For those who haven’t gotten their valentine a gift yet, I have three words for you: Buy them chocolate.

Nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolate. It’s decadent, sensual and makes you feel good. No, really. The molecules that give chocolate its rich cocoa smell and taste stimulate neurological activity. This, in combination with the amount of sugar in chocolate, triggers a pleasure-inducing chemical reaction in the brain, making it the perfect gift for a significant other.

On a mission to find the best chocolate for Valentine’s Day — or any day — my taste buds and I prepared for the oncoming sugar rush. Here are my picks for best supermarket chocolates that taste pretty darn good without breaking the bank and are sure to make your valentine happy.

Best chocolate box

Dove’s Silky Smooth Select Chocolates Heart Box, $15

As its title suggests, these chocolate truffle hearts come in a festive heart-shaped box. Unlike some boxed chocolates that include a large variety of flavors, this has only three: milk chocolate with peanut butter, dark chocolate and caramel hearts.

Peanut butter and chocolate were my favorite of the three with a perfect filling-to-shell ratio. Generally with peanut butter and chocolate combinations, the chocolate dominates the peanut butter, but not with this truffle.

The dark chocolate hearts had only a tinge of the slight bitter taste characteristic of dark chocolate. It was creamy and melted in my mouth. I usually like dark chocolate to have more of an earthy and intense taste, but Dove’s version would be perfect for milk chocolate and lighter dark chocolate fans.

The third truffle oozed with caramel. When I ate the caramel center alone, it was a little too sweet, but eaten in its entirety, the milk chocolate and caramel balance each other wonderfully.

 

Best dark chocolate

Green & Black’s Organic Dark 70%, $3.59

This is my new favorite dark chocolate bar. Its high cocoa content would suggest an intensely bitter taste, however, this bar is creamy and velvety. It melts in your mouth, just like you’d expect from milk chocolate. My sole complaint is that I only bought one bar.

  

Best milk chocolate

Hershey’s Symphony, $1.60

The Hershey’s Symphony is creamy and borderline tooth-achingly sweet, but hey, it’s chocolate. I especially enjoyed the Hershey’s bar because of its price.

 

Best white chocolate

Lindt’s Lindor Truffles White Chocolate Bar, $3.85

Good white chocolate is really hard to find, especially because most is made with a load of artificial ingredients. Lindt’s was the best I tasted. Each bar has a truffle center, enhancing its velvety taste.

 

Best nutty chocolate

Ritter Sport Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Bar, $3.29

This one is a nut and chocolate lover’s heaven. The chocolate is rich and not only studded but packed with hazelnuts. Put a piece in your mouth and a few seconds later, it has disappeared.

Published on February 13, 2013 at 12:20 am

Contact Riddley: rsgemper@syr.edu