It can make you feel warm all over, like being hugged or tucked into bed. It can be as homey as toffee crunch bark or chocolate pecan turtles. As arch as a couturier Oreo. Or just plain brilliantly calculated, like Jacques Torress passion-fruit heart or a twiggy thin caramel with coffee in a seriously great restaurant. Rich yummy mocha kissing your mouth, the smart satin darkness of a ganache searing your soul. Thank heavens for Halloween: It legitimizes overindulgence in pop chocolates, too. Dare to recycle tiny mint patties and miniMilky Ways from the younguns treat bags into your own secret cache. Give the kids an apple and a hug. Spare them premature addiction.

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How Jacques Torres Makes Chocolate
Six steps to chocolate perfection.

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14 of New York’s sweetest spots.

How to Remove Chocolate Stains
The most reliable method, as proved by science.

Cuckoo for Cocoa?
Ask the expert.