Say it with sweets for your sweetheart this month when we celebrate Saint Valentine with the rich, creamy decadence of handmade chocolate masterpieces. Procure some for the object of your affection, but don't forget to treat yourself while you're at it!
1 | Berry blend.
Can we count this as a healthy alternative? Plump premium strawberries are immersed in Russell Stover's rich blend of milk, white or dark chocolate, then drizzled with more of the sweet stuff and a sugar heart garnish for a fanciful touch. Chocolate Covered Strawberries, $29.99, Russell Stover Candies, 120 Wilderness Trail, Hamburg, 610.562.3090. russellstover.com
2 | Ticker treat.
Round up your love's favorite morsels with a milk and dark chocolate assortment wrapped up in a velvet-covered heart-shaped box, a classic by anyone's standards, including Cupid himself. One pound heart box assortment, $36, Billy's Candies, 4949 Kutztown Rd., Temple, 610.929.1673. billyscandies.com
3 | Edible art.
For the adventurous and amorous, slather on this sweet premise-made edible “paint,” cooked up in four cheeky flavors including “Karamel Sutra” and “Strawberry Kissed.” Hauté Chocolate Body Paint, $12 for 6-ounce jar, Hauté Chocolate Café, 711 Penn Avenue, West Reading, 610.373.4455. hautechocolatecafe.com
4 | Perfect Pair.
Celebrate finding your other half with another well-suited marriage – peanut butter and chocolate. It's no surprise that Reppert's bite-size creamy peanut butter confections — coated in milk or dark chocolate — are a fan favorite. Peanut butter balls, $15.50 per pound, Reppert's Candy, 2708 W. Philadelphia Avenue, Oley, 610.689.9200. reppertscandy.com
5 | Iconic cashews.
The original home of Zipf’s Candies still carries the beloved shop's cashew patties, a delectable dark chocolate shell bathed in hand-poured caramel and topped with the nutty namesake. Cashew patties, $26.95 per pound, Sweet Surprises, 544 Penn Avenue, West Reading, 610.373.2121. sweet-surprises.com
