Food Shopping and Storing Easy Tricks for Decoding What's Inside a Box of Chocolates (So You Always Know What You're Going to Get) So you received a box of chocolates—but do you know which filling is which? Use this guide to figure out which chocolates you really love. By Heath Goldman Heath Goldman Heath Goldman is a trained chef, recipe developer, and writer. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on July 9, 2022 Share Tweet Pin Email Trending Videos Photo: bluestocking/Getty Images Life has its share of mysteries, but the contents of a box of chocolates doesn't have to be one of them. Fortunately for chocolate lovers everywhere—and recipients of the classic Valentine's Day heart-shaped box of chocolates—most follow the same plan, largely for practical reasons. Read on for our guide to all the chocolates in your chocolate box, so you can easily find and remember your favorites (and skip the ones you dislike). How to Make Chocolate-Covered Strawberries For a guide (with pictures, of course) to your chocolate box, see our chart below. You'll be picking your favorite candy from the rest in a snap. Written by Heath Goldman; designed by Rebecca Hart See a larger version of our chocolate box guide here. The Ultimate Guide to Your Box of Chocolates 01 of 04 Square and rectangular chocolates Square or rectangular chocolates are almost always filled with a crunchy or chewy toffee or caramel filling. When toffees and caramels are made, they're hot and liquidy. "[They] cool on large slabs, then are cut at right angles and dipped in chocolate," says Tom Ward, the president and CEO of Russell Stover. This ensures no goodness is wasted. RELATED: Valentine's Day Gifts for Her 02 of 04 Circular and oval chocolates Rounded chocolates always contain soft fillings like ganache or cream. Think milk or dark chocolate truffles, vanilla cream, and raspberry cream. In production, the soft centers get scooped or piped into circular rounds and then drizzled with chocolate. 03 of 04 Chocolates with bumpy surfaces If the surface isn't smooth (read: bumpy on top), it's probably a nut candy. They're basically lumpy piles of nuts (such as peanuts, almonds, or cashews) held together with a chocolate coating. Sometimes they come in paper linings, like peanut butter cups. 04 of 04 Chocolates wrapped in a shiny foil wrapper If the wrapper is foil, the chocolate probably has an ooey-gooey liquid center, like that of a cherry cordial. Hint: The foil protects against leaks. RELATED: Valentine's Day Gifts for Him The Foolproof, Four-Step Method For Melting Chocolate Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit