of ombre pink frozen S’mores (we love each of those words on their own, but together? OMG amazing!), and when you purchase any drink in the café you can take $1 off!
Bonbon sets from $27
Use promo code 10SASSYMAMA to get a 10% discount off online purchases!
The Dark Gallery, 9 Raffles Boulevard, #01-k5 Millenia Walk, Singapore 039596, Tel: (+65) 6255 0368, www.thedarkgallery.com
This artisanal chocolatier in lovely Loewen Gardens at Dempsey Hill has everything from Dark Chocolate Raspberry Hearts and Mayan Chili Bonbons to Lemongrass Coconut Truffles and Lemon Pistachio Bonbons for those who prefer slightly fruitier sweets.
Everything’s made with Belgian couverture and NO preservatives. We LOVE Anjali’s beautiful packaging, and how they seem to have a new collection for each and every season and occasion. Their 9-piece Valentine’s Hearts Collection makes for the perfect prezzie for a friend or loved one, and we just know our kiddos are going to covet their beautiful Heart Lollipops.
For something a little different, Anjalichocolat also offers a range of cool chocolate-making workshops for both children and adults. They’ve even got a special one lined up for Valentine’s Day chocolates!
Prices from $4 for a chocolate lollipop; workshops start from $125.
Anjalichocolat, Units #01-15 & #01-16, Block 73 Loewen Road, Singapore 248843, Tel: (+65) 6509 6800, www.anjalichocolat.com
A homegrown brand that’s expanded to 16 locations across the island, Awfully Chocolate clearly knows their stuff. We are quite partial to their legendary chocolate cake, but for Valentine’s Day purists we suggest opting for one of their gorgeous Chocolate Baton Tins ($10.80 for eleven pieces) or yummy Handmade cookies ($19.80 for a 12-piece tin).
Awfully Chocolate, Click here for all locations, www.awfullychocolate.com
Handmade using the Japanese nama-choco technique, Demochoco truffles have a particularly high cream-to-chocolate ratio, resulting in extra melt-in-your-mouth deliciousness. Besides signature flavours like Matcha (featuring green tea from Kyoto), intriguing seasonal specialties on at the mo’ include Smoked Maple Bourbon Whiskey (paging all papas!), Salted Egg & Cereal (how can you not be curious how that translates into truffles?), and Marco Polo (Kilombero chocolate blended with Marco Polo Tea, with pretty aromatics like rose and jasmine).
Chocolates from $20 for one flavour; $60 for a four-flavour “Sweet Flower Meadow Box”
Demochoco, Keepers @ National Design Centre, #01-01, 111 Middle Road, Singapore 188969, [email protected] or Tel: (+65) 9683 2136, www.demochoco.com
Fossa Chocolate is a local, artisanal bean-to-bar craft chocolate maker that roasts, cracks and winnows cacao beans and refines them into chocolates right in their very own workshop, where small batches are lovingly handcrafted and totally free of additives. Bonus points for working directly with cacao farmers to source only the highest quality beans, too: we love that some of their exquisite chocolate bars showcase ingredients from nearby farms in Indonesia and the Philippines. Why give flowers for Valentine’s Day when you can give an oh-so pretty Lychee Rose Dark Milk Chocolate Bar ($10, and check out that gorgeous packaging!)? And if you can’t decide, we suggest going for the 4-bar Mixed Chocolate Gift Set (from $35). If you’re after something really special, mama, they do customisations, too.
Fossa Chocolate, click here for retail locations, www.fossachocolate.com
These just might be the most Instagrammable chocolates in Singapore (and that’s really saying something). As the doyenne of all that is sweet in Singapore (and beyond – she’s going global!), Janice Wong has been named Asia’s best pastry chef and has gained worldwide recognition for her avant garde, cutting edge creations. Is it odd that we’d almost want to frame those beautiful Valentine’s Day hearts (if they weren’t also totally delicious)? If you’re after something a bit sexier, we’re just saying, she also makes chocolate paint…
Valentine’s Day chocolates available for pre-order from 1 February
Janice Wong, 93 Stamford Road (National Museum of Singapore), 01-06, Singapore 178897, [email protected], www.janicewong.online
We love the story behind Leela’s, which was started by an Irish chocaholic lawyer-turned-chocolatier after she arrived in Singapore and missed some of her fave sweets from back home. Using the finest European couverture chocolate and natural ingredients (often sourced locally!), Leela’s puts out a range of delectable truffles categorized into four flavour groups: The Classics, Inventions (Cardamom! Rosemary & Olive Oil!), Alcohol (ooh, Guinness and Frangelico Crunch!), and Asia (Chili, Ginger…even Pineapple Tart). She’s also got a super special range just for Valentine’s Day, and offers all sorts of cool chocolate products like lollipops, chocolate bars, even edible footwear (?)!
Leela’s Fine Chocolates, [email protected] or Tel: (+65) 9339 3940, www.leelaschocolates.com
Though this Joo Chiat shop focuses more on cakes than chocolates, their dark chocolate fudge cake is still worth the trip: moist, rich, basically as chocolatey as you could ever hope to get. And the good news is they do translate that flavour over to truffles; no fancy flavours or designs, but trust us, mama: they’ll suit any true chocolate lover just fine!
Dark Chocolate Fudge Cake is $4 for an individual portion and $30-$50 for a full cake. Dark Chocolate Truffles are $12 for a package of 9.
Matt’s the Chocolate Shop, 122 Tembeling Road, Singapore 423261, Tel: (+65) 6557 2274, www.matts.com.sg
So it’s not exactly a homegrown brand, but many consider this Swiss chocolatier that invented the Champagne truffle to be the best in the world, so we’d be remiss if we didn’t give them a mention. Did you know, mama, that Teuscher truffles are airflown to Singapore direct from Switzerland? For Valentine’s Day you can’t go wrong with the beautiful, pink-hued Rose Truffles (from $40), or splurge on the 16-piece Assorted Dark Truffles ($68). Be sure to swing by the boutique at Capitol Piazza to check out their latest offerings, mama.
Teuscher, Capitol Piazza (NEUE section), 13 Stamford Road, #02-31, Singapore 178905, Tel: (+65) 9823 3669, www.teuschersg.com
Lead image by The Dieline
