Valentine's Day
Sale price
Price
$140
Regular price
A Love Letter to Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Dandelion Chocolate
Sale price
Price
$140
Regular price
A Love Letter to Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador
Dandelion Chocolate
This limited-edition set is only available as a pre-order. All sets will ship throughout the week of February 7 th, to arrive in time for Valentine’s Day. Should you need help placing your order, please don't hesitate to reach out to us for assistance at info@dandelionchocolate.com, or call us at (415) 349-0942.
In 2023 we continue our tradition of dedicating Valentine's Day to an Ecuadorian origin, this year highlighting our 70% Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador 2018 Harvest chocolate, with its notes of fudge brownies, fresh milk, and cherry. Our Confections team, along with long-time collaborator Feve Chocolates, present three dessert courses that pair unique flavors inspired by traditional Ecuadorian delicacies, expressed with Dandelion chocolate.
We invite you to enjoy this intimate and elaborate chocolate experience right from home, as you travel with us to explore the vibrant tropical flavors of Esmeraldas, Ecuador.
This collection includes:
FIRST COURSE
Chocolate-Dipped Black Mission Figs
SECOND COURSE
Twelve Bonbons, Four Tropics-Inspired Flavors
THIRD COURSE
Limited-Edition Chocolate & Peanut Spread
Spiced Peanut Dragées for Two
Cocadas
And More
Each course is styled in a handsome reusable Japanese stapled craft box. And finally, we’ve included a few mementos to keep.
- Ingredients & Allergens
-
CHOCOLATE-DIPPED FIGS
Ingredients: dried black Mission figs (figs, potassium sorbate), Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador, organic cane sugar), heavy cream, glucose, cocoa butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, salt, star anise, cloves, edible 24k gold
Contains: milk
Made in a facility that also processes wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts (hazelnuts, coconuts, pistachios, walnuts, pecans, almonds), and sesame.TROPICAL BONBON COLLECTION
Guava Jelly & Costa Esmeraldas Ganache Bonbon: Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador, organic cane sugar), organic cane sugar, guava purée, Straus organic heavy cream, lime juice, glucose, pectin, citric acid, single-origin cocoa butter (from Peru), colored cocoa butter
Contains: milkPassion Fruit Vanilla Bean Caramel Bonbon: Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Camino Verde, Ecuador and Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador; organic cane sugar), cream, sugar, butter, glucose, passion fruit purée, cocoa butter, salt, vanilla paste, colored cocoa butter
Contains: milkBanana Caramel & Peanut Praline: Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador, organic cane sugar), organic cane sugar, banana purée, glucose, peanuts, Straus organic butter, single-origin cocoa butter (from Peru), Straus organic heavy cream, cocoa nibs (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador), kosher salt, colored cocoa butter
Contains: milk, peanutsRose Ecuadorian Ganache Bonbon: Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador, organic cane sugar), Straus organic heavy cream, glucose, rose essence (rose aroma, invert sugar, glycerine), single-origin cocoa butter (from Peru), colored cocoa butter
Contains: milk
Bonbons are made in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts (hazelnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts, coconuts), dairy (including milk), wheat, soy, and sesame.CHOCOLATE PEANUT SPREAD
Ingredients: peanuts, Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador, organic cane sugar), organic cane sugar, La Tourangelle peanut oil, sea salt
Contains: peanuts
Made in a facility that also processes milk, wheat, and tree nuts (hazelnuts, coconuts).SPICED PEANUT DRAGÉES
Ingredients: roasted peanuts (peanuts, peanut oil), Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador, organic cane sugar), sugar, panela (unrefined whole cane sugar), cocoa powder, allspice, Ceylon cinnamon, cloves, cocoa butter, salt
Contains: peanuts.
Made in a facility that also processes peanuts, tree nuts (almonds, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, coconuts), dairy (including milk), wheat, soy, and sesame.COCADAS
Ingredients: organic coconut, Dandelion 70% chocolate (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador, organic cane sugar), organic puffed quinoa, cocoa nibs (cocoa beans from Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador), organic cane sugar, whole-milk powder, single-origin cocoa butter (from Peru), kosher salt
Contains: coconut, milk
Made in a facility that also processes milk, wheat, peanuts, and tree nuts (hazelnuts). - Weight
- Net Weight: 19.2 oz (544 g)
Box #1: 6 pieces | 7.3 oz (207 g)
Box #2: 15 pieces | 5 oz (142 g)
Box #3: 6 pieces (cocadas) + 2 tins | 6.9 oz (195 g) - Learn More
- Learn more about our cocoa beans and sugar — the region, the farms, and the producers.
LIMITED EDITION
A Love Letter to
Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador
SHIPS THE WEEK OF FEBRUARY 7TH
Free shipping
First Course
Chocolate-Dipped Figs
Aperitivos - Dulce de Higos
Sweet, black Mission figs are dipped in 70% Costa Esmeraldas Dandelion Chocolate and stuffed with creamy, spiced-chocolate-truffle ganache; a Californian riff on the traditional Ecuadorian delicacy, Dulce de Higos.
First Course
Chocolate-Dipped Figs
Aperitivos - Dulce de Higos
Six sweet, black Mission figs are stuffed with creamy, spiced-chocolate ganache and dipped in 70% Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador chocolate; a Californian riff on the traditional Ecuadorian delicacy, Dulce de Higos.
Second Course
Tropical Bonbon Collection
Come y Bebe - Twelve Chocolates, Five Flavors
In tribute to the exotic fruits of Ecuador, twelve bonbons feature four fillings of smooth caramel (one with peanut praline) or jam-layered ganache, lively with flavors of passion fruit, guava, banana, and blackberry. Each bonbon is delicately encased in a thin shell of 70% Costa Emeraldas, Ecuador chocolate.
Second Course
Ecuadorian Bonbon Collection
Come y Bebe - Twelve Chocolates, Four Flavors
In tribute to the exotic fruits of Ecuador, twelve bonbons feature four fillings of smooth caramel (one with peanut praline) or jam-layered ganache, lively with flavors of passion fruit, guava, banana, and rose. Each bonbon is delicately encased in a thin shell of 70% Costa Emeraldas, Ecuador chocolate.
Third Course
Cocadas Candies & Keepsakes
Recuerdos - Chocolate & Peanut Spread, Spiced Peanut Dragées For Two, Cocadas
Three mementos to savor, accompanied by two diminutive tasting spoons from Japan: a pocket-sized Chocolate & Peanut Spread and limited-edition Spiced Peanut Dragées For Two(both crafted from our Costa Esmeraldas chocolate and contained in reusable golden tins), plus six crunchy, chocolate-dipped coconut cocadas (Ecuadorian candies of caramelized panela and shredded coconut, studded with Costa Esmeraldas cocoa nibs and crisp quinoa puffs.)
Third Course
Cocadas, Candies, & Keepsakes
Recuerdos - Chocolate & Peanut Spread, Spiced Peanut Dragées for Two, Cocadas
Three mementos to savor, accompanied by two diminutive tasting spoons from Japan: a keepsake golden tin of house-made Chocolate & Peanut Spread, and one of Feve's limited-edition Spiced Peanut Dragées for Two (both made with our 70% Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador chocolate); plus six crunchy, chocolate-coconut cocadas (Ecuadorian candies of caramelized shredded coconut and Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador chocolate, studded with Costa Esmeraldas, Ecuador cocoa nibs and crisp quinoa puffs).
Ron’s Remarks on Costa Esmeraldas
Ron Sweetser Is the Cocoa Sourcing Manager at Dandelion
Costa Esmeraldas’ Freddy Salazar produces fascinating and unique cocoa that we make into one of our favorite bars. Nearly fifteen years ago, Freddy’s father purchased two properties on the northeastern side of the beautiful Esmeraldas coast. The properties were covered by dry pastureland, a eucalyptus farm, and wild forest inaccessible by road — and were not ideal for growing cacao. Father and son set out to construct a farm and a cocoa-processing facility.
What began as a passion project for the Salazar family has evolved into a thriving cacao farm of over 340 hectares, 200 of which are used for growing cacao. In addition, the farm produces bananas and citrus, and 50 hectares of land have been preserved as virgin forest, providing a thriving habitat for flora and fauna.
At Costa Esmeraldas, Freddy and his team place high value on being good neighbors to nearby communities, and to flora, fauna, water, soil, workers, and everyone involved in or affected by the farm’s operations. In 2017, they carefully expanded the farm based on analysis of both the cost-effectiveness of new plantings, and the environmental impact of expansion; they selected cacao varieties they envision will cater to chocolate makers’ future desires. They also completed a fermentation and drying facility designed by Dan O’Doherty, based on designs from the Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agrícola (FHIA), the Honduran institute specializing in agriculture and cacao.
In 2019, the many investments paid off when Costa Esmeraldas earned a Cocoa of Excellence Award. We’ve worked with Freddy since 2016, and expect that under his leadership, Costa Esmeraldas’ well-deserved reputation as a source of high-quality cocoa for global craft chocolate makers will continue to grow, as will his business.
Costa Esmeraldas’ Freddy Salazar produces fascinating and unique cocoa that we make into one of our favorite bars. Nearly 15 years ago, Freddy’s father purchased two properties on the northeastern side of the beautiful Esmeraldas coast. The properties were covered by dry pastureland, a eucalyptus farm, and wild forest inaccessible by road — and were not ideal for growing cacao. Father and son set out to construct a farm and a cocoa-processing facility.
What began as a passion project for the Salazar family has evolved into a thriving cacao farm of over 340 hectares, 200 of which are used for growing cacao. In addition, the farm produces bananas and citrus, and 50 hectares of land have been preserved as virgin forest, providing a thriving habitat for flora and fauna.
At Costa Esmeraldas, Freddy and his team place high value on being good neighbors to nearby communities, and to flora, fauna, water, soil, workers, and everyone involved in or affected by the farm’s operations. In 2017, they carefully expanded the farm based on analysis of both the cost-effectiveness of new plantings, and the environmental impact of expansion; they selected cacao varieties they envision will cater to chocolate makers’ future desires. They also completed a fermentation and drying facility designed by Dan O’Doherty, based on designs from the Fundación Hondureña de Investigación Agrícola (FHIA), the Honduran institute specializing in agriculture and cacao.
In 2019, the many investments paid off when Costa Esmeraldas earned a Cocoa of Excellence Award. We’ve worked with Freddy since 2016, and expect that under his leadership, Costa Esmeraldas’ well-deserved reputation as a source of high-quality cocoa for global craft chocolate makers will continue to grow, as will his business.