The Bite Magazine - Spring 2019 - Issue 24

bite chocolate Just like a chef in the kitchen, the creation of chocolate is the work of craftsmen; both meticulous and creative, a craft using bespoke machinery with processes that are time consuming. At Alain Ducasse Paris, chocolate is manufactured in the tra- ditional manner and therefore each stage of its production is mastered and controlled, allowing the craftsmen to indulge in exploration and innovation.“Here, we can allow ourselves the freedom to make creative choices that could be realised in an industrial context,” Ducasse enthused. Located in close proximity to the bustling Rue de la Roquette (Paris Tourist Office), in the back of a courtyard, La Man- ufacture is said to be an ode to the craftsmanship of old, with an authentic, raw, discordant décor. Here, the concrete floors, brick walls, frosted-glass partitions, steel and cast iron structures and sought out furniture are designed to last for generations.“We have no desire to sell a brand or an image,” Ducasse explained. “We first and foremost sell products and savoir-fair.We work in depth, in truth.” There are six stages to creating chocolate at Le Chocolat.The first is selecting the cocoa beans which is carried out by Alain Ducasse and his artisan chocolate makers. The chosen beans are based on their purity as much as the personality of the producing country, resulting in as many identities and unique flavours.These include the smoky Indonesian Java, the delicate and powdered Trinidad, the tart Madagascar, the excellence of theVenezuelan Chuao and Peruvian Porcelana, and the unique botanical aroma of Vietnam. The second is the harvesting, fermenting and drying stage in which the cocoa pods are harvested twice a year. Once they are opened with a machete, the beans are sorted through and then left to ferment for three to six days to oxidise the mucilage (the white, sweet pulp that surrounds the beans) which endows the cocoa bean with its first organoleptic properties.The beans are then dried in the sun and packed in 70kg sacks before being transported. To increase and reveal the aroma, the roasting process is the key step in the manufacture of chocolate. Cooking should be at the exact temperature with a perfect homogenous rotation so that the bitterness, sweetness, toasted or smoked flavour of the bean is revealed. It takes around 20 to 30 minutes for the cocoa bean to be fully roasted at approximately 120°C. Once this is done, the beans are burst open and coarsely crushed in the cocoa bean breaker or a tarare. The pod residues are then removed by the use of a bellow system. This is followed by the nibs obtained from the cocoa bean breaker being crushed on a mill between two mill- stones. Once it is heated by friction, the cocoa butter melts and is trans- formed into cocoa paste which is then mixed in a kneading machine with sugar and milk powder (for milk chocolate). Through the rollers of the main crusher, the cocoa paste is crushed until its particle size is reduced to 20 microns.With several trips back and forth between the kneading machine and the crusher, the required texture is achieved. The final two stages consist of conching-refining, and tem- pering and moulding. The conching stage not only gives the chocolate its fluidity and smoothness but also eliminates the residual acidity that comes from fermentation.This process of liquefying and making the chocolate more homogenous can last from 10 to 48 hours depending on the machines used and the origins of the beans. Once the chocolate is cooled, it can be poured into moulds, blocks or bars, unless it is transformed into ganache. The decorative Le Chocolat bars with their large, small and rectangular designs of chocolate is what catches your eyes first when you view the collection comprising of 47 different types, revealing the wealth of the origins of cocoa beans and the recipe dreamed up by their artisan chocolate makers.This collection made up of the Signature, Single-Origin, Mendiant and generously Filled chocolate bars are a pure and simple call to self-indulgence. They also produce ganaches, pralines and truffles as well as candied fruits and giant bars. The Signature collection consists of four variations of dark chocolate and one milk chocolate – The Blend 75%, Peru 100%, Sugar-Free 85%, Rustic Peru 75% and Rustic Madagas- car 45%. The Blend provides a perfect balance between four crus cocoa beans – Peru, Ecuador, Madagascar and San Tome for a unique signature chocolate bar. Rustic Madagascar is a