11 expert chocolate hacks and tips
Master chocolatier Paul A Young shares his best tips and tricks with us.
Having started in patisserie before specialising in chocolate, Paul A Young has been in the chocolate business for nearly 20 years. With such a wealth of experience, we got his top tips on how you too can make exceptional chocolate treats in your own kitchen.
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Start simple
Chocolate can be an intimidating ingredient but Paul says chocolate desserts at home shouldn’t be daunting. The simplest way of using it is to melt it properly and use as a dip. Just buy the best chocolate you can and then get creative with dips. Whether you like fruit, biscuits or marshmallows, the choice is yours – have fun!
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Get saucy
If you’d like to turn things up a notch, making your own chocolate sauce or salted caramel is the natural step up from simply melting. Paul suggests drizzling this on ice cream or a chocolate dessert for an extra shot of indulgence. And you can boast about if you’ve made it yourself too.
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Ditch the chocolate fountain
Paul says it’s worth giving the chocolate fountain a miss as the ones you see in restaurants are actually made by mixing chocolate with vegetable oil. This is to keep the whole thing running smoothly for as long as required. For the best chocolate taste it’s better to not water down the product. A tasty dip is far better than a tasteless fountain.
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Easy dessert
For a minimum effort, maximum taste dessert Paul suggests mixing your chosen melted chocolate with cream cheese and icing sugar. Leave to set in the fridge and you have an easy dessert ready for later!
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Berry nice flavours
Berries are next on the list. Think seasonally: a zingy raspberry or strawberry works for summer, whereas a blackberry would work superbly for winter flavourings.
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Try some herbs
An arguably more surprising final addition to the ingredients list is herbs. We all recognise chocolate and mint as a tasty pairing but what about fennel, basil or even rosemary? Paul predicts herbs are going to be huge next year, so get ahead of the trend and try it at home for yourself.
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Watch out for fake flavours
Be careful though, of all the things to pair with chocolate, synthetic flavourings are Paul’s least favourite. Calling out strawberry imitations in particular as unpalatable, he advises that you use real extracts or preferably the whole ingredient itself for the best flavour.
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Mixture magic
Another consideration when creating chocolate combinations is not to be put off mixing flavours you usually don’t like. Paul says that once he did a tasting with someone who hated whiskey but was won over after sampling a whiskey-infused truffle. You may not like the flavour on its own but, with the right chocolate, the subtle taste could hit the spot.
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Try things
When it comes to making your own chocolate, Paul says it’s great to go wild and use wine, beer or even tea in place of a recipe’s liquid ingredient. Earl Grey truffles or red wine-infused chocolate bars are the perfect way to impress guests or even give as a homemade gift.
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More difficult moulds
Molded chocolates are tricky. Unless a very competent chef, Paul suggests leaving anything with a different centre or layers to the professionals as they’re the most difficult. If you do feel like experimenting, ice cube trays are a great beginners' mould.
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After dinner drinks
Chocolate is very versatile and easy to add to a number of drinks to spice them up. A great idea instead of a dessert is an indulgent after-dinner drink such as a Chocolate Martini. Paul even suggests a Mint Chocolate Martini, with a dash of mint extract, as a play on after dinner mints.
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