the cacao bean
Being right here at the Macaron Pastry School with Chef Eric Perez would be every chocoholics' dream. For the past week, I've been getting up early, curious and excited about the next amazing 3 days of mouthwatering, sinfully rich and decadent chocolates, truffles, pralines and bonbons that we'll be making. On my way to school, I would eat little breakfast, taking a mental note that I will be tasting many kinds of chocolates in a couple of hours. I know I should be on a diet ASAP but it's just hard to resist these treats....
coconut and raspberry truffles
our classroom
First day was all about the history of chocoloate and its origin; how it is derived from the bean of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cocoa); the kinds of cacao beans; the three groups of chocolates; tempering the chocolate according to its kind and finally determining the percentages or appropriate chocolates for dessert and/or baking purposes. Chef Eric allowed us to taste the different Valrhona niblets so we can better understand its taste profile. Day 2 and 3 were devoted to making ganaches, casting and enrobing our chocolates.
"Blending a chocolate is just like making a perfume---seeking the balance is everything. In fact, I have even made perfumes with a hint of cocoa in them. And, like the chocolate-maker, the art of the perfume-maker is entirely manual: I'm not a chemist, I'm more like a cook, experimenting with flavors and mixtures.....And if you close your eyes, what trace does a woman leave? A scent, a taste...." Jean-Paul Guerlain
"Blending a chocolate is just like making a perfume---seeking the balance is everything. In fact, I have even made perfumes with a hint of cocoa in them. And, like the chocolate-maker, the art of the perfume-maker is entirely manual: I'm not a chemist, I'm more like a cook, experimenting with flavors and mixtures.....And if you close your eyes, what trace does a woman leave? A scent, a taste...." Jean-Paul Guerlain