Stubbe Chocolates & Pastry

Daniel Stubbe, owner of Stubbe Chocolates and Pastry in Toronto, is well aware of the innovative chocolate trends out in the market. But he isn’t necessarily hopping on board with every unusual new flavour. “We’re not really about trends,” Daniel explains. “Our assortment is quite a bit more traditional. I want our customers to come to us and feel at home. We are your family chocolate shop.”

Stubbe Chocolates is rooted in the traditions of Daniel’s home country of Germany. As such it’s no surprise that he considers himself a Konditor, a German term for someone who makes fine chocolates and baked goods like cakes and cookies. In fact, as we sit with Daniel in his back kitchen and office, he intermittently gets up to check on a batch of chocolate cakes in the oven. “A lot of these recipes ― they go back to my great aunt and her father. They’re probably 70 years old,” Daniel says, as he transfers the freshly-baked cakes to a cooling rack. “So in a time where it’s all very fast-paced and people are doing new things, I’m making cakes that were made 70 years ago. It’s kind of funny.”