“They taste so good that no one will believe they are dairy-free!” I must admit, this phrase is a bit overused, and shamefully implies that dairy-free foods are somehow inferior to dairy-laden foods.  Yet, for the rich chocolates created by Premium Chocolatiers, I found myself uttering these very words. In my defense, dairy-free boxed chocolates aren’t exactly commonplace, as their creamy and caramel centers typically rely upon the luxuriousness of pure cream.  But not these gems.  Seriously, if you really love someone (can someone make sure my husband is reading this?), give them a box of these chocolates for Valentine’s Day.  Better yet, order the truffles in bulk and surprise them randomly with truffles throughout the year!  Too extreme?  Well, I would appreciate it, as you can tell from my chocolate tasting notes ...

Grand Marnier 

As a fan of white chocolate, I lunged at these morsels first.  The white chocolate coating was a bit thin, but it was perfectly smooth and sweet enough to hold its own while enhancing the decadently dark, soft truffle center. Overall the flavor and textural blend was a perfect marriage, I only wished there were more than 3, so my husband and I didn’t have to fight over the last one!

As a side note, this flavor is actually an excellent choice for all ages, as it wasn’t too dark chocolate in taste, and there were no strong or “mature” notes such as almonds or liqueurs.  It was just sweet, pure, and decadent beyond belief. 

Milk Fudge 

This was actually the first truffle my husband sampled, and with a dead serious voice of concern, he said, “Are you SURE these don’t have dairy in them?”  I showed him their website to quell his concerns, yet he still showed some signs of disbelief.  Needless to say, he thought it was incredible.

My first thought when I dove into this one was “What a monster!”  For a truffle, this thing was huge, literally a fulfilling dessert in its own right. The coating was a thick layer (about twice as thick as the white chocolate) of truly milky chocolate. It was quite sweet, with a luxurious buttery aftertaste.  The soft, creamy ganache center was a wonderful fudge-meets-whipped icing, melt in your mouth experience. Having eaten only dark and semi-sweet chocolate for years, this familiar yet distant flavor seemed very reminiscent of what milk chocolate was intended to be. 

Salted Caramel 

I expected a bit more salty and caramel chewiness than this one delivered, but that’s certainly not a bad thing. The center was still soft, but it was more of a caramel-inspired chocolate truffle center enrobed in a milky chocolate blanket (see photo at right). The center was deeper in flavor than your average sugary caramel, and had its own textural uniqueness that didn’t stick to your teeth in the slightest, but rather melted nicely with just a slight, forgiving chew.  I loved the contrast of the occasional speck of salt, but was somehow yearning for just a bit more of this contrast.

Raspberry 

I like fruit, and I like chocolate, but I rarely like the two together.  However, I must admit that this was an impressive combination. The slightly milky, thick ganache center had what I think were little raspberry bits of interest amongst the smooth chocolate filling. The raspberry flavor was sweet and fruity, yet mild (this was not candy, it still had an elegant flavor that stayed true to the refined truffle presentation), and it flowed beautifully with the overall semi-sweet center and bittersweet coating.  Would I eat it again? You bet!  Would it be my first choice? No, the Milk Fudge and Gran Marnier are still tied for first, but the Raspberry might just be a close second.  By the way, this one also qualifies as generously sized; easily competing with the Milk Fudge for the big bite spot on the chocolate block.

Coffee 

Before taking my first bite of this chocolate, I ate what I think was a chocolate covered coffee bean nestled on top. I think because I have never had one before!  It was soft, forgiving, and more cocoa than coffee, lovely really.  In case you haven’t guessed by now, I am not a coffee fan (hence it hitting the last spot on my ‘tried’ list).  Yet, this chocolate had a marvelously mild but definitively espresso-finished center, which was very soft, forgiving, and silky smooth.  The milky semi-sweet coating was the pièce de résistance that has led this coffee-hater to recommend the Coffee Chocolate as a post-dinner treat for anyone!

Extra Comments:

Where’s the cream?  Of course, the “milk” in milk chocolate must come from somewhere.  Though I can’t seem to find it again to reference, a note on their website indicated that Premium Chocolatiers use soy to give that creamy taste.

Are they really dairy-free? These chocolates are made in a dairy-free and nut-free facility to help accommodate food allergies and intolerances.  They are also vegan and certified kosher parve. Where severe food allergies are a concern, give them a call to make sure you are comfortable with their product before purchasing.

Room for improvement?  Hardly.  If I had to make any suggestions, it would be the following: Include ingredient information in each box, particularly since these are oriented toward those who would be concerned  about ingredients; Increase the quantity to 4 of each flavor so us two-person households don’t have to barter over those last flavors!

Are there different sized boxes? Yes, we sampled the 15 piece box, but they do have a larger 30 piece box, and a more petite 4 piece box.  Each is packaged in their signature box with ribbon.  It isn't over-the-top, but simple, nice, and elegantly laid out on the inside.

What if I want MORE? Each of the gourmet chocolates can be purchased in bulk, 25 for $25. Trust me, this is an excellent price, these are pretty well truffles and perfect for wedding favors!

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