What is your guilty pleasure? This is one question that most of us have the same answer to – chocolates! It’s an indulgence that ends all the blues. Chocolates have become a wide canvas for experimental chefs, resulting in some really unique and assorted flavours.
In India alone, a wave of interesting brands has hit the shelves, offering bean-to-bar chocolates made from cacao beans sourced from their native or other global farms. On World Chocolate Day today, we make it easy for you to search for the finest, artisanal chocolates.
Our list has newly launched brands and the latest chocolate varieties from existing brands. Bookmark what you like!
NEW BRANDS
Colocal Launched in November 2020, Delhi-based Colocal is not your regular chocolate brand. An opulent café with an adjoining al fresco space in Dhan Mill Compound, it offers a wholesome bean-to-bar chocolate dining experience, and home delivers its products as well. Its ready-to-eat bars and baking chocolate are made of cacao, cane sugar and cacao butter. Colocal also gives its guests a tour of its all-women chocolate factory on prior request. Buy here-colocal.in/product-category/chocolate-bar/
Sihi Chocolaterie If this lockdown has turned you into a pro baker, Sihi Chocolaterie’s vegan range of chocolates will bowl you over. Devoid of white sugar and packed with 41 to 85 per cent ‘mylk’ and dark chocolate, Sihi offers cacao nibs, bars and powder for making desserts, as toppers, as well as direct consumption. As per the brand, to tackle commercial organic farming, Sihi’s cacao beans are sourced from trees grown in biodiverse regions of the Deccan plateau. Buy here-sihichocolaterie.com
The Keto Culture High on protein, sugar-free and farm-to-bar? We’re in! The Keto Culture’s craft bars are made of stone-grounded cacao beans and cacao butter sourced from single estates in South India. The 60 to 85 per cent dark chocolate blends are fused with scrumptious flavour profiles of blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, hazelnut, vegan almond biscotti, zesty orange and more. Buy here-theketoculture.com/
Uns Chocolaterie A chocolate romance that will leave you mesmerised, Uns is where you’ll find a delectable range of handcrafted bars made from silky couverture, sourced from Belgium, Ecuador, Madagascar and Ghana. Besides its pairings of dark chocolate with candied orange, Himalayan pink salt, Nutella hazelnut or mango jalapeno, Uns also offers white chocolate and vegan varieties. Buy here-unschocolaterie.com/shop
NEW COLLECTIONS AND MENUS
All Things Chocolates A laid back Indian summer dipped in a blend of Alphonso mango and dark chocolate or the other way round, All Things Chocolates presents its fruity, delicious version by throwing in chunks of tarty mango leather in 72 per cent Malabar dark chocolate bar. Buy-theallthingsshop.com
Ether Atelier Chef Prateek Bakhtiani digs deeper into the sensory experiences chocolates have to offer. Most of Ether’s creations are made of single-origin chocolates from Peru, Indonesia and Madagascar laced with complex but subtle flavours. Its latest SS 2021 collection reimagines the magical Japanese cherry blossoms in the form of chocolate tablets and macarons. Buy-etherchocolate.com/shop
Fabelle Inspired by desserts from around the world, Fabelle by ITC has handcrafted an exquisite chocolate spread. Its Continents and Indian Dessert boxes consist of classics like Ras Malai, European Cannoli, Australian Lamington and Latin American Maracuja, all turned into truffles. The Gianduja cubes are filled with creamy Ghana milk chocolate and roasted Turkish hazelnuts. While its luxury bars burst with coffee mousse, mascarpone cheese, crunchy nuts and cereals. Buy-itcstore.in/pages/fabelle-luxury-chocolates
Moner One-of-its-kind dessert bar and bistro in Mumbai, Moner, has an impressive chocolate-loaded menu up its sleeves to celebrate World Chocolate Day. Available for a week, Founder and chef Freny Fernandes has whipped a five-course degustation fare, featuring Trio of Ice Creams, Chocolate Passion fruit, Masterchef Ruby Financier, Chocolate Coulant and Assorted Bonbons. Pre-booking via 7770014123
Paul and Mike At the 2020 International Chocolate Awards, Kerala-based Paul and Mike became the first Indian brand to reach the finals and win silver. What won is a vegan 64 per cent Mild Dark chocolate with a punch of Sichuan Pepper and Orange Peel. Stout Beer Caramel, Sula Shiraz Wine, Indian Thandai, Peppermint Gelato and Honeycomb Toffee are some other unique varieties that just can’t be missed. Buy-paulandmike.co/collections
