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2013’s Valentine’s Day Chocolates

Alongside red roses, chocolate has become the iconic gift for Valentine’s Day. Chocolatier.co.uk surveyed the Valentine’s Day chocolate scene to see what was out there this year. Whether you’re looking for a little treat for your loved one or an indulgent, extravagant indulgence to show how much you care, there’s certainly no shortage of Valentine’s Day chocolate options.

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Divine chocolate hearts

Unsurprisingly, hearts abound, from the House of Dorchester’s box of raspberry-topped Raspberry Caramel Hearts to Divine’s little packets of dainty foil-wrapped chocolate hearts (dark, milk or white chocolate with strawberries). Thorntons’ extensive range of heart-shaped offerings include heart lollies and heart plaques, which you can customise with your own personal message. Chococo have a number of eye-catching chocolate hearts in assorted flavourings, from Honeycombe to Strawberry Fizz. Among Bettys’ heart-shaped offerings° was a particularly attractive floral decorated Dark Chocolate Heart containing Champagne Truffles. Melt is offering a very pretty sugar lace-decorated chocolate Lace Heart containing chocolate hearts, pearls and the message ‘I love you’. Godiva’s limited edition Collection Visages d’amour features a colourful collection of chocolate hearts housed in a bright Jaime Hayon-designed box. Stylish hand-painted, salted caramel hearts in gift boxes containing 12, 24 or 28 are on offer from Demarquette. Artisan du Chocolat have a Heart Cut Out Box containing an assortment of heart-shaped chocolates.

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Demarqutte's salted caramel hearts

The heart-shape theme extends to packaging. Heart-shaped boxes filled with chocolates are on offer from a number of chocolate companies, including Harrods with a Belgian chocolate collection and Hotel Chocolat with their Sealed With A Kiss box and award-winning chocolatier William Curley’s Valentine’s Heart Assortment Box. Vintage is very much in vogue, with Charbonnel et Walker featuring a floral-print Vintage Collection Heart° and Fortnum’s offering a striking scarlet Vintage Silk Heart Box filled with truffles.

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Rococo's Food of the Gods Valantine's ganache selection

Valentine’s Day also sees chocolatiers come up with special chocolate collections. Rococo is bringing out a limited edition, boxed, Food of the Gods Valentine’s Day fresh ganache selection, with imaginative flavour combinations including Lemon and Violet and Blackberry and Star Anise. Matcha Chocolate’s Valentine’s Day Chocolate Selection features Japanese flavourings such as plum sake, green tea and yuzu. From La Maison du Chocolat comes an elegantly presented box of five flavour duos including pepper vanilla and lemony galangal. Kokopelli's have introduced three new flavours for their Valentine's Collection: Smoky Black Cardamom & Cayenne Pepper, Roasted Hazelnut with Sea Salt and Morello Cherry and Amaretto.

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3 new flavours and an old favourite are in Kokopelli's Valentine's collection.

Playful offerings are out there too. Hotel Chocolat have come up with chocolate Queen and King of Hearts cards and chocolate lovebirds. From Rococo come cheeky chocolate collections including Hot Lips’ Chilli Truffles and Red Lips and Venus Nipples and Lips. Paul A. Young, noted for his imaginative flavourings, has new chocolates including The Hipster (Cocoa nib Bourbon tobacco sour) and The London Gent (black pepper and treacle caramel ganache) as well as The Love Potion – jasmine flower, ylang-ylang, geranium, vanilla and lavender.

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