Singapore snacks that make perfect gifts

From salted egg yolk fish skin crackers to local-inspired chocolate bars, these are the best Singapore-made snacks

- Clara Lock and Sarah Stanley

Whether you are gifting local snacks to friends and family overseas or indulging in a year-end snack haul for yourself, these are seven brands that tell Singapore's story through the taste buds.

FOSSA: HYPER-LOCAL CHOCOLATE BARS

Just the names of Fossa Chocolate’s locally inspired bars are enough to pique curiosity - Bak Kut Teh, Satay Sauce, Singapore Rojak and Spicy Mala, for instance.

The Bak Kut Teh bar — one of my favourites despite my conservative palate - has all the garlicky and peppery notes of a typical bowl of the soup, before the Bolivian cacao melts away, rounding off with savoury notes.

Co-founder Jay Chua says capturing the tastes of local dishes so precisely takes relentless experimentation. “We taste the same dish from many different famous stalls in Singapore, and then we try to dissect what we view as the essence of the dish.”

He adds that they are a popular souvenir among international visitors. “Intrigued customers take the bars back to their countries so their friends and family who may not have been to Singapore can try the dishes through the chocolates.”

Among my friends and family, the milder flavours — specifically Pulut Hitam, Soy Milk & Youtiao, Masala Chai, and Salted Egg Cereal are a hit. Still, I would say the fun lies in daring yourself to try the more imaginative ones.

Prices start at $13.08 for a 50g bar of flavoured chocolate. Go to www.fossachocolate.com/shop

Sarah Stanley

AROMA TRUFFLE: POTATO CHIPS BURSTING WITH FLAVOUR

Open a bag of Aroma Truffle's chips and, chances are, the scent will turn heads. It certainly does in the office when my colleagues and I sample flavours like Original, Smoked Hickory, Parmesan Cheese, Honey Dijon and Fiery Mala.

The brand incorporates Italian truffles into its seasoning, one of the reasons its earthy, garlicky aroma of truffles is so robust.