About a week ago, I received a surprise package in the mail. When I opened it, I saw that it was a box of chocolates. As a chocolate lover, I was already excited. But I was even more excited when I saw that they weren’t just any chocolates, but Poco Dolce chocolates.
About Poco Dolce
Poco Dolce Confections is a San Francisco based chocolatier that creates and ships handmade chocolates around the country. Meaning “not too sweet” in Italian, Poco Dolce creates chocolates that feature unique sweet and savory flavor combinations.
I fell in love with Poco Dolce a few years ago when someone gave me one of their Aztec Chile chocolate tiles. So, when I received a box of assorted Poco Dolce chocolate “tiles” (imagine tiny square chocolate bars), I was thrilled. Their assorted box contains four different flavors: Burnt Caramel Toffee, Roasted Almond, Crystallized Ginger, and Aztec Chile. The chocolates were beautifully displayed in a navy blue box and tied with a satin ribbon.
Aztec Chile
I immediately reached for the Aztec Chile tiles; this was the chocolate that first introduced me to Poco Dolce, and I had been dying to try it again. I cannot recommend this chocolate enough. It is the best chocolate I’ve ever had. The Aztec Chile tile features bittersweet chocolate mixed with chili powder and cinnamon, and finished with toasted pumpkin seeds and grey sea salt. While chili and chocolate might seem like a strange combination, the chili isn’t overwhelming, and creates the perfect blend of sweet, salty, and spicy. The toasted pumpkin seeds add the perfect amount of crunch to balance the smooth chocolate.
Burnt Caramel Toffee
Next I tried the Burnt Caramel Toffee. I was a little hesitant because the flavor had “burnt” in the title, but I was surprised that I liked it so much. For me, it was a close second to the Aztec Chile (which will always be my number 1). Unlike many caramel chocolates, this chocolate didn’t use gooey caramel—the burnt part meant that the caramel was hard and crispy. This textural element balanced really well with the chocolate, and the salt on top balanced the sweet caramel inside.
Crystallized Ginger
Poco Dolce hit it out of the park again with the crystallized ginger flavor. The ginger flavor was delicate and subtly spicy and paired well with the chocolate and sea salt. The spice had a delicious warming effect in the mouth and left me craving more.
Roasted Almond
The most traditional flavor of the four, the roasted almond chocolate allowed the quality of Poco Dolce’s chocolate to shine through. The crunch of the almonds gave it an amazing texture. For someone looking for a tamer flavor than chili or ginger, this would be a great choice.
Treat the Chocolate Lover in Your Life
With Christmas and Valentine’s Day coming up, surprise your loved ones with the gift of chocolate. Poco Dolce creates quality chocolate with a care and attention to detail that will thrill any chocolate lover. I wholeheartedly recommend every chocolate I tried because of their unique, well-balanced flavors and unparalleled quality. Besides tiles, Poco Dolce sells truffles, caramels, drinking chocolate, and more chocolate confections. Visit their website here and make a chocolate lover's day!