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Say bye-bye to heavily sugared, artificially flavored chocolates with mushy, pastel-colored centers. These local chocolatiers – from long-standing favorites to brand new start-ups – are raising the art of chocolate making and eating to a whole new level.
Lammes Candies
The granddaddy of Austin’s chocolatiers officially opened in 1885, introducing many innovations to the area like the first ammonia refrigeration unit in the southwest, the first neon sign in Austin (the lamb logo) and the first soda machine in Texas. The store was remodeled in 1946, featuring glass doors and stationary panels of hermetically sealed glass (another first on Congress Avenue). Today, the fifth generation of the Lamme family runs five stores in Austin and Round Rock, offering more than 1,000 items including the famous Longhorns (chocolate, pecans and chewy caramel), Choc A’dillos (milk chocolate covered caramel and whole roasted almonds) and the Cashew Critter (cashews and caramel topped with chocolate). The “Texas Chewie” praline is still the number-one selling product with over 2,000 pounds produced daily. A variety of other confections has been added to its line, including seasonal chocolate-covered strawberries and grapes. See lammes.com for products and store addresses.
Arte y Chocolate
Krystal Craig and Lila Browne started the company in 2005, creating blends of top chocolates from around the world – including El Rey and Valrhona – with organic ingredients. These exceptional confections are not only pleasing to the palate, but they are true works of art made with modern design technology. Their bon-bons come in various shapes and sizes: small oval and teardrop shapes, medium squares, floral, dome and spiral top shapes, and large cones and pyramids, with fillings in unique flavor combinations such as Chai Tea, Cajeta Cream, Caramel Chili Spice, Prickly Pear, Guinness, Gardenia, Tres Leches and Sparkling Champagne, among many others. The Arte y Chocolate ladies also specialize in hands-on chocolate lessons where guests can learn about the history of chocolate and its wide variety of quality levels and flavors - sort of like a wine tasting. Find these lovely bites at PrimaDora and online at aychocolate.com and at etsy.com.
Fat Turkey Chocolate Company
Jennifer Holberg and her husband Steven launched The Fat Turkey Chocolate Company In 2001, using premium Belgian chocolate, fine liquor and liqueurs, Texas wines, fresh cream and spices in all of their products, sans preservatives or added sugar. Their chocolate truffles, chocolate-covered coffee beans, marinated chocolate-covered cherries and chocolate sauces come in flavors such as Kohana Coffee, Almond Vanilla, Lavender Sea Salt, Rose, Orange and Lemon Basil. New products include dark chocolate truffles with habanero and añejo tequila ganache garnished with chipotle seasoning (pictured right), gourmet chocolates with a soft caramel center and gift baskets. Fat Turkey is an eco-friendly business that supports our community, local farmers and small businesses, and is the force behind the annual Austin Chocolate Festival. Right now, its amazing confections are available only at Bookpeople and from its on-line shopping cart at fatturkeychocolate.com
Viva Chocolato!
Owner Melissa Adams opened her gourmet chocolate and wine boutique at The Domain in December of 2007 after years of researching chocolate from around the world. Aside from dozens of specialty truffles and world-class chocolate creations, Viva Chocolato features its own line of housemade artisan truffles. The Viva line is crafted with quality ingredients, and includes the popular heart-shaped Tito’s Vodka Pomegranate Truffle (TOP), a to-die-for Blue Cheese Truffle (left) and a Jalapeño Dark Chocolate Truffle (RIGHT). All are true little gems, beautifully shaped and decorated. Viva also offers guided chocolate and wine pairings in-house, or for private parties and events.
Viva Chocolato!
3401 Esperanza Crossing, #104, at The Domain | 512.339.8482 | vivachocolato.com
Kakawa Cocoa Beans
Centered on the true flavors of chocolate that come from the world’s finest whole beans, Tom Pedersen created Kakawa Cocoa Beans, the greatest gift to mankind since, well, the discovery of chocolate. Tom buys Costa Rican cocoa beans direct from the farmer “to assure that his work was rewarded with a top price that went directly to him for his fine beans – true fair trade”. The roasted beans are coated in layers of pure white, milk and dark Venezuelan chocolate from El Rey, and rolled in fine cocoa powder. The result: heaven in your mouth. Taking the experience one step further, he now offers bean pieces glazed in caramelized sugar – pure unadulterated dark chocolate with crunch. “You make chocolate in your mouth as you chew!” says Pedersen. People eat them straight or use them as a garnish on flan, ice cream, yogurt and even salads. Right now, they are only available at the Downtown Farmers’ Market and online at cocoapuro.com. Kakawa Cocoa Beans can be found at Central Market, Whole Foods, Gardens, Breed & Co., Wiggy’s, Eastside Cafe, Mandola’s and other fine food and gift shops, as well as online.
Dude Sweet Chocolate
Dallas-based pastry queen extraordinaire and former Austinite Katherine Clapner has hit a home run with her playful new line of chocolates. But just because the name isn’t serious doesn’t mean the chocolates aren’t. The former pastry chef for Stephen Pyles is making amazing flavor combinations in tiny bon-bons that come in two lines: Dudes and Sweets. Dudes include bold flavors like the Great Depression (top-left; roasted beet and Texas olive oil), Provençal (bottom-left; dried pear, basil and rosemary salt) and Oaxacan (guajillo chile, Spanish paprika and smoked cocoa nib) while the Sweets capture the taste buds with Old School (top-right; organic almond butter and raw coconut), the Marley (hemp seed oil and butter) and the Apple Jack (bottom right; Molly’s apple butter and Jack Daniels.) A new line – The Others – features yummies like the Inca (leche quemada and tamarind), Keffir (keffir lime and keffir yogurt) and Zanzibar (African curry and banana). These bites of bliss are currently available at Central Market and online at dudesweetchocolate.com.
Miles of Chocolate
In 2002, Miles Compton came up with this 100% natural product, made from butter, sugar, eggs and chocolate, best described as a combination of a dense, rich brownie with a melt-in-your-mouth dark chocolate truffle. This sinful product quickly captured Austin’s imagination (and taste buds) and thankfully is widely available at retail stores big and small - and is even served as dessert at various local restaurants and coffee shops. It’s awesome crumbled onto ice cream, topped with fresh berries or drizzled with dulce de leche. Its newest addition: gluten-free Miles of Chocolate, available exclusively at Whole Foods Market. milesofchocolate.com
Chocster
The newest kid on the chocolate block is the brainchild of Adeline Rem, a native of Bath, England, who now makes Austin home. Chocster is a line of 100% custom-made chocolate bars. Customers choose among three kinds of chocolate – CHOCwhite, CHOCmilk, and CHOCdark – then customize the 3-oz. bars with a mind-boggling variety of CHOCtops, toppings that range from various nuts, dried fruits and cinnamon to exotic flavors like Sriracha hot sauce, wasabi, pink peppercorn and saffron. The combination possibilities are endless, and what a fun way to customize a special chocolate bar for a special someone…like yourself? These unique chocbars are available online only at chocster.com.