Stick With Me Sweets 12 pc Bonbon Box
Image: Stick With Me Sweets. Used for editorial review under §9.
There's a kalamansi meringue pie inside one of these. Crust, custard, meringue. In a bonbon. Per Se trained her.
Per Se's former head chocolatier spent two years in Thomas Keller's humidity-controlled chocolate room before opening a 750-square-foot Nolita boutique. Each bonbon takes three days to hand-paint. Wirecutter tested 41 brands and named these a top pick.
The book-shaped box opens to reveal 12 jewel-toned pieces with flavors like kalamansi meringue pie and bourbon maple pecan. Van Cleef, Cartier, and Tiffany commission her for their VIP clients.
We don't earn if you buy · Why this matters
Stick With Me Sweets Bonbon Box ($58). Hand-painted chocolates from Per Se's former head chocolatier. Each bonbon contains layered desserts. Wirecutter top pick from 41 brands.
The argument
Why We Chose the 12 pc Bonbon Box
Most boxed chocolates offer variations on a theme: ganache in a shell, maybe some nuts. Susanna Yoon does something different. She builds desserts in miniature. Bite into the Kalamansi Meringue Pie and you get actual meringue, actual kalamansi custard, actual graham cracker crust layered inside white chocolate. The Bourbon Maple Pecan has three distinct strata. This is architectural confectionery, not flavored ganache.
And the shells themselves are hand-painted with colors that map to flavors inside: gold spray and red brushstroke for bourbon, representing both maple leaf and the Maker's Mark seal.
Wirecutter tested 41 boxed chocolate brands before naming Stick With Me a top pick. They cited what reviewers keep saying: these are the thinnest, snappiest shells in the category, evidence of the precision Susanna learned in two years at Per Se.
The fit
Who'll Love This
Someone whose love language is food. Someone who would have loved to taste Per Se's bonbons but never made the reservation. Someone who appreciates that Susanna Yoon became a chocolatier after her grandmother died, channeling decades of Korean nurturing into each hand-painted shell.
Perfect for someone who
- believes food is love
- would order the tasting menu if she could
- notices when each chocolate has different layers
- keeps beautiful packaging
Skip for someone who
- Won't eat them within 7 days of delivery
- Prefers dark chocolate intensity over creative layered flavors. (Compartés does 73% dark with seven Oprah nods.)
- Has tree nut or peanut allergy (shared facility)
- Finds whimsical book-box packaging too playful for her taste
Top artisan chocolates for design-conscious gift givers
Safe GiftUniversal appeal
The Verdict
Susanna Yoon trained at the French Culinary Institute.
Susanna Yoon trained at the French Culinary Institute, then Café Boulud under Daniel Boulud, then Per Se under Thomas Keller. After two years at Per Se, first in pastry and then as its head chocolatier, she opened a 750-square-foot boutique in Nolita.
Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany commission her for their VIP clients. Wirecutter tested 41 brands and named hers a top pick. The credentials speak. What she ships is what she served at three Michelin stars.
What People Say About Stick With Me Sweets
No reviews yet for this specific product. Here's what customers say about Stick With Me Sweets's other products:
Reviews are brand-level (367 Yelp reviews at 4.7 stars span all Stick With Me products, not this specific box). Overwhelmingly positive: reviewers praise flavor precision, visual artistry, and Michelin-caliber quality. Common themes: each bonbon is a work of art, flavors are sophisticated yet balanced, book-box packaging delights recipients. Premium price noted as worth it. Only criticism: freshness declines after 2 days, one Wirecutter taster found the book box juvenile.
"These bonbons are a work of art. Not only do they look good they taste great. I bite them in half so I can savor it slowly. It is an expensive treat."
"You're getting Michelin Star quality bonbons which I don't say lightly. The thin outside snapped nicely, the ganache was smooth, and the flavor was nice. Would recommend these heavily as a gift or as a fancy treat."
"I have purchased many chocolates here for my own pleasure, while gifting it to my family and friends. They look beautiful and taste even better. For any sweet tooth you know, this is the perfect gift."
"I purchased a 6-piece book of chocolates as a gift. The chocolates are pristine and I think might be the shiniest I've ever seen at an artisanal chocolatier. The colors are bold and bright! It was mesmerizing."
"Greatest chocolate I've ever had. My mind was blown by how delicious it was. The maple pecan signature was SO SO GOOD. I couldn't stop thinking about this chocolate for the rest of the day."
Recognition
Featured in NYT Wirecutter
“This New York-based chocolatier harnesses flavors in full force within delicate hand-painted shells.”
The Moment
Three weeks later, reaching for a book on the shelf, she pauses and pulls out the empty chocolate box instead. She uses it to store earrings now, and every time she opens it she thinks about the bourbon maple pecan she saved for last.
The Gift Scene
She expects a box and gets a book, the spine revealing nothing about chocolate. When she opens the cover, 12 bonbons appear in vivid turquoise, fuchsia, and gold, each color hinting at flavor.
The shell gives way in a clean snap to reveal layers: kalamansi meringue over custard, graham cracker crunch at the base. The book box will stay on her shelf long after the chocolate is gone.
The Message
Nurturing made edible by a Per Se-trained chocolatier who chose love over fine dining.
Who are you buying for?
The worry
Another year of flowers and a card. She says she doesn't want anything, but generic chocolates feel like I stopped trying to find something real.
Mother's Day
For the mom who made everything special, something someone made special for her
She spent years turning ordinary days into occasions. Now you can return the favor with Per Se's former chocolatier.
Mom nurtures through food. So does Susanna Yoon, who became a chocolatier after her grandmother passed because she wanted to bring that same care into the world. Each bonbon takes three days to hand-paint. The Korean heritage flavors come from her grandmother's kitchen. Mom will recognize that language. She'll understand that someone poured the same attention into these that she pours into every holiday meal. The thin shells snap like evidence of precision.
Susanna became a chocolatier after her grandmother died, wanting to nurture through food. Mom will taste three days of hand-painting and Per Se precision. Research found handmade gifts preferred for close recipients, a mother among them.
$58 sounds like a lot until you compare it to flowers that die in a week or a generic box she'll forget. The book box becomes jewelry storage after. Per Se trained, Wirecutter tested, Oprah listed. This one sticks.
She expects a box but gets a book, and when she opens the cover she finds 12 jeweled bonbons in turquoise and fuchsia arranged like paragraphs. 'These are too beautiful to eat,' she says, but picks one up anyway.
The worry
Being predictable again. She'll smile and say thank you, but I'll know. It's the same category as last year. She deserves genuine surprise.
Valentine's Day
She's seen every chocolate box. She hasn't seen the one shaped like a book.
Van Cleef, Cartier, and Tiffany hire her for their clients. Now she's available for your wife.
Two years in Per Se's humidity-controlled chocolate room taught Susanna the Thomas Keller standard: neater, cleaner, shinier. She polishes every mold individually. The book box references Grand Budapest Hotel's whimsy. Each of the 12 flavors is painted to suggest what's inside: gold spray and red brushstroke for bourbon maple. This isn't a chocolate box your wife has seen before. It's curated by someone who made desserts for $700 tasting menus and now packages them in keepsake books.
Three days of hand-painting per batch. Thin shells snap to reveal layered architecture. Van Cleef and Cartier hire Susanna for their VIP clients. That attention is now in your hands.
'Too pretty to eat' is the point. But the maker says best within 7 days of delivery, so they're meant to be savored, not displayed. She eats the chocolates slowly. She keeps the book box forever. Beauty with practical intention.
She lifts a turquoise dome and bites through the shell to find kalamansi custard, then meringue, then graham cracker crunch at the base. 'This is a complete dessert,' she says, already reaching for the next one.
The worry
Showing up with something she already knows about. Or worse, something she already tried and dismissed. Her bar is high. I need to clear it.
Birthday
The chocolate she hasn't found yet. You're welcome.
She knows every bakery in the city. But has she found the Per Se chocolatier hiding on Mott Street in Nolita?
750 square feet on Mott Street. Susanna searched over 100 locations before finding the space. The book boxes reference Grand Budapest Hotel. Luxury brands commission her for VIP clients. Each batch takes three days to hand-paint. The Korean heritage flavors (black sesame, yuzu, matcha) come from her grandmother's kitchen. Wirecutter tested 41 brands and named hers a top pick. This is the friend-to-friend find that proves you can keep up.
Susanna hand-paints colors that signal flavors: bourbon maple gets gold and red for Maker's Mark. 750 sq ft Nolita boutique, Per Se precision. Twelve bonbons become twelve shared discoveries.
Yes, they photograph beautifully. But Wirecutter didn't name these a top pick for looks. They tested flavor across 41 brands. She'll appreciate both. Substance and style. The kind of thing she usually finds first.
You open the book together and she picks fuchsia while you pick the black-speckled one, comparing notes on whether hers tastes like raspberry or black currant. By the third bonbon, you've both forgotten the movie you were supposed to watch.
The worry
The same Harry & David everyone gives. Or worse, something too intimate for work. Professional relationships need thoughtful but appropriate.
Thank You
The chocolate luxury brands give their VIPs, now appropriate for yours
Cartier and Tiffany hire her for their clients. A step up from the usual corporate box, without overstepping.
Per Se head chocolatier. Verifiable. Wirecutter Top Pick from 41 brands. Verifiable. Oprah's Favorite Things. Verifiable. Everything can be Googled. Everything checks out. That's the professional-grade gift: impressive credentials that hold up to scrutiny. The book box format is distinctive without being strange. Twelve flavors means something for every taste. Consumable means no awkward 'where do I put this' moment. $58 hits the generous-but-not-excessive range.
Per Se pedigree signals excellence. Wirecutter tested 41 brands. Van Cleef and Tiffany commission her. Crucially: chocolates are consumable, no display obligation. Impressive and appropriate.
It's chocolate. Consumable, shareable, no display obligation. $58 is generous without being excessive. The book box becomes a desk organizer after. Professional, elevated, and practical. No awkward energy.
The book box sits on her desk until a meeting runs long and she opens it for the room, sharing one bonbon with a visitor who asks for the name of the shop before leaving.
The worry
The wine that never gets opened. The flowers that die. The gesture that merges with everyone else's. Showing up with nothing memorable feels hollow.
Thank You
The host gift that actually gets opened that night
Everyone brings wine. Bring the Per Se chocolatier's book box. Twelve flavors for the table to discover together.
Book boxes designed for sharing. Twelve flavors from kalamansi meringue to bourbon maple. Vivid colors start conversation. Per Se pedigree gives the host material for other guests. Wirecutter pick provides validation. The host looks good serving them. You look good bringing them. Mutual benefit. The book box format is inherently social: open it on the table, pass it around, compare discoveries. $58 is the price of a good bottle, but this actually gets consumed that evening.
Twelve bonbons in a book box for passing around. Oprah called it her book club addition. Colors spark conversation. Unlike wine, consumed that evening. Unlike flowers, the box remains.
They have wine. They have flowers. They don't have Per Se chocolates in a book box. At $58, it's the price of a good bottle, but guaranteed to be opened and finished that night. The book stays as a reminder.
Coffee appears and the book box opens to a chorus of 'these are art,' with each guest picking a different color and conversations shifting from work to travel to who's had bourbon maple before.
The bottom line
Two years in Per Se's humidity-controlled chocolate room, distilled into 12 bonbons for $58. What used to require a $700 reservation now ships to her door.
Where it's made
Nolita, New York City
Susanna Yoon's bonbon boutique at 202A Mott St. Hand-crafted daily in small batches.
From our research
Yoon became a chocolatier the year her grandmother died. She spoke at the funeral and told everyone she wanted to be just like her. The grandmother's name was Shin Chil Rye.
Before chocolate, Yoon founded a branding company in Beijing, played acoustic guitar, and recorded an album featured in Korean dramas. Then she enrolled in pastry school at 30.
Her culinary school final project was a grand piano that opened to reveal a keyboard made of truffles.
The score
Hand-painted bonbons in jewel-like colors, housed in a book-shaped box. Vibrant shells with metallic and fuchsia palettes. Vogue called it art.
Per Se pastry chef with a Nolita boutique—not on Amazon or in department stores. Wirecutter Top Pick from 41 brands tested.
Open a book to find 12 glossy bonbons. Thin shells snap to reveal layered ganache. Each flavor a distinct story—kalamansi meringue, bourbon maple.
Wirecutter Top Pick. Per Se pastry chef. 4.7 stars, 367 Yelp reviews. Oprah's Favorite Things.
The evidence
Why we trust this
85/100 (High)—NYT Wirecutter Top Pick in Best Boxed Chocolates (Jan 2026, 41 brands tested). 4.7 stars from 367 Yelp reviews with 820+ customer photos spanning 2016-2026. Per Se pedigree verified through editorial and customer sources. Brand claims Oprah, Vogue, Bon Appetit coverage (not independently verified). No product-level reviews on brand site. TripAdvisor 4.3/29 reviews supports.
The research behind this
19 verified claims from this product's record - last verified February 25, 2026
Rating and review data from
Quick facts
- Price
- $58
- Feels Like
- $95 Per Se training plus 3-day hand-painting process. Luxury brands pay her for VIP clients.
- Brand
- Stick With Me Sweets
- Category
- Gourmet & Consumables
- Aesthetic
- Quiet Luxury
- Gift Type
- Safe Gift
- Type
- Consumable
Value
3-day hand-painting per batch. Per Se training. Less than brunch for two, memories for months.
Common Questions
Why does Susanna Yoon hand-paint each bonbon?
Each bonbon takes 3 days to create. Susanna trained 2 years at Per Se under Thomas Keller before opening her Nolita boutique. The hand-painting isn't decoration—colors signal flavors inside. Gold spray and red brushstroke means bourbon maple. That level of intention is why Van Cleef and Cartier commission her for VIP clients.
Why do Stick With Me bonbons cost $58 for 12 pieces?
At $4.83 per bonbon, you're paying for Per Se pedigree made accessible. Susanna spent 14-hour days in Thomas Keller's humidity-controlled chocolate room. Those techniques now ship for the price of a brunch. Wirecutter tested 41 brands and named these a top pick. The training is in the snap of the shell.
Who are Stick With Me bonbons perfect for?
Moms whose love language is food. Susanna became a chocolatier after her grandmother Shin Chil Rye died—she wanted to nurture through food the way her grandmother did through Korean cooking. These bonbons carry that lineage. Also perfect for wives who have seen every chocolate box and need something that surprises.
How long do Stick With Me bonbons stay fresh?
The maker says best within 7 days of delivery; its description says 10 days. No preservatives. These are made fresh in Susanna's kitchen and Nolita boutique. Plan your timing—order close to when you'll gift them. The thin shells that make them special also make them ephemeral. Worth the planning.
What makes the book-shaped box special?
Open the spine like a hardcover. Inside: 12 jewel-like bonbons arranged like paragraphs in turquoise, fuchsia, and gold. Oprah called it 'the newest addition to my book club.' After the chocolates are gone, recipients use it for earrings, keepsakes, or display. The box outlasts the contents by years.
No more questions? Buy it for $58
How We Validated This
Last updated- Official Stick With Me Sweets Official Stick With Me Press Page
- Press NYT Wirecutter Best Boxed Chocolates NBC News Asian America Institute of Culinary Education Alumni Pastry Arts Magazine York Avenue Blog
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