I shared yesterday the first of what is turning out to be a 'series' of articles about the 3rd Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival... The three day event was full of activity and of course, chocolate tastings...
The second session on Friday afternoon featured the cookbook author and TV personality affectionately known as "Mr. Chocolate"... New York pastry chef and chocolatierJacques Torres is considered a world-reknown authority on all things related to chocolate. Last I heard he had 7 shops which include a couple of chocolate factories and an ice cream shop. He is also married to a chocolatier who owns her own shop in Los Angeles.
Along with his partner and assistant Chef Ken Goto, Chef Jacques proceeded to demonstrate how to make hazelnut praline in flat layers, which were then covered with a layer of chocolate ganache. Cut the layers in thin strips, then squares. Dip into chocolate and let them dry. Perfect bite size pieces of heavenly goodness...
We also tasted a peanut butter filled bonbon for which they make their own peanut butter after roasting the fresh peanuts.
If all that was not enough, Chef Jacques then proceeded to make an ethereal chocolate mousse which was served in chocolate ganache shells molded on latex balloons.
The ingredients he used were 1 quart cream which was whipped to soft peaks and then blended into 1 cup of 120 F degrees chocolate ganache. He kept the chocolate pliable and easy to use with a hair dryer and to check the temperature, he uses a hand-held non-contact infra-red laser thermometer.
Chef Jacques explained that if you're going to add the warm chocolate into the cold whipped cream, then the chocolate needs to reach 150 F degrees.
To make the chocolate ganache shells, he inflates latex ballons he buys especially for this purpose. Dip into the ganache and set on a parchment covered jelly roll pan or cookie sheet. Place in refrigerator or freezer until the chocolate is cool enough that it pulls away from the balloon. Pop the balloon and peel it off the shell. Use the shell to serve the mousse, ice cream, fruit or whatever your imagination dreams up!
An interesting tip...chocolate can be frozen, but you need to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. He told us he wraps the whole box holding the chocolate bonbons or confection and then freezes the whole thing. To thaw, bring the box and contents to room temperature without unwrapping. This way you prevent condensation, which of course, can ruin the chocolate.
After this session we were through for the day.
For dinner that evening we went to Norio's Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar, located on the ground floor of the hotel. We sat at the bar and had a selection of delicious sushi...
To read yesterday's post click below:
The 3rd Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival
To learn more about the Chocolate Festivals, click on the two links below:
Big Island Chocolate Festival on Facebook
Hang in there...there will be more tomorrow!
