TRAVELLIVE MAGAZINE Travellive 03-2016 | Page 50

A

rtists who specialize in
chocolate confection are
called chocolatiers, and
the men and women in
this field spend years honing their
crafts for good reasons. Making
good chocolate isn't simple. Firstly,
the cocoa beans must be carefully
selected to ferment evenly. Chocolate
made from Vietnamese cocoa beans
boasts signature flavors particular to
each region. Cocoa beans from the
land of fruits and honey near Tien
River have a strong, bitter flavor while
those harvested in Ba Ria - Vung
Tau sustain a long aftertaste which
develops and intensifies as you let
it sit in your mouth. Like coffee, the
roasting process plays a significant role
in ensuring the best quality cocoa. At
this stage, the cocoa beans are crispy,
aromatic, and easily crushed. High
quality cocoa is slightly bitter with a
buttery taste. After that, the beans are
mashed into concentrated liquid called
chocolate liquor. The finely mashed
cocoa is melted down before being
fermented, mixed, and separated from
the cocoa butter. After cooling and
shaping, the chocolate bars are finally
ready to be packaged.
After the chocolatiers finish their work,
the chocolate bars are transported to
pastry chefs, or p©tissier, to compose
the "melodies of taste", offering each
diner a different impression of the
same chocolate from a hot and crispy
chocolate cover to an oleaginous
chocolate cream and mouth watering

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TRAVELLIVE

accidentally took off his chocolate cake
chocolate mousse. Fans of chocolate
before it was complete. An interesting
never miss any chance to enjoy
feature of the cake is that it tastes better
chocolate truffles and lava chocolate,
when the filling is still melting. Later
two particularly special chocolate
on, Michelin Michel Bras came up with
creations. Melt dark chocolate and
a new interpretation of lava chocolate
blend with heavy cream at a 2:1 ratio
by freezing the
(2 chocolate:1
An
interesting
feature
of
the
cake
chocolate ganache
cream) and
is that it tastes better when the
and stuffing it into
you will get
filling is still melting
the crust before
truffles. If
baking. That way
you mix them
the ganache filling melts as the crust
together 1:1 or 1:2 you will get chocolate
is still being baked. With this new
ganache - the succulent filling of lava
innovation, only the crust is baked
chocolate (fondant au chocolate).
and you don't need to worry that the
Lava chocolate attracts countless
interior of the cake will be baked all the
diners across generations with its
way through like a brownie.
smooth chocolate coat and bitter
hot dark chocolate ganache which is
ready to flow out like volcanic lava at
any moment. It's easy to understand
why this cake is called "Death by
Chocolate". Lava chocolate was first
created thanks to a "mistake" by
Chef Georges Vongerichten when he

You can try chocolate made from local cocoa
at Marou Chocolate's outlets *Website:
www.marouchocolate.com
Lava Chocolate made from Vietnamese cocoa
is available at Privä De Dessert *Website:
www.privededessert.vn