Tins by Cocoa
These pretty, ribbon-wrapped tins are just the thing for getting out of the just retribution for (almost) any indiscretion. Look for candy bark made with fine white, milk, or dark Belgian chocolate—we like the Sea Island version with dark chocolate, crystallized ginger, and salted pistachios; Cocoa, Larchmont (914) 834-6464; cocoa chocolateshop.com
Designer Handbag Cake
These edible replicas of designer bags come in a variety of flavors and fillings and can be made to mimic any iconic bag. The interior is layer cake, carved by hand then covered in marzipan, which can be dusted in edible gold finishes, hand-painted, and can include a number of textures and embellishments—from quilting to ruffles to edible pearls and beading. Look for edible Birkin and Louis Vuitton bags and bejeweled Judith Leiber clutches, which are encrusted with French dragées, metallic jordan almonds, and rock sugar. $250/serves 6-10; Lulu Cake Boutique, Scarsdale (914) 722-8300; everythinglulu.com
Prohibition Truffles by CHRISTINEats
This naughty pink box with a coy, winking pinup hides a supercharged surprise: beautiful, decadent chocolates filled with liquor-infused ganache. Look for red pepper tequila, whiskey caramel, orange Grand Marnier fillings (and more!) to come covered with delicious white, dark, and milk chocolate. Scandal is only one bite away. $12.99 for a box of 12; Whole Foods Market, Yonkers (914) 378-8090 wholefoodsmarket.com
The Snacker Bar by Liddabit Sweets
Let’s just say that you were a child who loved your Snickers bars, but you grew up into an ex-Brooklyn hipster who treasured every book by Michael Pollan. This gooey, peanutty take on a Snickers bar is just the ticket for you: It’s hand-made by a small, independent candy factory in Brooklyn that uses locally sourced ingredients whenever possible. $8.99 for a 5.3-ounce bar; Whole Foods Market, White Plains (914) 288-1300; Yonkers (914) 378-8090 wholefoodsmarket.com
Macarons at La Tulipe Desserts
Imagine expensive jewelry that you can actually eat. These stunning, gem-like treats span the entire color spectrum and are filled with bright, natural flavors that include green apple, chocolate raspberry, citron, sour cherry, pistachio, caramel, fig, strawberry balsamic, vodka lime, and cassis. $1.75 per macaron; $33 for a box of 20; La Tulipe Desserts, Mount Kisco (914) 242-4555; latulipedesserts.com
Mo’s Bacon Bar by Vosges Haut-Chocolat
There you are dithering about what might taste delicious… Something salty? Something sweet? Or how about something with bacon? The warped minds at Vosges have got you covered with this milk chocolate bar that offers the pronounced flavor of hickory-smoked bacon with a touch of alderwood-smoked salt. Bingo. $7.99 for a 3-ounce bar; Tarry Market, Port Chester (914) 253-5680; tarrymarket.com
Rusty Tools by Slitti
This carefully wrought tool set with lifelike rust is perfect for the self-styled handyman who prefers to sit on the sofa with a box of chocolate watching This Old House reruns. Look for a realistic chocolate wrench, pliers, nuts, and bolts, etc., from Slitti Cioccolato & Caffè, the landmark Tuscan chocolatier. $34.99; Tarry Market, Port Chester (914) 253-5680; tarrymarket.com
Cacao Prieto Bark
As befits Blue Hill at Stone Barns, icon of sustainable food practices, these Brooklyn-made barks use organic cacao beans grown at a 100-year-old organic family farm in the Dominican Republic. The source, Coralina Farms, is also a locus for long-ranging experiments in self-sustainable and organic farming methods and is the repository and preservation center for Dominican cacao biodiversity. The barks, which come in cashew/cranberry and hazelnut/raisin, are available at Blue Hill Café. $10 per 3.9-ounce bar; Blue Hill Café Pocantico Hills (914) 366- 9600 x 230; bluehillfarm.com
Omanhene Truffles at Chocolate Lab
Chef François Kwaku-Dongo, ex-Spago chef and now head of eleven14 Kitchen at The J House Greenwich hotel, once toiled on an African cacao plantation but was too poor to have ever tasted chocolate. Now, he heads up his own kitchen—complete with its own chocolate shop/café. He sources only cacao from Ghana through (self-described “beyond fair trade”) The Omanhene Cocoa Bean Company, of which he is director of culinary services. Look for ganache fillings flavored with honey, cocoa, caramel, and green tea infusions. $13 for a 5 ounce bag of truffles; Chocolate Lab (located inside The J House Greewich), Greenwich, CT (203) 698-6999; choc-lab.com
