Chocolate Dessert Obsession

Molten chocolate lava cake was the only dessert my wife ever ordered when we went out to eat. As such, I was determined to craft a lava cake she approved of wholeheartedly for my company, Galaxy Desserts, Richmond, CA. I was finally able to do so, but ironically, my wife said she loved my version of the cake because its flavor harkened back to the brownie dessert she remembered eating as a child, in frozen TV dinners. Although, as a classically trained French pastry chef, it was a bit offensive to compare my creation to a dessert in a frozen TV dinner, people often do adore flavors from childhood.

However, chocolate transcends narrow preferences and is one of the first things people look for to sweeten the end of a meal.

Chocolate preferences

Chocolate desserts dominate over other desserts on restaurant menusno other flavors even come close. Anywhere from 40% to 60% of the selections will feature chocolate.

High-end restaurants, often the driving force for culinary innovation, tend to initiate chocolate-dessert trends, which eventually find their way to casual dining. Pastry chefs sometimes take classic desserts and replace low-quality chocolate with, for instance, Valrhona or Scharffen Berger chocolate to refine flavor and craft an outstanding final product. The masters source the best-possible natural ingredients and use innovative plating to give these old classics a new twist. Good examples of this are a classic chocolate donut or Ho Ho gone gourmet.

Marketers want the consumer to know about chocolates percentage of cocoa mass (also called chocolate liquorcocoa solids plus cocoa butter), as well as any unique features of their brand, whether it is a single origin or blend of different beans from different countries. Many small chocolate manufacturers have a story to tell, such as the region the chocolate originated from, and the care taken to harvest it.

Consumers are finding out that the percentage indicated on chocolate labels refers to the amount of cocoa mass in the chocolate and are learning to differentiate the distinct characteristics between semisweet (more sugary) and bittersweet chocolate (a sharper taste). Most consumers are learning that a 70% to 80% chocolate is extra bitter, 55% to 62% is bittersweet, 45% to 50% is semisweet, and 32% to 41% characterizes milk chocolate.

From bean to fork

Many people believe that the higher the percentage of cocoa, the higher the quality of the chocolate. This is not necessarily true. First of all, the type of cocoa bean affects the quality and the flavor of the chocolate. The three most common types of beans are Criollo, Forastero and Trinitario. The flavor differences between these beans are subtle, but chocolate made from Criollo is generally milder and more delicate, while the flavors in chocolate made with Forastero and Trinitario are more robust. Their flavor is influenced by weather, soil, and growing and harvesting conditions. Criollo beans are often considered the luxury beans; they comprise 10% of the cocoa beans available worldwide, and have a floral flavor. Nevertheless, all three types of beans can make high-quality chocolateits simply a matter of personal taste preferences.

Single-origin chocolate is made from beans cultivated from one region or even one farm. Chocolate companies often blend Criollo with Forastero and Trinitario beans to produce high-quality chocolate and, eventually, desserts. There is no standard or rule regarding what types of chocolates are best used in specific kinds of desserts. Part of the artistic and creative freedom enjoyed by pastry chefs comes with choosing chocolate from different types of beans that pair well with the other flavors in the dessert.

At Galaxy, we favor Schokinag and Callebaut chocolates for our desserts. The Schokinag extra-bittersweet chocolate in our whiskey-accented sabayon Chocolate Ribbon Mousse Cake and our orange-flavored Grand Sequoia Mousse Cake gives these particular cakes a focused, intense, distinctively dark-chocolate flavor. Mousses and cakes can contain anywhere from 20% to 50% chocolate. This flavor intensity is balanced by the mousse-based texture, resulting in a rich, but light, dessert. The relationship between flavor and texture is one that I am constantly thinking about.

Prevailing trends

Several exciting developments are currently occurring in chocolate desserts trends. The first is adapting desserts to specific geographic regions. Deciding what flavors to pair with different chocolates is not a science, but rather an art. It is all about creativity and experimentation. For example, in New Orleans, a molten chocolate lava cake might be crafted with either a spicier, Mexican-style chocolate, or spiced with red pepper. Regional flairs and customizations can also be expressed in plating techniques. In Asian restaurants, green tea ice cream often accompanies the lava cake, while in classic American restaurants youll see either vanilla ice cream, crème anglaise or fresh seasonal berries.

The second trend is a move toward mini-desserts, or dessert samplers, where, consumers can sample variety and also feel indulged, without excessive calories. Two years ago, I noticed shot-glass-style desserts were becoming a trend in France. I returned inspired to use my expertise in mousse production and manufacturing to develop a line of mousse cups, dubbed Duos. They are comprised of two complementary mousse flavors, such as bittersweet and coffee chocolate mousse, or raspberry and lemon.

I am currently working on creating different flavors of French macarons. Though a staple in Europe, French macaronstypically almond-accented cookies sandwiching a filling, like ganacheare relatively new to Americans, and the texture, both crunchy and chewy, combined with the range of flavors we are currently manufacturing, speaks to many of the current chocolate dessert trends.

Another trend is the combination of savory and sweet flavors in the same dessert, such as chocolate and spicy chiles. Macarons are adaptable to savory-sweet combinations. For example, a spicy apricot chutney should go well with a chocolate macaron.

I recently was in France and had a perfect dark-chocolate-ganache candy with just the right quantity of sea salt as a decorative touch. The flavors complemented one another perfectly.

Lastly, I think people are really starting to think about the pros and cons of sourcing and knowing the origins of the ingredients they are using and, at the same time, balancing this quest with a growing awareness of the true cost of importing ingredients. Chefs need to balance their desire for the very best with educating themselves on what may be available to them locally. Since chocolate raw materials come exclusively from outside the United States, this connection to local ingredients might come in the form of deriving manufactured chocolate ingredients from a local company, or via sourcing other ingredients for the dessert from local manufacturers.

Adventurous inspirations

I think, dream, eat, live and breathe desserts, and inspiration for developing innovative, chocolate-based products comes from many sources. Ive noticed, for example, that high-quality, easy-to-utilize products are clearly missing from the market. Galaxys Triple Mousse Cakewith layers of dark-, milk- and white-chocolate mousse, topped with white-chocolate shavingsin individually sized, easy-to-plate portions is one example of how we filled a market need.

Another source of innovation for me is expanding upon successful product concepts. After the success of our recent Cannelésa baked dessert with a vanilla-rum custard center, originating in the Bordeaux region of FranceI decided to create a chocolate version, as well.

World travel always interests me, as does discovering regional desserts that I can adapt to the American market. I visit every local bakery, no matter what city or country Im in. I constantly read books on chocolate and desserts, and further my education. Tasting is key for me in inspiring new ideas for dessert products. I love tasting exotic fruits when Im traveling abroad, and I also taste regional desserts when Im out to eat.

I can be inspired by a single ingredient. I recently tasted a unique Colombian chocolate with a dynamic coffee flavor that was inherent in the bean. Im already dreaming about new products I can make using this chocolate. I was invited to visit the farm where the beans are grown; however, due to the presence of the FARC rebel organization, my Colombian friends strongly discouraged me from visiting. I am not deterred in my determination to find a safe way to source this ingredient, and whatever product I create with it will certainly have a great story behind it, as well as a great name, like The Rebel Cake.

Whether youre a pastry chef in a four-star restaurant, a chef in a chain restaurant, or a food scientist in R&D, find your own sources of inspiration and dont be afraid to be creative with ingredients or products. Whether its adapting recipes and adding your own twists or experimenting with plating or presentation options, the best ideas often come from trial and error, and the very best ideas come from your own experience.

Jean-Yves Charon co-founder of Galaxy Desserts, Richmond, CA, has over 25 years of experience in developing and manufacturing desserts in the classic French tradition. In France, he worked as manager for Brioche Dorée/Paris Croissant, opening stores in London, Paris, Canada and New York. After moving to the United States, he managed production for Saralan, a cookie manufacturer in South San Francisco, and served as executive pastry chef at Harris Restaurant in San Francisco. He then founded Paris Delights, which merged with The Cheesecake Lady to form Galaxy Desserts. He has won the National Association for the Specialty Food Trade Outstanding Dessert in the U.S. Award, and his croissants have been featured twice on Oprahs Favorite Things and on Oprahs Favorite Breakfast. Charon is a member of the Research Chefs Association.