On the Planet of the Pastry Chefs (which would be a pretty cool planet to live on, if you ask me), Valrhona is generally considered the gold-standard chocolate source. Some quibble over this, and TCHO has set out to give Valrhona some competition, but it’s still what most top-end patisseries, bakeries, and restaurants use. When I spied a box of Valrhona assorted chocolates during a trip to Biagio, I snatched one up with high expectations.
The 19-piece box featured nine different chocolate creations, ranging from plain ganaches to blackcurrant truffles.
The first piece I sampled was the Ecorces d’Oranges, or, if you are like me and don’t speak French, chocolate-covered candied orange zest.
The dark chocolate coating is well-matched to the firm, but not hard, orange zest, which makes it easy to bite into and enjoy without being left to catch flaking chunks of chocolate.
The peel is well-candied and offers a perfect combination of citrus and sugar. The chocolate has a coffee undertone and balances well against the sweet peel. It’s better than what I made around Christmas in all possible ways, but expectations are high for a box of assorted chocolate from Valrhona.
If you lived on the Planet of the Pastry Chefs, what kind of chocolate would you want them to use?
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