Cool Hunting

We love a good high-brow low-brow mash up, and that's exactly what Chuao's new Firecracker chocolates provide—a combination of very tasty chocolate, a little salt, the heat of chipotle and the pop of crackling candy. We were surprised how much we liked it. While they offer a small variety of firecracker chocolate bars, we particularly enjoyed the chocolate truffles, which delivered, as someone said, "a party in your mouth." The trufles have a caramel fudge center that's been infused with chipotle and a touch of salt, then covered in dark chocolate and a layer of popping candy.

Pronounced chew-WOW, Chuao Chocolatier was formed in 2002 by the Antonorsi brothers, a duo from Venezuela with a family history of producing chocolates for the criollo cacao plantation industry. After taking up residence in Encinitas, California, they opened a boutique selling Spicy Maya, their take on the ancient Mayan hot chocolate recipe, which they make with pasilla chile and cayenne pepper.

Available online or at a these retailers.

Also on CH: Chuao Chocopods.