Jewels of chocolate, that’s the only way to describe the divine truffles, many with shimmering colors of apple green, tangerine, hot pink and hand painted patterns. And then there are the whimsical ones for whatever holiday is coming up — in this case blood orange devil, creme brulee werewolf, and Frankenstein toffee for Halloween. They’re among the many stars at new chocolate boutique Beacon Hill Chocolates,6318 Biscayne Boulevard.
They’re exquisite morsels, in dark and milk chocolate, white chocolate, and with all matter of fillings. Owner and chocolatier Paula Barth fell in love with fine chocolate while procuring rare and distinctive foods for chefs, artisan food boutiques and caterers. She reached out to leading chocolatiers in Belgium, France, Switzerland, Italy, Brazil and the USA to make her the truffles, telling them she wanted their very best. There are over 100 varieties in all, among them my favorites, dark chocolate hazelnut and what they call sushi rolls. OMG they’re a candidate for my best desserts of the year. Dark chocolate is the shell for creamy marshmallow swirled with chewy caramel. The pieces, a little larger than the size of a quarter, are so rich, one is satisfying. The Beacon Hill Signature chocolate is 72 percent single origin Venezuelan dark chocolate ganache tucked inside a dark chocolate shell. Other exclusive pieces are the martini truffle, olive oil and sea salt, cashew crunch and raspberry dessert cup.
But there’s much more for chocolate lovers, just for examples — novelties made with edible flowers, bars with varying degrees of cacao from famed French chocolatier Michel Cuizel, shapes inspired by nature (flipper, sardines, seashells), S’more bars, and even a bar with 99% cacao. Besides the truffles the other standout are the handmade keepsake boxes, a signature of the shop. Find them emblazoned with retro postcard- like images brandishing the word Miami complete with glitter, or custom models they make from provided images of one’s dog, children,or even a selfie. They come in various sizes, even small ones for one chocolate that are perfect for party or wedding favors.
And if you’re with someone who isn’t particularly a chocolate lover, there’s a selection of Florida made gelatos and sorbetos in flavors like cinnamon and vanilla, cayenne mango, and banana, rum and vanilla (the one I especially want to try) and a bar with assorted roasted nuts. Prices? Expect what you’d pay in any fine chocolate shop. Truffles are $2.50 each and a keepsake box that holds 12 pieces is $36.
Welcome to Miami Beacon Hill Chocolates. We’re glad you’re here!
Photography by William Oberheiser
