The Greatest Valentine’s Day Present Is a Field of Bonbons. Right here’s The place to Purchase Them On-line.

I’m an avowed supporter of Valentine’s Day — not as a result of I’ve a very rosy-eyed view of affection and friendships, though I’m additionally professional these issues. However I’m actually right here for the chocolate, which on

Valentine’s Day, deservedly takes delight of place, dialog hearts and flower preparations however. That is the time to request and provides actually fancy chocolate, the type of chocolate that instantly telegraphs luxurious and decadence. There’s nothing that matches that invoice fairly like bonbons.

Historically, bonbons are made with molds and include all kinds of fillings, from fruits and nuts to caramel and marzipans (not like truffles, which usually include ganache). They’re a canvas for a chocolatier’s creativity each on the within and on the chocolate shelled exteriors, which are sometimes painted to resemble glistening gem stones. Whereas any field of goodies could make for a positive romantic gesture or clichéd apology, bonbons are all the time a celebration. Right here, an inventory of confectioners from throughout the nation to show my level (all of them ship nationwide).

Stick With Me Sweets

That is the place that satisfied me there’s completely nothing extra pleasant than sitting round and consuming bonbons all day. On the New York Metropolis store, Susanna Yoon manages to pack all of the flavors of different elaborate desserts — like calamansi meringue pie or black forest cake — into a good looking package deal. You possibly can’t choose particular person flavors whenever you order to ship on-line, however belief, they gained’t disappoint.

Pastry chef Jessica Wang is behind this Seattle-based, one-woman dessert omakase pop-up. Wang understands nicely that Valentine’s Day and bonbons go hand in hand, providing a limited-time vacation assortment till it sells out. The collections, obtainable in six, 12, or 24 items, embrace equal components white, darkish, and milk chocolate bonbons, containing Wang’s creative taste mixtures, together with cassis and black sesame; black garlic, balsamic, and vanilla; and bone marrow salted caramel.

Vesta Chocolate

New Jersey-based Vesta Chocolate is a bean-to-bonbon chocolate manufacturing facility, which means chocolatiers Roger Rodriguez and Julia Choi Rodriguez begin the chocolate-making course of with complete cacao beans which they then course of to type the idea of confections starting from sizzling chocolate to bars to bonbons. These bonbons can be found to ship in bins of six or 12 shock flavors, however all of them are gluten- and nut-free.

In Miami, bean-to-bonbon Exquisito Sweets prides itself on moral sourcing. You possibly can see precisely how chocolate maker Carolina Quijano turns cacao into chocolate on this episode of Eater’s “Handmade.” And for Valentine’s Day, you’ll be able to order bins of two to 12 bonbons containing flavors like guava and cafe con leche.

New Orleans bean-to-bar store Piety and Need sells bins of its fairly bonbons in units of 4 to 24, however the web site notes that the 12-piece possibility — a pink sparkle model of the standard set— would be the most festive. Whereas the flavors are a thriller (they’re a mixture of Piety and Need’s seasonal and signature bonbons), there may be the choice to decide on nut-free units. A vegan field can also be obtainable.

Topogato

Eater SF referred to as Topotgato San Francisco’s “most audacious on-line chocolate store.” The hand-painted confections from pastry chef Simon Brown and designer Beau Monroe include taste mixtures like pistachio marzipan with hibiscus jelly and pear jam with chamomile tea and a white wine ganache.

Sugoi’s Elle Lei makes bonbons in small batches out of Chicago. You possibly can select from the brand new assortment (with flavors like beer pretzel, Chicago corn, and milk tea) or the unique assortment (flavors right here embrace blueberry lavender, coconut almond, and cotton sweet pop rock), every in units of 12. However given the problem of selecting, you can too get each taste units in a field of 24 bonbons.

Houston-based Cacao and Cardamom acknowledges the jewel-like enchantment of the bonbon, which right here are available quite a lot of shapes, packaged in gold-lined bins. Because the store’s identify implies, spices take a starring function in chocolatier Annie Rupani’s flavors: there’s strawberry szechuan peppercorn, garam masala pistachio, 5 spice praline, and cardamom rose, simply to call a couple of.

Kate Weiser

The Valentine’s Day choices at Dallas-based chocolatier Kate Weiser mix my want for high quality, fancy chocolate with the gaudy Valentine’s Day imagery I unironically love. Simply take a look at these pink hearts!

In Tucson, Monsoon Chocolate places collectively bins of bonbons that showcase quite a lot of aesthetic types with flavors that replicate the southwestern setting, resembling chiltepín pepper, prickly pear caramel, and Sonoran sea salt darkish chocolate. For Valentine’s Day, you’ll be able to preorder its Sweethearts assortment, a field of eight items together with salted rose caramel and raspberry darkish chocolate, amongst others. Monsoon, too, is a bean-to-bar operation.

Atlanta-based Jardí Sweets is especially nicely suited to the fruit lover. For Valentine’s Day, pastry chef Jocelyn Gragg is placing collectively a four-piece set of bonbons; flavors embrace Earl Gray, blood orange caramel, amaretto cherry, and blueberry rose.

And Sons

At And Sons in Los Angeles, second-generation chocolate makers keep on the household custom with elegant bonbons and different chocolate confections. The 2024 Valentine’s Day assortment drops January 25, however the model has introduced its lineup of vacation flavors, together with buttered popcorn and strawberry Champagne.

Bon Bon Bon’s bonbons may not have the standard domed form, however the flavors take full benefit of the anything-goes spirit of the bonbon. The Detroit store’s Valentine’s Day assortment is extraordinarily on-theme, that includes flavors like Pet Love (pet chow and milk chocolate), Stud Muffin (blueberry muffin ganache, cream cheese icing, and sweet studs), and Pandan Padam (pandan cake ganache and custard ganache). Valentine’s Day pre-orders will ship February 5.