The secrets of our chocolate
Working with chocolate requires meticulous expertise. How do you create a delicious chocolate bar, expertly textured like a ski slope? Stéphanie and Guillaume, the two chocolatiers at Shoukâ, share their secrets.
Choosing the right producers for the best selection of cocoa beans
At Shoukâ, we are passionate about offering only single-origin, single-bean chocolate. We are driven by a daily commitment to bringing you as close as possible to the bean's original flavor and to helping you discover all its benefits for the body and mind.
We select cocoa beans from unique terroirs around the world (Asia, America, Africa, etc.) based on their botanical variety, distinctive characteristics, and aromatic profile.
Three of our beans are certified organic (Tanzania, Ecuador, Brazil), while two are currently undergoing certification. Even without certification, however, the beans are 100% traceable.
Region is important, but choosing the right producers is even more so. We are committed to supporting small-scale producers who meet fair trade and sustainable standards.
Flavor and aromatic profiles
Like a fine wine, chocolate comes in a wide range of flavors and aromas, even though the cocoa content is always 70%, for example. The taste can vary greatly depending on the beans. Working with six different bean origins allows us to offer a wide range of aromatic bouquets.
We have chosen to prioritize organic products and use no additives, soy lecithin, or preservatives. There you have all our secrets.
Making chocolate bars
From bean to bar, we handle the entire production process at our Manufacture in Chamonix. It takes 3 days to make dark chocolate and 4–5 days to make milk chocolate.
- Manual selection and sorting: The beans arrive in jute sacks weighing between 50 and 60 kg each. Sorting takes 1 to 3 hours.
- Local roasting: We carefully roast our beans in small batches at low temperatures to bring out the best aromatic profile of each.
- Winnowing and cracking: The husk is separated from the bean, which is then cracked to produce cocoa nibs.
- Conching and refining: The cocoa paste is then placed in a stone mill with cane sugar for 3 to 5 days to develop its texture and final flavor.
- Tempering and molding: After following a very precise temperature curve, the chocolate is ready to be molded. The bar-making process can then begin: like a marmot, the Shoukâ chocolatiers wrap their "precious" cargo by hand.
Shoukâ offers 25 different bars. Whether you are craving 80 grams of happiness or Napolitains, all our dark chocolates are vegan and our packaging is eco-friendly.
Almost all inclusions (peanuts, fleur de sel, almonds, etc.) are made from organic products and are carefully balanced so as not to overpower the chocolate's flavor.
Various chocolate treats
Chocolate is so inspiring that we have developed a range of products centered around our bean-to-bar chocolate: raw and roasted cocoa beans, chocolate-covered treats, as well as chocolate-covered hazelnuts, almonds, coffee beans, bagged chocolate pistols, chunks, and more. The hardest part is choosing!
Recycling
Continuing our ethical approach to chocolate, we recycle cocoa bean husks to make infusions and, more recently, organic soaps (Savons Arthur brand).
And as a little fun fact, we use leftover beans to create our beautiful Shoukâ chocolate wall at the store entrance!
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know that you can use cocoa nibs to make cakes, chocolate bars, and other treats?
Finally, to make this article even more tangible, don't forget that at Shoukâ, you can visit the Manufacture and watch the chocolatiers at work. The bean-to-bar process will no longer be a secret to you! So, are you ready to melt like our homemade chocolate?
