Meet Diane Krulac

Cocoa Creek Chocolates, Camp Hill, PA

Diane Krulac’s story doesn’t follow the typical path of becoming a chocolatier and starting a chocolate business. With a career in the tech industry and no culinary school training, Diane’s genuine passion for chocolate was the catalyst for her journey of learning the art and science of chocolate-making.

As the owner of Cocoa Creek Chocolates, a new destination candy boutique, Diane has taught classes in chocolate-making, wine pairing, and confectionery design, along with cultivating an enthusiastic following beginning in 2008. Her signature Popcorn Brittle was named Rachel Ray’s snack of the day, bringing her passion nation-wide attention. Already a skilled chocolatier, Diane began in 2014 to learn about international chocolates and the nuanced flavor variations that are part of their diverse origins. She earned professional Chocolatier and Masterclass credentials, working toward the goal of creating a fine chocolate business using international chocolates and crafting truffles that highlight and enhance each chocolate’s unique flavors and character. Working in micro-batches, she began hand-crafting truffles with highest-quality ingredients, artistic beauty and uniquely delicious flavor profiles, and christened her new line of premium confections. Her repertoire quickly expanded to include handmade caramels, bonbons, bars and other delicious treats.

Every Chocolate Tells a Story
“The notion of ‘terroir’ in the wine world is equally applicable to chocolate,” Diane explains. “Like grapes, cacao beans really do take on the flavor and character of their source, and the cocoa that is made from those beans also carries the distinctive stamp of the region where it was roasted, blended and produced. The soil, growing conditions, and chocolate-making traditions around the world vary, causing a variety of final flavors.” Paying close attention to the chocolates’ unique stories, Diane carefully selects other high-quality, natural ingredients to create miniature masterpieces that appeal to all the senses.

Now featuring a robust line of plant-based/vegan truffles and chocolates, plus exquisite wine-pairing truffles (complete with detailed tasting notes), Cocoa Creek continues to source an ever-expanding menu of  international chocolates to
create handmade confections available nowhere else in central Pennsylvania.

The Story of Autumn 2023
Fall is always a time of excitement, as we turn to warm and comforting flavors while looking ahead to the fun holidays to come – starting with Halloween! Here are just a few examples of the 8 unique truffles that will be included in their special fall Harvest and Halloween collections. Naturally, all are made using fine international chocolate and accompanied by a detailed story card.
• Butter Rum Truffle – A ganache made with Domori (Italian) Aristide Cameroon 42% milk chocolate, blended with dark rum and other natural flavors, poured into a dark chocolate shell
• Pecan Pie Truffle – Ganache made with Michel Cluizel San Martín Peru Organic 70% Dark chocolate and natural flavors, dark chocolate shell
• Toasted Marshmallow Truffle – Callebaut W2 White 28% ganache blended with natural flavors, encased in a semisweet chocolate shell
• Pumpkin Spice Truffle – Felchlin Opus Lait –Lait de Terroir 38% milk chocolate ganache, blended with warm spices and a splash ofpumpkin spice liqueur, in a creamy milk chocolate shell

The winter holidays are just around the corner – be sure to check back with them in November to see their fabulous Holiday Collection, inspired by Christmas Movies and Music! Of course, they’ll have plenty of vegan as well as traditional offerings.