The term “sweet treat” has swept the internet and vocabularies by storm.

Whether it is an ice cream trip to Andy’s Frozen Custard or a late night cookie  run to Insomnia, most people have their go to sweet in mind. One Baton Rouge business has taken this experience to a new level.  

Chocolate Bijoúx LLC makes handcrafted artisan chocolates and sells them at Baton Rouge storefronts such as Juban’s, Local Supply BR, The Keeping Room, Lighthouse Coffee and Mulberry Market. The business, with a blend of Arab and Southern influence, started in February 2023 by current Louisiana State University senior Maram Khalaf. Khalaf makes an arrangement of specialty chocolates with flavors like caramel, cookies and cream and most famously the pistachio Dubai bar.

Khalaf said there is more to it than just mixing ingredients together to make her chocolates. As a biology and education major, she likes to approach this process with a scientific mindset. All of this started when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, and her mother couldn’t get the Swiss chocolate she preferred over the American one, so Khalaf decided she would start making them at home. 

“The skills I develop in my studies—such as experimentation, creativity and problem-solving—enhance my chocolate-making process,” Khalaf said. “This unique blend of science and artistry allows me to innovate while ensuring quality, making each chocolate creation not just delicious but also a product of careful thought and study.” 

The process is not as simple as it may seem. Khalif shares each step in the process of her chocolate making skills here:

Step 1: Polish the molds to ensure a glossy finish on the bonbons.

Step 2: Temper the cocoa butter and use it to decorate the molds. This could be with a brush, splatter effect or airbrush for added color and design.

Step 3: Temper the chocolate. This gives it a smooth, shiny finish and a satisfying snap when broken.

Step 4: Shell the molds into each cavity, ensuring they are evenly coated. Tap out the excess chocolate to form a thin shell.

Step 5: Allow the shells to set by cooling them. 

Step 6: Fill the shells with filling. All fillings are made in-house from nut roasting to nut butters to caramel.

Step 7: Cap and seal the bonbons with more tempered chocolate over the tops of the molds, completely sealing in the filling.

Step 8: Crack out the bonbons once they’re fully set.

Step 9: Package the bonbons carefully, ensuring they stay fresh and are beautifully presented. When making chocolate bonbons, the company treat presentation and flavor with equal importance.

Chocolate Bijoúx has been able to help cater and fulfill people’s sweet treat dreams since opening. Khalaf said that running a niche business like her own in Baton Rouge is rare and unique. Unlike the usual cake or cookie, it is hard to find anything else like the chocolates she is selling, since all ingredients are whole and natural with no artificial additives or chemicals.

“With a focus on creativity and community, we often give back and emphasize the importance of paying it forward,” Khalaf said. “We strive to stay on-trend and provide something that isn’t available anywhere else at the highest quality, like our viral Pistachio Dubai bar.” 

Customers are able to customize orders with chocolates of all kinds, Khalaf said. Whether it is a pick up at businesses such as Mulberry Market or a local market, Khalaf and her chocolates can be found all over Baton Rouge. 

“My business blends passion, culture and creativity,” Khalaf said. “Essentially my goal is to bring people together through chocolate, creating an inclusive space and proving that anyone can succeed with hard work.”