Delectable Desserts Tasting Session with Valrhona and Chef Lou Campagna

Not sure about you, but I just can’t contain my excitement anymore when I saw so many different types of desserts and pastries made with chocolates. The best thing is, all of them were made using Valrhona chocolate. Oh heaven!

Valrhona is a French chocolate manufacturer that has been supplying the finest gastronomy professionals since 1922. Created by a pastry chef for pastry chefs, the company devotes the entirety of its expertise and passion to purveying exceptional chocolates. For 90 years, confectioners, artisans, and restaurateurs from around the world have looked to Tain l’Hermitage to find unique chocolates essential to their creations.

 

 

All the delectable desserts was prepared by Chef Lou Campagna from France. After several years of pastry and restaurant apprenticeships, he joined the Valrhona School led by Fréderic Bau in 2006 as trainer assistant. Within a year of demonstrating strong creative and technical skills, Chef joined the international team of Valrhona pastry chefs. Since 2007, he has been a trainer at the Valrhona Tokyo School, where he continues to develop recipes and shares the Valrhona vision with pastry chefs all over Asia.

Desserts Tasting Session with Valrhona

Tasting #1: Apple Choux Dulcey 32%

A chocolate that took 8 years of R&D to achieve the final Dulcey recipe makes it unique in every way. A bite on it reveals the first notes of Dulcey chocolate – buttery, toasty and gradually giving way to the flavors of freshly baked shortbread with a pinch of salt.

Tasting #2: Emotion Entremet

I definitely don’t mind indulging in sinful desserts once in a while especially when the sky is dark and I need some mood lifting. Emotion Entremet was coated with Equatoriale Noir 55% that is renowned for its fullness and very chocolatey gourmet notes. The cake itself was made with Jivara 40% that has pronounced cocoa notes paired with a hint of ginger taste.

Tasting #3: Cake P125 & Gianduja Milk 36%

“Gianduja Style” were made from a blend of hazelnuts cocoa beans and sugar that is conched for several hours before being finely ground. Almond paste and eggs were also added as part of the ingredients to create a smooth texture.P125 Coeur de Guanaja Concentrate chocolate was used in the jam containing mango, passion fruit and orange. Truly a great combination. The recipe and manufacturing process for Coeur de Guanaja chocolate are derived from unique and innovative technological breakthroughs.

 

Tasting #4: Snack Praline 60%

Multiple layers of texture can be felt in a bite of Snack Praline 60% – Chocolatey, biscuitey and caramel praline! Almond Praline 60% is part of the intense caramelized family, which enhances the natural flavor of the fruit and hence offers the perfect balance of cooked caramel and a delicate sweetness. Therefore, it wouldn’t taste too sweet and I can’t help but took another helping!

Tasting #5: Baba Cool Caramelia 36% (Alcohol free)

Soft and rich Caramelia stood out with its rich milky flavor and compelling taste of salted butter caramel. Valrhona uses authentic caramel as a main ingredient (made with skim milk and butter) to impart extraordinary smoothness. Chef Lou has paired it with raspberry and lemon juice that gave it a zesty touch.

Tasting #6: Opalys 32% Spread

The creamy texture Opalys reveals harmonious aromas of fresh milk and natural vanilla with mild sweetness.  What sets Opalys apart is the perfectly balanced blend of cocoa, sugar, and milk. Highly recommended for coating.

Tasting #7: P125 Cœur de Guanaja Ice Cream

From the same blend of fine cocoa beans as Guanaja, Coeur de Guanaja 80% is the key to boosting the chocolate intensity of many recipes. Less sweet than a typical couverture, the aromatic intensity P125 is fortified by a higher concentration of dry cocoa solids. Compared to normal ice cream, this one made with Valrhona chocolate has a denser texture and richer chocolate taste without being overly sweet. Now this is a great conclusion of my date with Chef Lou Campagna.

Recipe sharing: Opalys Spread (Total weight: 1,498 g)

Ingredients: Fresh cream 35% 225 g Milk 225 g Inverted sugar Inverted sugar 75 g Tahiti vanilla bean pod 3 g Opalys 33% couverture Valrhona 850 g Butter 120 g Directions: Bring the cream, milk and inverted sugar to the boil and infuse for 10 minutes the vanilla beans split and scrape beforehand. Gradually pour the hot liquid on the partially melted white chocolate stirring in the center to create a shiny and elastic core of emulsion, sign of a well started process. Keep the same texture to the end, add the remaining liquid. Mix with a hand blender to smooth the texture. Cool down the mix between 35/40°C and add the butter, blend. Pour into the jars. Set aside at 17°C. Now, the big question: Where to get Valrhona chocolates in Malaysia? Answer: For home bakers, you can find Valrhona in BIG at Publika or Jaya Grocers (Intermark and Empire) as well as Jasons in BSC. If they are out of stock you can place an order with them (enquiries.ccb@classic.com.my) and they will send your order to their cheese counter in Jaya Grocer, Intermark for collection.