1. Katherine Anne Confections (2745 W. Armitage Ave.)

Native Wisconsinite Katherine Anne may have started out as a caramel aficionado, but the chocolate selection in her Logan Square shop is equally impressive. I favor hand-dipped truffles such as the java truffle, infused with coffee flavor from nearby Ipsento Coffee House and Roaster (2035 N. Western Ave.). The candies are available in 3-, 7-, or 20-piece sets.

2. Mindy’s Hot Chocolate (1747 N. Damen Ave.) 

Gift bags of powdered hot chocolate in multiple flavors, from butterscotch to cacao nib, showcase the dessert-designing skills that earned Mindy Segal a James Beard Award for Outstanding Pastry Chef in 2012.

3. Vanille Patisserie (2229 N. Clybourn Ave.; also inside the French Market at 131 N. Clinton St.)

Although I usually come to Vanille for its near-perfect macarons, the chefs are also expert chocolatiers who blend inventive flavors into Cacao Barry chocolate using traditional French techniques. Though there’s a wide array to choose from, standouts include Tea Candy Bars infused with Rishi Tea.

4. The Fudge Pot (1532 N. Wells St.)

The four generations of chocolate makers at this Old Town confectionery have been serving up their 12 flavors of fudge since 1963. Their molded chocolates are a great gift for kids, taking on shapes from trucks to trout to Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Photo credit: Halley Lawrence, Groupon