Berry Valentines
Idyllwild’s El Buen Cacao bumps their house-made raspberry truffles with a delectable dash of the unexpected: handcrafted organic avocado ganache. Super creamy and filled into a 65 percent dark chocolate shell, El Buen Cacao gives you a melt-in-your-mouth Valentine swoon. elbuencacao.com
Candy Coated
Bertha Palmer and Fannie Farmer, two early pioneers of America’s go-to dessert, the brownie, probably never dreamed how Brandini Toffee in Palm Springs and Rancho Mirage would interpret it 100 years later. Three inches in height, layered in fudge, and a generous coat of almond toffee take these goodies into the danger zone. brandinitoffee.com
Molten Magic
The baked-to-order warm Valrhona chocolate cake at Johannes in Palm Springs is a balancing act. The main ingredient in chef Johannes Bacher’s “slightly sweet” molten-center cakes is 61 percent Valrhona chocolate. That’s contrasted with vanilla bean ice cream placed on top after the cake has slightly cooled. johannespalmsprings.com
Johannes’ Valrhona chocolate cake
Bon Mots
The jelly cheesecake bonbon from Palm Springs-based A&S Artisan Chocolate begins with a handmade white chocolate shell. Next, fresh raspberry and strawberry pureé is piped in. Underneath, there’s a layer of white chocolate cream cheese ganache, resulting in a delectable bite that’s both tart and smooth. artisanchocolateps.com
A Mousse Have
The gateau of Belgian chocolate has been on the menu for more than 20 years at Pomme Frite in Palm Springs. Each spoon-slicked bauble of decadent Callebaut chocolate mousse becomes celestial thanks to a generous puddle of crème Anglaise. The final touch of pistachio ignites both palate and passion. pommefrite.com
Devil’s Delight
The newfangled salted caramel chocolate soufflé cake at AC3 Restaurant + Bar in Palm Desert tweaks tradition with the nuance of a savory-spiked center. Lusciously “ooey gooey,” chef Andrew Copley drizzles this warm devil’s food extravaganza with macerated berries when finished — perfect foils to the toasty base notes. It’s delightfully elegant — and it would be a sin not to share. ac3palmdesert.com