Valentine’s Day gifts: Chocolates and more sweet treats

You know how it is with perfect food pairings; well-selected combinations draw out the best of each item. This delicious trio from 3 Inch Sin is just the gift for fans who love savouring their chocolates with wine. Priced at $80, this Valentine’s Day set includes a decadent six inch chocolate fudge cake,  a tin box of dark chocolate squares and a bottle of dessert wine to complement these lush treats.

A couple in caught in the heat of love won’t tire of repeating their “I love you”s. Have your chocolate gift echo that message for you with these treats from Awfully Chocolate. Stamped on these dark chocolate truffles ($15.80 for a box of six), your declaration of love will feel and taste ever so sweet. Or share this Happy Valentine’s dark chocolate fudge cake ($33 for a 6 inch-wide cake) with your partner for a rich dessert, meant to be slowly savoured, after your slow, romantic dinner.

Swiss chocolatier Beschle’s dainty rosewater heart (featured right) is one of the cutest items on our list and it doesn’t hurt that this chocolate is bite-sized too. Prefer your chocolate with a tinge of alcohol? The pink champagne truffles are another festive white chocolate treat. If you recipient adores variety in his or her sweets, opt to mix and match Beschle’s selection of chocolate flavours.

If your recipient loves a sugar rush, opt for confectionery on Valentine’s Day: Canelé’s February specials include the raspberry elderflower macaroon ($2.50 a piece) and the “Pomme l’amour” cake. This round crimson confection is made with mascarpone manjana, apple caramel compote and roasted apple mousse. For a chocolaty alcoholic kick, try the heart-shaped chocolate treats from this French patisserie. Valentine’s Day specials include the “His and Hers” white chocolate hearts of rum raisin with passion fruit and berries with almond sponge ($28 per duo) and the white chocolate praline hearts infused with lychee framboise (fruit beer).

Put a sticky on it: add thoughtful notes to your sweet gift with these complimentary box sleeves from Chocolate Research Facility. Choose between pink or turquoise for this sticky-pad inspired design; then scribble or doodle your love for your friends and family. Chocolate-loving fiends will love the diverse variety too. Whether you like your chocolate fruity, nutty or unusually-flavoured, there’s a choc bar to meet every preference. You can also grab cute little knick-knacks to go with your sweets; tees, tote bags, mugs and more merchandise are at half-price this Valentine’s Day.
Prices: $8 to $12 per chocolate bar. Chocolate Research Facility merchandise start at $7.50 for a greeting card to $314 for a chocolate lamp.

These illustrated Godiva gift boxes are great for fans of all things cute. Designed by French artist Jaime Hayon, exploding showers of hearts surround the lovestruck character; fingers crossed that your plus one will be as bewitched on your date. For an extra adorable touch, Godiva’s strawberry-flavoured milk chocolates each don a tiny red heart. Made with strawberries from Wépion, Belgium, these seasonal chocolates contain a fruity and sweet mousse centre. Choose the Mont D’amour Noisette Citron for a tangy alternative; this white chocolate praline is paired with a blend of Sicilian lemon mousse with hazelnut. If your loved one prefers intense chocolate flavours, pick the Mont D’amour Fraise (strawberry) and Matcha (green tea) variants.

Go super old-school with these seasonal sets of Hershey’s kisses and Reese’s chocolates at Hershey’s Chocolate World. Embrace the kitsch of Valentine’s Day and bring back the days of simple personalised gifts: insert your favourite couple photo on the Hershey’s Kisses photo box of milk chocolate kisses ($15 each). Send more of your XOXOs with a ruby metal tin of Hershey’s Kisses ($19 per tin). If you and your date adore Reese’s peanut butter cups, gift the large 5 oz Reese’s peanut butter heart ($12 each) to your sweetie or packets of these mini heart-shaped peanut butter cups ($2 each) for break-time treats.

Large gift sets like this pack from SweetSpot are great because sharing is caring; celebrate Valentine’s Day by gifting this three-tier Valentine’s Day gift pack ($68) to family and friends. Enjoy crunchy, chocolaty snacks with the gift pack’s top tier of nuts: these hazelnuts and macadamia nuts are coated with spiced milk chocolate and orange dark chocolate. Then proceed to the second and third tiers of chocolate pralines and macaroons. Or enjoy this set with your special someone; it’s practically like a mini buffet of sweets for two.

If you’ve had enough of pinks and reds, avoid the overdose of rosy shades in favour of TWG’s sleek gift boxes; these stylish boxes are decked out in black with gold baroque motifs. The tea-infused chocolates ($2 per piece) are great presents for tea-loving friends too. Flavours available include: white night jasmine tea, rose zephyr tea and the earl grey fortune. But if you must, there’s the hot pink tea tin cans to gift to your special someone; this “Love Me (green) Tea” ($56) carries hints of floral blossom.