By Rashi Wadhera
Whether you’re whipped, are one of two pecans in a pod, or can’t remember the last time you had a batter half, love is worthy of celebrating. We’re all for spoiling your significant other, but we personally promote spreading V-day cheer amongst friends, family and pet pooches also. Since most of you have your cupcake favorites by now, we’re focusing on cookies and chocolate. Whether you’re gifting, flying solo or boycotting V-day, the two big C’s will always suffice. In the spirit of spreading love and cheer, LBB handpicked our top bakers and makers, aka cupid incarnate, to cater to every palette, diet plan and pocket.
BAKERIES
Redmoon Bakery | Redmoon is making love heart message cookies; heart shaped iced sugar cookies and personalized photo cookies. They’ve also introduced peanut butter flavored treats for your pooch!
Where: M76, GK2; Contact: 011 41574797; For home delivery: 011 40534797
Price: Message cookies at INR 80/piece, a dozen heart shaped cookies at INR 250; For more information, click here
Bruijn | From Saudi Dates, Lebanese Baklava, to Dragees, Pure cocoa Belgian chocolate, Natural Nut bars and more, this international dessert maker finds its way to Delhi. LBB Recommends the chocolate coated Saudi dates- haven't tried anything like this before.
Where: C-6, Next to Baskin Robbins, GK1 main rd, before M-block market
Price: Find more here
L’opera | Our eternal valentine; switch-up the traditional cookie with their incredible range of light madeleines, Chapeau Melons and the Operette biscuits. May we suggest, be Parisian this V-day and celebrate with macarons.
Where: To locate a store, click here
Price: INR 125/macaron, INR 215/madeleine, INR 175/Chapeau Melon and INR 200/Operette
Mrs Kaur | Most well-known for their cookies, choose from a wide range of flavors including choco chip, cocoa white, tropical chunk, almond chocolate chunk and oatmeal scotches, or mix it up with chocolate, available in butterscotch, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, almond, caramel and medallion.
Where: Locate a store, click here
Price: Cookies at INR 35 each, and chocolate at INR 30 a piece
Cookie Man | These Australian cookie specialists house every conceivable flavor, and do assortment jars. We recommend the 'secret recipe' cherry bites, and their rendition of the Italian Biscotti. They also have a V-day contest running; it could win you a CookieMan voucher!
Where: Locate a store, click here
Price: Biscotti at INR 30 a piece, and Cherry Bites at INR 35 a piece; Facebook Page here
Bateel | Renowned date {the fruit} specialists, Bateel does a range of deluxe date, milk and blended chocolates. Although not quite cookies, the Date Biscuits top our luxury cookie list.
Where: DLF Place, Saket; Contact: 011 46081701
Price: Date biscuits at INR 2,200/500 gms; For more information, click here; Facebook Page here
Patchi | Think of Patchi as designer chocolate. Known for their fine flavor and slick packaging, Patchi currently only has a range of no added sugar chocolates on its retail list.
Where: Select Citywalk; Contact: 011 40575039
Price: INR 5,500/kg; For more information, click here; Facebook Page here
Celeste, The Artisan of Fine Chocolates | Chocolate connoisseurs, for V-day, they’re doing the staple heart shaped chocolates across flavors, including butterscotch, orange and strawberry. Their best sellers are the Hazelnut and Caramel Chocolate.
Where: S549, GK2 and Ambience Mall, Gurgaon; Contact: 011 47559999/47010943
Price: INR 10-100/piece and INR 50-5,000/package; For more information, click here; Facebook Page here
Pudding and Pie | They offer cookies and chocolates in bakery-staple flavors. What sets them apart is the Kaju chocolates, and Zeera and Coconut cookies. Browse their selection here
Where: C60, Shivalik road; Contact/ for home delivery: 9958179992
Price: INR 90/bag of 20 cookies
Chokola | Chokola has an exhaustive collection of fine chocolates ranging from pralines, truffles, chocolate cups and mendiants, to chocolate coated rochers and bars. Our vote goes to the nut studded Belgian milk chocolate bar, a fine art version of Crackle, and for all you sap-junkies, sample the Chokola Red Rose Bunch - a bouquet of chocolate!
Where: Locate a store here
Price: INR 225 for the nut studded bar, INR 810 for the red rose bunch; Facebook Page here
HOME-BAKERS
Sugarama | Using ingredients imported from all over the world, combined with fine french culinary skills, Sugarama does a collection of their signature fine Belgian chocolate, Strawberry Chili, Star Anise and Salted Caramel. Always experimental with their flavors, feel free to be a risk taker when ordering, you won't be disappointed.
Contact: 9899709989 {For orders and other options}
Price: On request and depending on the flavor.
Charu Nanda | We stole a cookie from her cookie jar, only because it was a delectable vanilla shortbread dipped in chocolate ganache.
Contact: 9810009913 {For orders and other options}
Price: INR 60/cookie, alternatively, INR 500/500gm; Facebook Page here
Firefly India | Insanely popular for her customized cakes, sample her baking genius with her butter cookies topped with fondant. The good news: you can have them customized! She’s usually overbooked, so we recommend giving her significant notice.
Contact: 9810300975 {For orders and other options}
Price: On request, depends on your level of detailing; Facebook Page here
Divin-e-licious | Cupcake gurus, the Divin-e-licious ladies push the envelope with chocolates filled with a cake filling, and chocolate pops on a stick. Also available are chocolate chip cookies for bulk orders.
Contact: 9811961572
Price: For cake filled chocolate, INR 55/Piece, chocolate pops at INR 150/stick and cookies at INR 1,100/kg; Facebook Page here
Sana Nair| Fresh off the Cordon Bleu wagon, Sana can do any assorted chocolate, molded on enrobed, with flavors or ganache fillings, on request. If you have a particular preference, she can work around it and tailor-make your chocolate!
Contact: 9811633444 {For orders and other options}
Price: On request
Chocowell | The way to a man’s heart is through their very own invention: a fudgelate. If you’re not a fan of a fudgey base, try their assortment of flavored chocolates.
Contact: 9811660450 {For orders and other options}
Price: For a mix of plain milk and nut chocolates, INR 780/kilo, which gives you between 90 and 95 pieces; Facebook Page here
Wrapp Upps | Culinary inspired relatives Aparna and Sulekha hit the spot with their best-selling almond rocks, and crunchy and truffle chocolates.
Contact: 011 26964133 {For orders and other options}
Price: Almond Rocks at INR 1,300/kg and Crunchy and Truffle at INR 1,000/kg; Facebook Page here
Cococasa Chocolates | The only things better than their bitter chocolate is their sugar-free chocolate and almond rocks! Their USP: give them a budget and they work within it. Bonus: Besides baking, their customized packaging skills are note-worthy.
Contact: 9891822345 {For orders and other options}
Price: Almond Rocks at INR 1,500/kg; Facebook Page here
Wicked Desserts | Part almond and part Florentine; owner Aarti Gupta’s flavorful best will set the mood. Another must try: the assorted truffles.
Contact: 9811230770 {For orders and other options}
Price: Almond and Florentine chocolates start at INR 1,200/kg and the assorted truffles retail at INR 20-25/piece, depending on the flavor; For more information, click here
Chocs by Juuhi Jayhne | Contrary to what Forrest Gump preached, with Juuhi we know exactly what we’re going to get when we order a mixed bag of her dry fruit and nut, mint and caramel chocolates - a satisfied customer.
Contact: 9711804048 {For orders and other options}
Price: INR 700/kg for flavored chocolates and INR 750/kg for dry fruit and nut
Choctales | A mother-daughter duo run Choctales, a one-stop shop for both cookies and chocolates. Although retailing an exhaustive range, definitely try the dark chocolate and nut cookies, with a side order of the rum and raisin chocolates.
Contact: 9811269767 {For orders and other options}
Price: Chocolates start from INR 900-1,600/kg and the cookies retail at INR 500-800/kg; Facebook Page here
Dark Secrets | With their caramel, truffle, roasted almonds, mint, date and coffee flavors to choose from, this one should be anything but a secret. If you’re confused, ordering an assorted box will give you an eclectic mix of different flavors and infusions.
Contact: 9818304149/9810390086 {For orders and other options}
Price: An assorted box with 4-5 flavors is priced at INR 850/kg; Facebook Page here
The Sugar Story | A cookie specialist with many a classic rendition on her menu, her double chocolate chips, M&M’s and basic sugar cookies are must-orders. For a cookie chocolate hybrid, sample her biscuit chocolates.
Contact: 9811636654 {For orders and other options}
Price: Between INR 700-1,000, depending on your order; Facebook Page here
Divinum Chocolat | For an alcoholic fix with your dessert, devour their liqueur chocolates, and rum and truffle special. Another suitable candidate: the coffee flavored chocolates.
Contact: 9811815399 {For a full list of flavors and services}
Price: coffee at INR 750/kg and the liqueurs at 1,300/kg; Facebook Page here
Foodaholics | Echoing our addiction, baking experts at Foodaholics have designed heart shaped fudge {available in different flavors} topped with an edible red sparkle, and chocolate cookies with a gooey center, adorned with hearts - all to celebrate the 14th.
Contact: 9873164293
Price: INR 80-100/piece, depends on the size; For more information, click here; Facebook Page here