I love chocolate! No, let me specify. I love good chocolate!
I may even have certain characteristics of a chocolate snob. (I did keep a chocolate tasting journal at one point in my life, complete with the wrappers of chocolate bars I deemed worthy of remembering. But I digress.)
Artisan chocolatiers in the Finger Lakes
I’ve been very happy to discover that the Finger Lakes offers some delightful choices if you’re looking for artisan chocolate hand-crafted by skilled chocolatiers.
There aren’t as many destinations for confections yet as for the region’s famous wines or, more recently, craft breweries and distilleries, but in my research I came up with this list I want to share with you.
My criteria are admittedly subjective, but I was looking for handmade chocolate near me, in the Finger Lakes, made from high-quality ingredients and with interesting, occasionally daring flavors and varieties.
Several of the chocolatiers listed also use local ingredients, such as Rue Claire’s lavender right off her own farm or Lively Run Goat Dairy cheese in Hedonist’s goat cheese truffle collection.
I’ve yet to sample several of these, so I consider this the best kind of to-do list. I’ll add notes and updates as I go and probably write some individual profiles.
Please tell us in the comments about any chocolatiers I missed! Or have you visited any of the Finger Lakes chocolate artisans listed? What fancy chocolates do you recommend trying?
In addition, there are lots of other great — sometimes decades-old and often family-run — sweets and chocolate shops around the Finger Lakes. You can find them in a separate post here. (Keep an eye out for the chocolate-making nuns!)
So whether you are looking for Valentine’s Day chocolate, holiday gifts or just an everyday treat, check these out!
Oracle Chocolates
- Location: Ithaca (purchase at Nothing Nowhere cafe or via Instagram)
- About: “Oracle Chocolates is run by partners Brien and Miranda Bianchi in Ithaca, NY. With Brien’s degree in culinary arts and his years of experience in confection and pastry, Oracle creates chocolates, pastries, and other treats inspired by folklore and fantasy. Together we develop flavors based on mythological figures, stories, and faerie tales, often with literary or magical themes. We offer bimonthly chocolate boxes via our Instagram page, and our small handmade batches sell out quickly. We also partner with local cafe Nothing Nowhere to sell our artisan truffles, and chocolate ganaches used to flavor their signature “secret” drinks. (The Empress and Magician are favorites, inspired by archetypes from Tarot.) To order, follow Oracle Chocolates on Instagram (@oraclechocolates), and send us a DM when pre-orders open every other month.”
- Website: instagram.com/oraclechocolates (Instagram)
Molly Flerlage / Trumansburg Main Street Market
- Location: Trumansburg
- About: “Molly Flerlage worked at Grocer’s Daughter Chocolate, a small northern-Michigan chocolate shop, for 12 years before moving to Ithaca and transitioning into her role coordinating the Full Plate Farm Collective CSA. While that’s still her full time gig, when Lauren, owner of Main Street Market (and also her cousin), asked her to make truffles, she couldn’t pass up a chance to put her chocolatier hat back on. During her time at Grocers Daughter she worked in retail, chocolate production, education and even got to take part in building an equitable direct-trade relationship with cacao farmers in Ecuador. She now sources the same fair-trade, single-origin origin chocolate from her friend, Jenny Samaniego, Quito native and owner of Conexion Chocolate, to craft the chocolates at Main Street Market. Conexion’s award winning chocolate is crafted from beans grown on small farms and processed at regional cocoa cooperatives across Ecuador. Each week she makes a fresh selection of handmade truffles, and sometime chocolate bars, incorporating unique flavor pairings, while showcasing the rich flavor of the chocolate itself. Some favorites include Cardamom Orange, Whipped Honey Walnut, fresh Basil, Pistachio Halva and more. Every week the selection is different! Always available exclusively at Main Street Market.” The chocolate is generally low sugar and sweetened with organic cane sugar. It also contains sunflower lecithin instead of soy to be allergen friendly.
- Website: tburgmainstreetmarket.com
Preliminaires Chocolat
- Location: Millport (available online or in stores around the Finger Lakes)
- About: “Christian Thirion began his training in his native France in 1966, focusing on pastry, ice cream and chocolate. After earning his Masters in 1969, he worked in Switzerland crafting chocolate, then in Royan with ice cream, and finally at his family’s business in Belfort making pastries and chocolates. In 1979, Christian became a head pastry chef in Chicago and soon found himself instructing a large staff on the art of French pastry making without speaking English. Undaunted by the language barrier, Christian continued to follow his creative journey in the United States and soon migrated to Santa Barbara working in consulting. After a nearly 23-year hiatus from the food industry, Christian established himself in the contemporary art glass scene. His sculptural vessels, teapots, and later in his career, architectural chandeliers, are elegant, whimsical and easily recognized by his strong play with colors and design. “Glass, like chocolate, are similiar mediums. Both start out as hot, liquid fluid that can later be formed, shaped, and created into beautiful solid objects.” Soon Christian found himself dreaming in chocolate again, in August 2010 Preliminaires Chocolat was founded. His chocolates are made with the finest chocolate and raw ingredients that can be procured. It is Christian’s passion to create chocolate that is pure, decadent and sublime.” The website currently offers six flavors of chocolates.
- Website: preliminaireschocolat.com
Hedonist Artisan Chocolates
- Location: Rochester
- About: “We hand craft Hedonist truffles and chocolate treats with French chocolate and fresh, natural ingredients. Each piece of Hedonist chocolate has a character all its own because it is rolled, cut, dipped and decorated by human hands in small batches. A hedonist is someone whose life is devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasures. We find our bliss in chocolate and hope to help you do the same. Hedonist Artisan Chocolates is owned and operated by Jennifer Posey in Rochester, New York.” Goat cheese truffles are made with milk from Lively Run Goat Dairy.
- Website: hedonistchocolates.com
Laughing Gull Chocolates
- Location: Rochester
- About: “Three mompreneurs who came together with a passion for chocolate, community, and sustainability… At Laughing Gull Chocolates we provide high-quality, organic chocolates made locally with transparently sourced ingredients. We stay globally conscious of our industry and raise awareness in our community through education, outreach and local partnerships. Laughing Gull Chocolates creates with a conscience. Each unique, mouthwatering chocolate truffle, bark, specialty bar, drink, sauce, or other confection, is the result of Lindsay, Karla, and Allison taking a global perspective in educating themselves. Part of this is being intentional about choosing a supply chain that nurtures relationships with the people who supply and lovingly farm the cacao. Laughing Gull uses their delicious confections to connect chocolate lovers to the source in a united mission to help save the world.” They frequently use local ingredients such as Pittford Farms Dairy eggnog for an eggnog truffle, Blackbutton Distilling bourbon cream, or F. Olivers olive oil.
- Website: laughinggullchocolates.com
Rue Claire Lavender Farm & Artisan Chocolate
- Location: Lodi
- About: “Claire Benjamin, Chocolatier, Farmer, Beekeeper, Inn keeper, Culinary instructor and Mixologist at Rue Claire Lavender Farm & Artisan Chocolates and Bin 414 Wine Barrel Glamping. She earned her Accreditation of Chocolatier Certification in Quebec Canada and she also studied and honed her craft at the world famous Le Cordon Bleu in Paris…She is also known for her expertise in custom creating the perfect chocolates to be paired with wine, cider, spirits and beer in the Finger Lakes Region…What makes our chocolate special is our style of creativity, unexpected combinations and layers of flavors that please the eye and the palate – inspired by seasonal local ingredients with global culinary twists. Rue Claire supports our local farmers and is grateful for the region’s bounty so we make sure we treat these gifts from nature with respect by using the highest quality chocolate and all natural ingredients. Artistically inspired and handcrafted with passion, we hope you enjoy and savor every bite of our small batch artisan chocolate.”
- Website: facebook.com/RueClaireLavenderFarmAndChocolateShop
Gretchen’s Confections & Cafe
- Location: Auburn
- About: Gretchen Christenson, co-founder of the shop opened in 2018 says: “I wanted to be a chef since I was three years old…I studied at, and graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Seattle, WA. I was fortunate to be placed with one particular Chef Instructor who was skilled with chocolate. He decided to squeeze a segment about chocolate into two days of the curriculum, where there hadn’t been before. I was hooked. I interned with chocolatier Julie Farrell at Tease Chocolates in Tacoma, WA, and then I took classes at Callebaut’s Académie du Chocolat in Montréal. After that, I graduated from École Chocolat’s Certified Chocolatier Program. I have spent countless hours messing up, learning, innovating, and striving to constantly hone my skills in this craft.” They use some local ingredients such as Forty Weight Coffee Roasters ground coffee. Some intriguing confections include The Tubman (malted milk white chocolate ganache with a layer of honey caramel) and My Girl (Chambord ganache with tart raspberry pate de fruit).
- Website: gretchen-s.com
Nostalgia Chocolates
- Location: Syracuse
- About: Tiffany and Tyler Cagwin tasted real chocolate for the first time on their honeymoon in the Caribbean. That seed of inspiration grew into the conviction that Tyler should learn how to make chocolate, “bean to bar.” The rest is history. Now the couple produces ethically and sustainably sourced chocolate bars in recyclable packaging. Their goal is to support farmers in the regions of origin of the cacao beans — and of additional ingredients. One intriguing bar, for example, is made with beans from the Tabasco region of Mexico, along with cayenne pepper from Dizzy Lizzie’s Farm in Erieville, NY. There’s a large variety of bars to choose from: dark (some single origin — including from India! Who knew?!), white, and milk chocolate as well as variations with oat milk, maple sugar, different salts from Syracuse Salt Company, and fruit. I’m very curious to try the bar aged in Chinook Hops.
- Website: nostalgiachocolates.com
Don’t forget to check out all the other chocolate shops in the Finger Lakes. You can make a whole chocolate trail out of them. Here’s the post with all the details.
And if you’re generally into sweets, you may enjoy these posts as well:
- A history of the ice cream sundae, which was invented in Ithaca!
- My roundup of the best ice cream shops in Ithaca.
PIN THIS POST FOR LATER:
Playing with Toys Galore at the Finger Lakes Toy Library in Ithaca, NY
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