Artisan chocolatiers are small-scale companies that make chocolate in a way that big companies can't. These small candy companies make their chocolates by hand producing some of the most amazing candies you will ever try. Don't let the higher price tag discourage you from shopping at artisan shops - you'll be supporting a very creative part of the food world!
Finding Artisan Chocolate Makers
Small chocolate companies are working hard to bring back a world of chocolate making that was rapidly disappearing a few decades ago. Tiny businesses, many of which still make their products by hand, are doing their best to preserve the art of candy making, instead of letting it turn into a mass-produced factory process.
What makes a chocolate maker truly an artisan chocolatier?
- Artisan chocolatiers are usually small operations, with very few employees.
- They use artisan methods to produce their candy, such as making them by hand or using old-world recipes and methods to produce superior chocolate.
- They often have unique, creative flavors and products that you won't find elsewhere.
- Smaller companies tend to be very passionate about their business, and often you'll find artisan chocolatiers involved in the chocolate and candy community.
A Few Special Artisan Chocolatiers
If you're looking to find artisan chocolatiers that you can buy candy from, there are thousands around the world that make chocolates using special, hands-on methods. Here are a few companies that you might particularly like, and some even sell their candies over the Internet! These small companies are pricier, but produce some truly amazing chocolates:
- Fiori Chocolatiers is a small company that was originally inspired by Italian chocolates. They take an organic, socially conscious approach to their chocolate making. They try to buy cacao from fair trade sources and use organic ingredients wherever possible. If you buy online, your chocolates are made especially for your order, so they are fresh when you receive them.
- Theo Chocolates is proud to call itself the only fully organic, fair trade, bean-to-bar chocolate factory in the United States. They have an unwavering passion for their craft, and produce some of the best chocolates around. Theo produces a wide range of artisan chocolate products, including:
-
- Chocolate bars
- Truffles
- Sipping cocoas
- Cacao nibs
- Hand-made marshmallows
- Vegan chocolates
- And their signature Origin Bars, which features chocolate from different parts of the world.
- Vosges Haute Chocolate is a small artisan chocolatier that sells a variety of chocolates to the public. Their methods are tried and true, as are their interesting flavors. They have such unique taste experiences as:
-
- Sweet Indian curry and coconut
- Cardamom, organic walnuts and dried plums
- Tibetan goji berries and pink Himalayan salt
- Ginger, wasabi and black sesame seeds
- Mexican ancho and chipotle chillies with Ceylon cinnamon
- Oaxacan guajillo and pasilla chillies
- They even have a bacon chocolate bar!
- Fran's Chocolates is another small-scale chocolate purveyor that produces handmade candies in a variety of flavors. Fran Bigelow, the company's owner, considers herself a true chocolate artist and her creations are works of art. She offers such creative candies as:
-
- Gray and smoked salt caramels
- Fruits and nuts
- Oolong tea truffles
- Single malt whiskey truffles
- Whole chocolate covered figs
- Chocolate dipped ginger
- Dark chocolate bars
- Cocoa Bella is a small-scale company that has grown a little larger over the years. They have all sorts of interesting flavored truffles, such as:
- Banana curry
- Bourbon pecan
- Citrus caramel
- Lavender
- Rosemary caramel
- Strawberry balsamic
- Jasmine dark tea
Support Artisan Chocolatiers With Your Purchases
Artisan chocolatiers are doing their part to bring the magic back to candy-making by producing chocolate in a way that contributes to food culture. If you buy from a small chocolate company instead of a large chain, you're supporting an important part of the culinary arts.
