Best sweets for your sweet.(up front: News / Trends / Advice)

Although giving a box of chocolates isn't the most novel way to play Cupid, our trained tasters found six confections so fresh and flavorful that your beloved will forgive your lack of originality.

The handmade chocolates in the Ratings below cost $40 to $83 a box, plus shipping if you order online or by phone. The mass-produced chocolates we tasted--Hershey's, Whitman's, Fannie May, and Russell Stover--can cost one-fourth as much, but none of them had the quality of the pricey ones. Flaws in some of those candies included cloying sweetness, artificial flavors, gritty or chalky texture, and staleness. Even fancy offerings from Godiva and Lindt didn't measure up to those in the Ratings.

Taste results. The best chocolates tasted different from each other, yet all had a "wow" factor--just-made freshness; smooth, even-melting chocolate; and hints of real cream, butter, and vanilla. Fruit or herbal flavors tasted like the real thing. We've split the Ratings into two groups--more traditional and more unusual--and described some of the pieces to expect.

Nutrition news. Even a few pieces have about 14 grams of fat and about 200 calories. But there's some sweet news about solid chocolate: Its stearic acid (a type of fat) doesn't seem to boost "bad" cholesterol levels. Chocolate contains beneficial compounds called polyphenols, and studies have shown that dark chocolate can expand arteries and increase blood flow, which might offer protection from cardiovascular disease. Preliminary research also suggests that a few ounces of dark chocolate might reduce blood pressure slightly in hypertensive adults.

The bottom line. Each of these chocolates was rated excellent, but because they're very different, it pays to find out whether the recipient prefers dark, milk, or white chocolate or has a favorite, or disliked, filling (companies may allow substitutions). Keep in mind that these fresh chocolates become stale sooner than more-common fare, which means (sigh) someone will have to eat them fast.

 
Quick Ratings Boxed chocolates 
 
All were excellent; within types, listed in order of sensory quality. 
 
Product                        Weight   Price   Cost 
                               (oz.)            per oz. 
 
FOR TRADITIONALISTS Truffle-style (chocolate inside and 
out) some nuts, caramels, and liqueurs. 
 
[CR BEST BUY] Candinas           16       $41    $2.56 
 
John & Kira's Jubilee            20        69     3.45 
Wood Gift Box 
 
La Maison du Chocolat            21        83     3.95 
Coffret ...