Indulge in Sweet Bliss: Celebrating World Chocolate Day

Existing for centuries, chocolates are one of the best crowd-pleasing desserts that can be moulded into unimaginable forms Celebrate this World Chocolate Day by indulging in the delectable flavoured chocolates and brownies inspired by the country's palate, from these homegrown brands, and give your taste buds a treat!

La Folie

In its pursuit to showcase the most authentic expression of real chocolate, La Folie has embarked on a journey to create chocolate from its origin-the bean. This heralds the bestselling chocolatier's evolution into an expert bean-to-bar chocolate maker. La Folie's bean-to-bar process is tailor-made to coax flavours from the finest, single-origin cacao ethically sourced from around the world. Cradled with care, the organic beans are handcrafted into small batch chocolate at La Folie's micro-factory in Mumbai.

La Folie's 72% India Single Origin Chocolate Bar truly puts the spotlight on Indian origin cacao. With notes of succulent apples and vibrant red berries with floral hints of honey, raisins, toasted nuts and caramel, it's a true representation of their small-batch cacao sourced ethically from Kerala.

Instagram: @lafolierealchocolate

Ditch the Guilt

Ditch the Guilt works on a simple motto ‘why cannot healthy food be affordable?' It aims to inculcate a healthy lifestyle amongst all age groups focusing on using clean ingredients. The uniqueness of the brand lies in its innovation in the food space, elevating some of the audience's favourite desserts to make it nutritious and wholesome. The chocolates are vegan, gluten-free, zero sugar added and made with clean ingredients. The cacao beans used are sourced from their farm in Wayanad, Kerala where they grow their own Cacao and use the same cacao to manufacture the chocolate, so the flavour is intact. All their products are free of chemicals, preservatives and additives.

The 85% dark chocolate, roasted hazelnut, almond and blueberry are some of their bestsellers!

Instagram: @ditchtheguilt

The Dark Side Chocolate

The brand's motto is 'Chocolate for everyone'. Sugar-free chocolates for diabetics, keto chocolates for the weight watchers or vegan chocolates for those who have gone dairy-free. Recommended by the best from the field of health and nutrition, these chocolates are simple, clean, real and the superfood that they are meant to be. They work and collaborate extensively with nutritionists, Ayurveda and wellness professionals, bakers, chocolatiers, cafes and restaurants. For the love of Pink Floyd, the dark humour addicts and the Star Wars fans, here is something else to get hooked on to!

Must try flavours from the Dark Side Chocolate are their Dark Chocolate combined with freeze dried fruits like berries, jamun and the 45% Mylk Chocolate(vegan) with Himalayan Pink Salt.

Instagram: @thedarksidechocolate

Ruchoks Chocolates

Ruchoks, passion turned to perfection! Founded in 2009 by the visionary Ruchika Bhangdiya, Ruchoks has become a true titan in the world of Premium Chocolates. Offering an extensive array of truffles, pralines, florentines, and even unique delights like date dips and pizza chocolates, it leaves no taste bud unsatisfied! They specialise in corporate gifting and have luxury hampers curated for every celebration. With nationwide reach and unparalleled customer satisfaction, Ruchoks proudly reigns as the unrivalled 'Champion of Concept Gifting', especially with their Patented Diwali Cracker Chocolate innovation. Experience the pride of gifting with Ruchoks, where every occasion becomes extraordinary.

Instagram: @ruchokschocolates

Chocolate Philosophy

With a delectable blend of authenticity and innovative flavour profiles, Chocolate Philosophy, a home-grown brand, brings you a range of artisanal chocolates made with 100% cocoa butter. Using real cocoa butter, sugar & pure vanilla, their curated range of luxe chocolates - flavoured, dark, single-origin, caramelised, and more - are hand-dipped & hand-marked with a dash of philosophy in every box. Each bite tells a story of passion and craftsmanship.

Tantalise your Tastebuds with their Single Origin Chocolates where each bar owns a signature flavour profile born from the harvested region of the cocoa beans, authentically sourced and traditionally handcrafted.

Instagram: @chocolate_philosophy

Caim by årelang

Caim by årelang is India's 1st Candyceutical company, presenting supplements through delicious dark, sugar-free chocolates. The soft centred ganache fills make the experience of health almost decadent. Caim in Gaelic, represents an invisible circle of protection that you draw around your loved ones, and just like that, Caim by årelang™ brings you a protective circle through these Candy Ceuticals. They have sugar free chocolates and gummies in flavours like Brazilian Orange Zest, Espresso Shot, Raw Mango and Alphonso, Wild Forest Berries and Pecano.

‘Restore your Sleep' is a non-melatonin sleep formulation that boosts the body's melatonin production and activates the GABA to relax the mind. Available in Vanilla bourbon flavour, this chocolate guarantees a restful 8 hours of deep sleep!

Instagram: @arelangnaturals

Bilzen Chocolates and Confectionery

Bilzen offers exquisite chocolate treats made with the finest, ethically sourced ingredients. Mr. Hari, the founder, aims to provide customers with a healthier snacking alternative that can be enjoyed guilt-free. Bilzen's Choco-date is a delectable, bite-sized treat that is handcrafted with the finest ingredients. The dates are sourced directly from the best local growers in the Middle East and are coated in a rich, smooth, and silky chocolate batter. To add to the decadence, it is with a golden roasted almond. Indulge in the ultimate luxury with their exquisite chocolate-covered dates with roasted almonds and experience the perfect blend of flavours and health benefits in every bite. This homegrown gem is the ultimate indulgence for those who appreciate the finer things in life! Find them on www.bilzen.in

BAR Chocolate

BAR - Baker's Artisanal Recipes is a brand of chocolates specially designed to supply good quality baking BARs to the baker community. They have a focused selection of chocolates, all of which are couverture (made with pure cocoa butter), vegan and made from premium quality cocoa beans. They also have a sugar-free variant. Additionally, they work with bakers across India to make customised BARs as per their requirements. BAR is built on the foundation of three pillars: Baker's (utility), Artisanal (quality) & Recipes (possibility), raising the BAR of chocolates and the bakers who use them to help bake the world a better place.

For those with a sweeter palate, they recommend their BAR45, for true lovers of Dark chocolate they recommend their BAR70 and BAR56 is for the ones with a fine balance of sweet and chocolatey.

Instagram: @barofchoc

Rocca Chocolates

Born out of passion, curiosity & love for chocolates, the founders Yash & Sonal set on a journey to find the correct balance between healthy & tasty. In 2018, Yash got an opportunity to visit the UK where he found how English toffee is made in local bakeries & confectionery shops. He was mesmerised by how simple & indulgent the toffee was. The next thing he knew was to launch the same in the Indian market. In 2019, after burning & testing 400+ kgs of sugar and butter, they cracked the perfect recipe for what is now fondly called as Rocca. The new Rocca has the perfect balance of sweetness & crunch.

Rocca is made using simple ingredients that complement the Indian taste notes like almonds, chocolate, butter & sugar. It is covered with more than 50% nuts which makes it a super healthy and natural source of protein.

Instagram: @myrocca

Cocoburst

Cocoburst is a Gourmet chocolate brand by Jindal Cocoa. Their chocolates are crafted to evoke a burst of happiness and an explosion of flavours to delight and satiate the senses. Their bean to bark chocolates are made with pure cocoa butter and the finest of cocoa beans, that Jindal Cocoa is known for. Melting in the mouth with their creamy texture, these chocolates combine over 30% roasted and crunchy nuts or deep fruity flavours to create an authentic chocolate experience. They also offer decadent chocolate spreads with heart-healthy groundnut oil, using zero palm oil which is high in protein with an abundance of nuts. The Cocoburst Intense Dark Chocolate with roasted Hazelnuts and Cocoburst Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Almond Spread are a must try from the brand!

Instagram: @cocoburst.in

LetsChocolati Luxury Chocolates

LetsChocolati is a luxury chocolate brand inspired by vibrant colours and unique flavours, dreamt and passionately created by the chocolatier Andrea Rangnekar. At LetsChocolati, they pride themselves on their ability to hand-craft every piece of chocolate, ensuring they are purely vegetarian. Their premium range of chocolates often change based on the seasons and fruits available, while their classic & timeless flavours are available all year round. The unique flavours of Assorted Chocolates, Truffles & Bonbons include Hazelnut, Coffee, Blueberry, Chilli, Kiwi, hot Strawberry & Chai. While their bestselling range includes Heart pralines, Date Truffles & Chocolate Truffles; they have crafted a special sugar-free collection too. To top it all their Luxury Chocolate Golden Gift box makes gifting a class apart. To make occasions like weddings and festivals even more special, you can avail of their personalisation and customisation options! Find them on www.letschocolati.com

Brownie Cottage

Brownie Cottage was born when Prachi, a pastry chef (Sophia & Ex Oberoi), fell in love with Raghav, a civil engineer and together they dreamt to make Brownie Cottage the pre-eminent brownie brand worldwide. Home to the world's best gooey cakes & brownies, Brownie Cottage simply bakes warm and fresh every single day. They focus on perfecting the art of baking authentic brownies & cakes, with less than 5% maida, only pure dark chocolate, and no compound or cocoa powder. The brand is popular for its fusion brownies which are a combination of brownies with world-famous chocolates like Twix, Toblerone, Lindt, and Ferrero Rocher, infused while baking, an unprecedented treat for both chocolate & brownie lovers! With the unanimous love of more than 1000 delighted guests - their bestselling Nutella gooey brownie is a complete crowd favourite. This World Chocolate Day, hop in their store at Bandra Pali Naka, Mumbai for a party for your mouth!

Instagram: @browniecottage