This October, give the candy corn and mars bars a miss and satisfy your sweet tooth with these gourmet candies instead.

Candy Kittens

Founded by Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing in 2012, Candy Kittens is a West London-based confectioner's specialising in gluten-free, fruit and vegetable-based gummy flavours, including the likes of Sour Watermelon and Eton Mess. The playful cat-shaped confections are accordingly cute, served to you at Laing's flagship boutique by a colorful team of "Candy Kittens" girls.

SugarSin

This eye-catching shop in Covent Garden, named one of the world’s most beautiful candy shops by Architectural Digest, carries a broad range of delicious gelatine-free and vegan jelly candies like the Cuba Libre gumdrop, mini marshmallows, salted caramel fudge, and nuts enrobed in chocolate. Many sweets are gluten-free, too. Have your cameras at the ready, to win prizes via their Instagram.

Rococo Chocolates

Open long before fussy chocolate shops plagued every high street, founder Chantal Coady, OBE, and her King's Road shop Rococo have been pioneering the artisan chocolate movement in the UK since 1983. What sets Coady and her team apart is originality, something that has been recognnised and awarded by the Academy of Chocolate (‘Changing the way People Think About Chocolate’ Award), the Wall Street Journal (the founder of the ‘New British School’ of chocolate), and the Queen alike (she included Coady in her 2014 Birthday Honours ‘For Services To Chocolate’). We recommend the Lemon Violets and Basil and Persian Lime Artisan Bar. 

Spun

Spun specialises in 100% vegetarian, all natural and handmade hard candies. Think big traditional spiral lollipops and cut rock candy. All treats are made in-branch in Spitalfields. The company caters to customisable candy for clients and consumers. Their popular parties and masterclasses allow U and your friends to create candy from scratch, choosing flavours, colours and designs. Going it alone? Spun could help U meet your sweetie... The comapny have launched the first candy-making speed dating. These quirky evenings take place in their state-of-the-art candy kitchen.

Sugarfina

Founders Rosie O’Neill and Josh Resnick met on Match.com (on a movie date to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, no less) in 2010 and have created a sweet partnership. Their company, Sugarfina, boasts nearly 50 locations in the US and a celebrity following. The popular candies are available in the UK from Harvey Nichols only. The brand is known for visually-striking bento boxes and innovative flavours, their most recent being a special rosé gummy bear in conjunction with popular wine, Whispering Angel.

Ideal For

Hitting some sweet spots...