For this last bonbon for my Christmas collection, I have decided to use a chocolate from Cacao Barry La Esmeralda. A 74% dark chocolate, that has a strong cacao taste ( in my opinion), bitterness but also some citrus notes. Which made it perfect to pair with bergamot.
I made a bergamot ( a fragrant citrus, with a yellow or green peel) jelly, and on top a simple ganache. Both of this ingredients complement each other, enhancing the flavours.
Now that I am happy with the fillings that I have made for my Christmas chocolates, its time to find the colors, patterns, and technics that I want to use. For me, this would be the hardest part. Trying to find some harmony, a nice flow between the three flavors that I am creating ( no clashing). You can use colored cocoa butter, as long as you have tempered it! ( you heat it to 45C and then bring it down to 30-31 degrees Celsius), use your finger, a brush, sponge. Just check the temperature once in a while. For the gingerbread, I wanted some gold colors, and for the apple cider a deep ruby red and the last...
As I said in my first post, I am currently working on my Christmas chocolate collection. I am happy with the results for my apple cider caramel ganache. I used BC Tree Fruits Cider-Broken Ladder, the chocolate is a milk chocolate from Cacao Barry Origine Ghana 40%, that has caramel notes. And it is a beautiful combination between the two. I like to make my shells thin, and the caramel is in a beautiful dark chocolate shell ( 72%), which helps to cut the sweetness.
What I love most about my job is the prototyping of chocolates. Developing flavors, using different textures, using chocolates that each have a different characteristic that can either enhance your filling for the better or not ( Valrhona, Cacao Barry). I am working on my Christmas chocolates and going towards the classical flavors that we expect, know and love > gingerbread, apple cider, and a dark chocolate ganache. Everything is a work in progress, a tweak here and there until I taste what I am looking for. Keep you posted!
GINGERBREAD CARAMEL IN A 70% DARK SHELL
APPLE CIDER CARAMEL GANACHE IN A 70% DARK SHELL
