Rating:Â â â â â 3.6/5
I came across Chocolate Storybook in my quest to find small chocolate stores that might be better to support than big chain chocolate producers like Hershey and Nestle. Chocolate Storybook is one of the most popular chocolate stores on Etsy. It is based in Iowa and has been in business since 1985.
I bought the âSweet Layersâ truffle and caramel box combo to try a range of their offerings and some unique cotton candy flavors since that is also one of the things they are known for.
The Packaging
âSweet Layersâ consists of two beautiful red-metallic boxes, one smaller than the other, wrapped in a golden ribbon with the Chocolate Storybookâs red and gold rabbit logo to hold the ribbons together. I thought that the packaging was very festive and perfect for gifting around Christmas and Valentineâs Day.
The Caramels
The small box contains six chocolate-covered caramels, three covered in dark chocolate and the other three covered in milk chocolate. I must say that these were the absolute best chocolate-covered caramels Iâve ever had. The caramels were creamy and has a softer consistency than the dry, chewy caramel that can be found in grocery-store-bought chocolate candies. You can easily tell that the caramel was homemade. After some research, I read that Chocolate Storybookâs caramels are made by slow-cooking them in an open copper kettle which is the traditional way of making caramel. It was so delicious and addicting that I finished all six chocolate-covered caramel in one sitting.
The Truffles
The large box contains twelve chocolate truffles of different varieties. No two truffles looked or tasted the same. The truffles were delicious but I found that I didnât enjoy the chocolate truffles as much as I enjoyed the chocolate-covered caramels because most of them were extremely sweet, even the dark chocolate truffles.
The truffle flavors were not labeled in the box itself. I also could not find a list of the possible flavors of the truffles on the website, Etsy listing, or packaging. From what I could identify, the truffles include fruity flavors like orange and raspberry truffles, salted chocolate-covered caramels, nougat, peanut butter, coconut cluster, and amaretto, as well as a solid piece of milk chocolate. I ate all of them except for the coconut cluster but thatâs only because I donât enjoy the flavor of dried and shredded coconut. The flavors were strong and varied, and some of the fillings were just too sweet for me.
I liked the range of textures the truffle had like hard, solid chocolate, soft, marshmallowy filling, thick icing, and creamy caramel. There were a variety of shapes but not so much in color which isnât necessarily a bad thing. I did appreciate the star-shaped solid milk chocolate covered in gold foil because it adds a pop of contrast to the brown of the chocolates and definitely adds to the festivities. You can tell that some thought was put into putting this box together.
Some critique I have is that the listings are too vague and do not have a lot of information regarding flavors, ingredients, and allergens. Also, just a quick observation – you donât get exactly whatâs on the picture used in the listing. The picture has a white chocolate truffle while mine does not, so expect some variation from the listing.
Conclusion
Overall, I think that Chocolate Storybookâs Sweet Layers are a wonderful treat worth gifting your loved ones with a huge sweet tooth. The handmade touch makes it more special than grocery store chocolates. However, do not buy it if you or the recipient donât enjoy strong, overly sweet flavors or have any allergies. There are no ingredients, allergen information, or nutrition facts listed for these chocolates which would make it difficult to avoid any allergens. You can also skip the truffles and get the chocolate-covered caramels instead because those chocolate-covered caramels are truly exceptional.
Chocolate Scorecard
| Packaging |
| 4/5 |
| Appearance |
| 4/5 |
| Flavor |
| 3/5 |
| Mouthfeel |
| 3.5/5 |
| Quality |
| 3/5 |
| Ethics | No mention of ethics or charities on their website | NA/5 |
| Overall | 3.5/5 |
Where can you buy Chocolate Storybook?
Chocolate Storybook Website, Etsy, Amazon
Should you buy Chocolate Storybook?
Yes, if you are gifting someone with a big sweet tooth.
Chocolate Information
Brand: Chocolate Storybook
Description: The perfect duo of chocolates. Enjoy each layer containing 6 luscious caramels covered in pure milk chocolate and a box of assorted chocolates hand-picked for your pleasure.
Chocolate Type: Milk and dark chocolate
Cost: $30
Made in: USA
Ingredients: NA
Allergens: NA
Nutrition Facts: NA
Have you tried anything from Chocolate Storybook before? How was your experience? What other chocolates would you like me to review? Let me know in the comments below.
