Chuao: recipe steps

Installed in Chamonix for several weeks, the Chuao beans have caused a lot of concern within the Shoukâ. With such a reputation, the chocolatiers had no room for error when developing this recipe.

We invite you to go behind the scenes of these exceptional beans and discover all the steps involved in making Chuao Grand Cru chocolate.

THE RECIPE STEPS

Roasting

The Venezuelan beans gave Nathalie and her team a run for their money. To find the ideal recipe, several trials were carried out based on different roasting profiles, with the aim of revealing the various aromas contained within these extremely rare cocoa beans.

During these three roasts, the chocolatiers varied the temperature and duration to observe how the beans reacted to the different parameters. It is at this point that the beans' various flavors are revealed, but the work is really only beginning...

Winnowing and cracking

Once the beans have come out of the oven, a tedious step awaits the Shoukâ chocolatiers: "cleaning". As only a small quantity is being tested, the winnower* cannot be used to winnow the beans. They will therefore have to crush, remove the shell, and extract the nibs from each one by hand before they can move on to the next step. This is meticulous work that must not be overlooked, so as to facilitate the nibs' absorption into the grinder.

Conching and refining

Once winnowing and cracking are complete, on to the third phase of our trials: conching the beans. Normally, this process takes place inside a conche, in order to mix a large quantity of chocolate. However, the 600g of nibs obtained during the tests cannot be placed inside it due to the small quantity. This is why the chocolatiers will use a small mixer (miniature grinder) limited to 1kg of cocoa.

Now, patience takes center stage in the laboratory. It is only after 12 hours of mixing in the grinder that the nibs lose their solid appearance and transform into a liquid mass. As the Shoukâ team wishes to follow their usual recipes for bean-to-bar bars, they will have to wait another 24 hours before they can move on to refining the chocolate. During this step, the second and final ingredient in this recipe is added to the small mixer: organic cane sugar. The three trials carried out contain the same quantities of ingredients, with 74% cocoa and 26% organic cane sugar.

Tempering, molding and tasting

It is only 52 hours later that the chocolate can be removed from the grinder, tempered, and molded. The bars then rest for 2 days before they can be tasted.

Nathalie and the chocolatiers were able to discover and define which roast and which notes were best suited to their goal. The three Chuao trials thus expressed different aromatic profiles:

Finally, the last roasting trial will be the grand winner of this long period of "Chuao testing" and can move on to the next step: production.

Creating a bean-to-bar bar is a long process, which can take several weeks depending on the number of trials carried out, especially with exceptional cocoa such as this. The incredible reputation of the Chuao bean has been successfully translated into a unique aromatic profile. An innovative roast combined with extremely rare beans... the bar can only be out of the ordinary.

Two Grands Crus for Easter

Very often, bean-to-bar chocolate is associated with wine because of its common vocabulary. This is how the Shoukâ Chuao bars, from the 2018 and 2020 harvests, were given the designation "Grands Crus". Two bars from the same terroir, with completely different flavors, released for Easter, are just waiting to be discovered. Unique flavors that will surprise you from the first bite, and you will never be able to do without them again. These two vintages are available at the Shoukâ shop, or right here.

DID YOU KNOW?

The cocoa percentage of the 2 bars is a nod to Haute-Savoie!

Before developing the recipe for these exceptional beans, the team set themselves a goal: the bar must contain between 70% and 76% cocoa. After some thought, an idea came to their mind: the bar should be 74% cocoa, because this number represents the department of Haute-Savoie!

THE CHOCOLATE MINI-DICTIONARY

*Winnower: Winnower. Machine that allows the separation of the bean from other residues during winnowing.