Extraordinary Confectionary

You can never go wrong with chocolate, be it as a small token for a favourite teacher, a stocking stuffer, or as a hostess gift. It is the universally appreciated offering. Ask any woman. Seriously. 

koko chocolates is the full-time enterprise of Lori Sword, a local chocolatier and entrepreneur who discovered her passion for the chocolate business during a truffle-making course she took with her husband. Today, she’s patiently hand-dipping truffles in her home-based “chocolate room”, and filling orders based almost entirely from word-of-mouth testimonials.

Everything is made by hand with love and attention and it shows.

Picking our favourite flavour at koko chocolates is about as easy as choosing our favourite child—totally impossible. We really loved the Thai Chili, perfect for those who like their chocolate with a kick (imagine fresh chili peppers infused in a rich dark chocolate ganache). We also loved the dairy-free Koko Roché (dark chocolate and hazelnut centre dipped in roasted almonds and dark chocolate)…and the triple chocolate and the white vanilla rum….

See? Hard to pick! Thank goodness these pretty morsels come in packages of 8 ($12), 18 ($22), and 32 ($38).

Lori sources a lot of her ingredients locally. The chili peppers are purchased at the neighbourhood Herb & Spice while the tea in her Earl Grey and Bombay Chai truffles comes from the Two Monkeys Coffee & Tea House.

Can we share a few words of chocolate-related wisdom? Don’t refrigerate your chocolate. Cold chocolate doesn’t release its flavours and aromas very well and will alter your taste experience. It should be served at room temperature. Also, this kind of artisan chocolate has an expiry date of about two weeks so make sure it gets eaten before then. (Ha!)

We love that koko chocolates come in pretty gift boxes and Lori will deliver if you need to call in your order.

Hello koko. Goodbye sagging endorphins—and a few things off the holiday list too!