Valentine’s Chocolate Taste Test

Valentine’s Chocolate Taste Test

Valentine’s Chocolate Taste Test, Valentine’s Day chocolate taste test, Experts compare treats from Hershey's, Dove, and Godiva, along with some more exotic options. When a new batch of chocolates arrives at Food & Wine's office for taste-testing, the staff goes into a frenzy. For Valentine's Day, our editors had the difficult task of sampling traditional heart-shape-boxed chocolates that you can find right in your neighborhood drugstore. It wasn't all pretty, but here are some of the top picks. 

While boxed chocolates are a no-brainer for the holiday, the judges also revealed some of their favorite unique bars that can be tied with a ribbon for a more personalized gift--from gorgeously-wrapped single-origin chocolate to potato-chip-filled bars, which are perfect for Valentines who love candy that's salty and sweet.

DRUGSTORE/SUPERMARKET

Dove Silky Smooth Select Chocolates Heart Box

Description: Milk chocolate and peanut butter truffle hearts, dark chocolate hearts, caramel hearts

Staff comments: "I think these are really good. The peanut butter truffle hearts are yummy. The shell-to-filling ratio and textures are perfect. Good balance between chocolate and peanut buttery goodness. Crowd-pleasing. Nice and creamy chocolate with a good mouth feel." $15 for 8.13 oz. heart-shaped tin, dovechocolate.com

Hershey's Pot of Gold Premium Collection Red Pillow Pattern Heart Box

Description: Assorted truffles, nut clusters and caramels

Staff comments: "Caramel texture is nice and smooth. The almond crème is sweet, creamy and pleasant. Pecan caramel cluster is good too-caramel is very soft but nice if you like very sweet chocolate." $10 for 8.9 oz heart-shaped box; hersheys.com.

Green & Black's Organic Ginger Bar

Description: Dark chocolate bar with organic crystallized ginger

Staff comments: "The thick slices of crystallized ginger add zing." $3.50 for 3.5 oz; greenandblacks.com.

MID-PRICED

Godiva Nut and Caramel Gift Box

Description: Assorted chocolate-covered caramel and nut pieces

Staff comments: "I especially like the gooey caramels. The praline fillings are delicious, creamy and nutty. Chocolate is creamy and has nice depth of flavor." $32 for 10.6 oz; godiva.com.

Chuao Chocolatier's Potato Chips in Chocolate Bar

Description: Milk chocolate bar with kettle cooked potato chips

Staff comments: "This is a brilliant idea. Two of my favorite things: the salty, crunchy chips contrasted with creamy milk chocolate." $6 for 2.82 oz; chuaochocolatier.com.

Scharffen Berger 62% Cacao Dark Chocolate Nibby

Description: Dark chocolate bar with roasted cacao beans

Staff comments: "The cacao nibs add an awesome crunch." $5 for 3 oz; scharffenberger.com.

ARTISAN

Veruca Chocolates Box

Description: Handmade filled-chocolate truffles in assorted flavors like hazelnut-cinnamon, lavender-vanilla, burnt caramel ganache and dulce de leche

Staff comments: "Wow these are terrific. The flavors are strong and straightforward. Lavender-vanilla is floral but subtle enough." $40 for 18 piece box; verucachocolates.com.

Mast Brothers Chocolates, Assorted Bars

Description: Gift-paper wrapped single-origin dark chocolate bars named after the sources of the cacao beans like Papua New Guinea, Moho River, Sambirano Valley, and La Red de Guaconejo

Staff comments: "These are for the intrepid chocolate taster who really, really likes dark chocolate. They're interesting and certainly showcase the tangy, tropical, jungle-y, terroir-driven flavors of chocolate. They are all so distinct! La Red is really tobacco-y, but good, and the Papua New Guinea is so smoky-like whiskey!" $8 for 2.5 oz; mastbrothers.com.

Suzanne's Chocolaterie's Chocolate Bars

Description: Elegant slim dark chocolate bars filled with caramel crunch, hazelnut praline and coconut crème

Staff comments: "The caramel crunch bar is amazing and so smart with the super light, airy honeycomb--love it. The delicate chocolate shell is smooth, has a deep, rich flavor, a nice snap and a great bitter finish." $5.50 for 1.5 oz; suzanneschocolaterie.com.

via: yahoo