There's something completely irresistible about chocolate. The
scent alone accelerates the heart rate and sets the salivary glands
to flow.
The Valrhona chocolate factory in Tain l'Hermitage, France, was
opened in 1924 by a pastry chef. For its first 60 years of
operation, Valrhona only produced chocolate for pastry chefs and
other trade professionals, however in 1984, it became the first
chocolate manufacturer to offer a chocolate consisting of 70% cocoa
to consumers. With extremely delicate nuances in flavour, Valrhona
chocolate is best used in desserts with few ingredients in order to
minimize competing tastes, or to add richness and flavour to
savoury sauces.
Types of Valrhona Chocolate
Using only top-quality beans, the Valrhona team creates
chocolates that highlight the natural aromas of each cocoa bean.
They make both milk and dark chocolates, as well as
chocolate-covered nuts, candied orange peel, coffee beans and
nougatine. In addition to classic chocolates created using a blend
of cocoa beans originating in six to eight different geographic
regions, Valrhona also offers Grand Crus, which are chocolates made
from beans from only one region, and estate-grown chocolates, which
are made from beans from a single plantation and harvest.
Valrhona chocolate and cocoa powder are primarily made from
beans from the two finest varieties of cocoa trees: the Trinitario
and the Criollo; and they also offer specialty chocolates created
from an extremely rare cocoa tree, the Porcelana, which they worked
for ten years to save from extinction.
Storing and Melting
Store your Valrhona chocolate in a cool, dry and odour-free
place away from direct heat or light. The ideal temperature is from
15-21°C, so avoid storing it in your refrigerator. Keep chocolate
in its original packaging, or wrap in aluminum foil. If stored
properly, milk chocolate will keep for about ten months (due to the
milk solids), and dark chocolate can be stored for years.
If your recipe calls for melted chocolate, be sure to melt the
chocolate using a double boiler (a pot or bowl suspended over about
one inch of simmering water), and stir often. If liquids are to be
added to the melting chocolate, add them right at the beginning;
even a drop of liquid added once the chocolate has already started
to melt will turn everything into a grainy mess.
Whether used in desserts, or as an addition to sauces for
savoury meals, Valrhona chocolate adds a delectable flavour to your
favourite chocolate dishes.
Try it today:
*Molten Chocolate Souffle with Caramelized
Bananas
*Chocolate Caramel with Fleur de
Sel
*Black Mission Fig Stuffed Venison Rack
(Port Vinaigrette)