Thank you to J. Patrice Chocolates for providing me with these confections in exchange for my review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Over the years, gift boxes of chocolately confections have often made holiday appearances within my family. From boxes of Russell Stovers to homemade goodies, these delicacies often curbed our sweet tooths and filled our bellies for late afternoon or evening treats. Growing up, I have memories of my grandfather always offering reeses cups and pepsi's whenever we visited his home, but I always enjoyed these special treats more. 

After various experiences in France, England, and Belgium,  I started to learn about European Chocolates. For anyone who has had the lucky chance to visit a small privately owned chocolatier, you know that those little sweet treats are so much better than any factory made chocolate bar. Over the years, independent chocolatiers have popped up across the United States and have introduced various european techniques that remind me of those times spent abroad. 

J. Patrice Chocolate Studio is one of those places that offers amazing and wonderful confections. Located in Michigan, this chocolate shop strives to provide customers with quality delicacies filled with unique flavors and beautiful appearances and the best part.. they ship nationwide! Chocolates are hand-crafted using molds and design techniques. 

The chocolate confections I received included Pecan Toffee Bark, Dark Chocolate Raspberry Almonds, and a 12 Bonbon Chocolatiers Choice Box. None of the treats disappointed! 

The Pecan Toffee Bark was exactly as one would expect. Toffee can be a difficult thing to get right as it can get too chewy or too brittle. I was a fan of this particular toffee. Covered in milk chocolate and topped with pecan bites, these pieces definitely disappeared fast! In fact, I was so excited to try the bark that I forgot to get a picture of it full! The bark also exists with an almond topping as well. 

The chocolate covered almonds, while not my typical choice, are definitely a classic christmas gift. The raspberry flavor is only slightly noticeable and not at all overpowering. Almond lovers would definitely like this gift or any of the other flavors offered (Milk Chocolate Coffee, Dark Chocolate Orange, Milk Chocolate Cinnamon). 

The Chocolate bonbon boxes can be purchased in two ways:

First, the chocolatiers choice arrives with 4, 6, 12, or 24 speciality chocolates picked out by the chocolatier. These chocolates are filled with wonderful flavors and spices. These boxes include a mix of milk and dark chocolates combined with classic and fascinating flavors.  

Second, the Build Your Own box can be bought in 4, 6, 12, and 24 chocolates selected by the customer. Boxes can also be bought in sets of 2's and 3's with a minimum order of 20 boxes, which is perfect for all those extra people on your gift list this year, especially if you are avoiding handing out homemade treats! Currently, 16 flavors are available to choose from when building your own box. 

My box arrived with a small booklet that describes the company and the signature chocolates J. Patrice makes. When eating the bonbons, I could either guess or refer back to the book to figure out the flavors. 

The flavors included in my box (top L-R): Raspberry Ghost Pepper Mango, Apricot Honey Almond, Lavender, Lime Coconut, Crispy Caramel Gianduja, Michigan Cherry Pecan Caramel, Pink Salt Caramel, Hot Chocolate, Dark Chocolate Biscotti,  Liquid Gold Caramel, Earl Grey, Agrumato Orange. 

The chocolates I loved the most: Hot Chocolate and Earl Grey. These two flavors were spot on! Both were easy to figure out without even looking at the book. 

The chocolate that surprised me the most was the Raspberry Ghost Pepper Mango. I was expecting a very heavy ghost pepper flavoring, and while prominent, it didn't burn my tongue like one would expect with ghost pepper! The raspberry and mango were very light flavorings and did shine through. I'm still not sure about it, but I didn't run away screaming, so that's a plus!

I absolutely loved each chocolate's decoration and design and was pleased with what the chocolatier chose to send. Sometimes it's a toss up as I've often been picky with flavors, but I didn't meet a chocolate in this box that I didn't like! 

I would definitely recommend adding J. Patrice Chocolate Studio to your gift list this year. The lover of all chocolates will thank you at receiving these exquisite chocolates! They are definitely different, and better than the typical store-bought chocolates and are also comparable in price. Go ahead and send these flavorful beautiful J. Patrice chocolates to all the loved ones on your list this year! 

Want it? Get it!

To gift your loved ones J. Patrice Chocolates, head over to the studio's webpage to design your own box or purchase a chocolatiers choice box. Grab some of the other available confections to fill up those stockings too!

While there, don't forget to check out the custom gifting option. Need corporate gifts, a speciality gift, or a special event gift? The custom option will definitely meet your needs! 

Stay up to date on the latest chocolate goodness and flavors by visiting J. Patrice Chocolate Studio's Instagram and Facebook! 

Which chocolate flavor would you like to try?