There is a myriad of ways you can show your affection for someone; but in this day and age, the act of giving chocolate has been the face of it. And this doesn’t just apply to romantic relationships. Whether it be a store-bought Hershey’s bar or individually lined chocolate truffles, I find that it always makes me feel cared for and remembered whenever anyone I know goes out of their way to feed my sweet tooth.
And so, this Valentine’s Day you really can’t go wrong with making important people in your life feel appreciated by giving them something sweet; but you nonetheless still might want to let them know that you put some thought in your gift with these convenient but well-crafted chocolate treats.
Malagos
There’s nothing like letting someone know they mean a lot to you by making them experience only the best and from a homegrown brand at that. Contrary to what you may think, you don’t have to resort to imported chocolates for a premium cacao option as the beans of multi-awarded and world-renowned Davao chocolate brand Malagos boasts of not only being single origin but also comes from a hybrid of Criollo and Forastero beans resulting to Trinitariois—the world’s finest cocoa beans.
See’s Candies Manila
A classic chocolate box option that just screams romance and is reminiscent of the ones you see in chick flicks would be the limited edition chocolate box by See’s Candies Manila. The deep red heart-shaped box is filled with a variety of their best-selling artisanal toffee chocolates.
To order, visit their website.
Theo and Philo
You wouldn’t have to think about the presentation and overall aesthetic of what you’re going to give when you go for Theo and Philo ‘s elegantly packaged chocolate bars. The well-distributed local brand also makes sure that their flavors are as colorful as their wrappers with their mango, chili and calamansi bars, milk chocolate adobo and their Tanduay rum-infused chocolate bar.
You can find their products at Kultura, Rustan’s Department Store, Human Nature, ECHO Store, Cartel Deli, Blue Kitchen, Kultura, Rustan’s Department Store.
Naked Patisserie
If you plan on going all out for someone this Valentine’s Day, these very pink and on-theme white chocolate truffles sprinkled with gold dust by Naked Patisserie is a full-blown package at your service. It looks so pretty that if it were given to me, I probably wouldn’t want to eat it and would just settle on reading the customizable Valentine’s card that you could pull out from beneath it.
You can order through their website or contact them directly through the details provided on the site
True Chocolate PH
Worrying about chocolate’s possible health risk on the person you’re planning to give them to? You can still opt for something sweet but are mind-blowingly sugar-free. Aside from making gourmet Belgian chocolates, True chocolate PH’s founder, Treena Tecson also resells low-carb and sugar-free chocolate bars from Böhnchen & Co. Chocolate. You can order a bar or two through their website.
1919 Chocolate
1919 Chocolate is an extension of family heritage. Born out of a 100 year old cacao farm in Batangas, the young chocolate brand has created a number of varieties of chocolate bars, some of which have been recognized globally. Their 62% Tree-to-Bar chocolate won silver in the Academy of Chocolate Awards in the UK back in 2020.
Aside from traditional chocolates, they also have chocolate bars with additional flavors, like toasted white chocolate with cacao nibs, and milk and cereal, horchata, toasted milk and strawberry, and dulce de leche.
To order, visit their website.
Tigre y Oliva
Another handcrafted chocolate brand to check out is Tigre y Oliva, which offers single origin chocolate and other chocolate products. Aside from chocolate bars, they also offer desserts like cookies, cakes, brownies, as well as granola, dried mangoes, and banana crisps in chocolate. Among their new products are the chocolate barks, which are big chunks and pieces of white and dark chocolate mixed with various ingredients. The white chocolate bark is mixed with earl grey, cranberries, and chia seeds, while their dark chocolate bark is mixed with nuts and peanut butter. They also have a s’mores dark chocolate bark, which has a layer of marshmallow, and is coated with grahams.
To order, visit their website.
Header Photo by Food Photographer | Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash
Updated on Feb. 10, 2022. Additional text by Pauline Miranda
Writer: JOY THERESE GOMEZ
