How to taste chocolate – I mean really taste it

It takes a lot of effort to transform the humble cacao bean into chocolate. Winnowing, conching and tempering are processes that the normal Cadbury consumer has never heard of.

Which is why Monsieur Truffle want to share some of the knowledge they’ve gained becoming artisan chocolate makers with three new tasting palettes: “Roast”, “Percentage” and “Conching” ($11 each). Each packet has three bars inside designed to showcase the big difference that one small change in the process can have on the outcome.

For example, conching is the churning of the mixture to refine texture and develop flavour by removing unwanted acidity through heat – which can take anywhere from six to 72 hours. There is a marked difference in taste between 24, 48 and 72 hours. It’s also surprising to note that the longer conching time does not necessarily result in a better product. More often than not what you gain in refinement you lose in complexity of flavour.

On any given day Chief Chocolate Maker Jade can be found inside the chocolate factory space they share with Brunswick East café, East Elevation, seated quietly behind the glass hand sorting shells from the nibs. A laborious process for some but in Jade’s case it just happens to be her dream job.

She realised she took her chocolate more seriously than most when she found herself incessantly writing detailed tasting notes on chocolate wrappers during her European travels.

Fast-forward a few years and the one-man operation at the Prahran market has grown into a fully-fledged artisan chocolate making business and she’s very proud to be bringing back the ancient craft in her home town. Jade hopes that the new ‘Bean to Bar’ products will help explain to consumers just what quality chocolate is — and most importantly taste like — one hand-sorted nib at a time.

Check their website for Stockists around Victoria: monsieurtruffechocolate.com

MONSIEUR TRUFFLE
90 Smith St, Collingwood Victoria
9416 3101
Mon – Fri: 8am – 4:30pm
Sat 8.30am – 5pm
Sun 9.30am – 5pm

EAST ELEVATION
351 Lygon St, Brunswick East
9380 4915
Mon to Fri 8am till 4pm
Sat & Sun 8.30am till 5pm