Laurent Vals Handcrafted Chocolates

I’ve written about chocolate for a dozen years now. Too often, I’ve seen gorgeous-looking chocolates that were lacking in equally great flavor. But such is not the case with Laurent Vals Handcrafted Chocolates. Yes, these chocolates entice with their forms and often-bright colors, but there are genuine flavors behind those appealing exteriors. And that is what good chocolates (and all good food) should be about. Fortunately for us, M. Vals, who was working as a professional pastry chef by the ripe old age of 19, understands this. He has a roster of about a dozen flavors, and it is evident that he’s put both time and care into the development of each.

What to try? Even if you don’t think you like white chocolate, do sample the piece he calls “Desire”. Strawberry and orange blossom tone down the sweetness of the chocolate here; in short, there’s a legitimate reason for the name! Milk chocolate is frequently regarded with disfavor by chocolatiers, but Laurent Vals Handcrafted Chocolates uses it to great advantage in the Sunset, a blend of an excellent milk chocolate and the good tastes of a candied orange confit and caramel. The chocolate Puritans among us will rejoice to learn that M. Vals offers dark chocolate pieces as well. I like the Rochambeau, a raspberry-dark chocolate ganache enrobed in more dark chocolate. Boxes of these chocolates are available in sizes ranging from 2 to 25 pieces.

Laurent Vals Handcrafted Chocolates is based in Rhode Island. There is a brand new shop with a small storefront, at 82 Williams St. in Newport ((401) 841-8975), and a handful of local retail establishments and restaurants offer these creations. For those of us who live distantly, M. Vals will ship, and you can let him choose what goes into your box or fill it with your choice of chocolates. I hope you’ll see fit to try these confections; I’m sure you won’t be disappointed when you do so. For complete information, surf over to www.laurentvalchocolates.com