The Upcoming
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Cinema
      • Movie reviews
      • Film festivals
    • Food & Drinks
      • News & Features
      • Restaurant & bar reviews
      • Interviews & Recipes
    • Literature
    • Music
      • Live music
    • Theatre
    • Shows & On demand
  • Fashion & Lifestyle
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
  • What’s On
    • Art exhibitions
    • Theatre shows
  • Tickets
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Fund us
    • Contact us
  • Interviews
  • Competitions
  • Special events
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS


CultureFood & Drinks

Salon du Chocolat: London’s best chocolate spread

Salon du Chocolat: London’s best chocolate spread
23 October 2013
Niki Shakallis
Niki Shakallis
Avatar
Niki Shakallis
23 October 2013

National Chocolate Week drew to a spectacular close on Sunday with the third and final day of Salon du Chocolat – the world’s biggest trade chocolate show – at Kensington Olympia. Arriving in London for the first time in its 19-year history, the extravaganza featured the best of UK and international chocolatiers, pâtissiers and chefs who showcased mouth-watering pralines, ganaches, sauces, macarons, pastries, nougat and sweets.

The event drew an eclectic crowd, from chocolate connoisseurs and enthusiasts to budding bakers, families and groups. A children’s chocolate club kept the little ones entertained. Adults keen to learn about producing, cooking or baking with chocolate had several routes to pursue: cookery school with L’Atelier des Chefs held a succession of workshops, and a culinary theatre, hosted by pastry chef Will Torrent, featured the weekend’s most anticipated demonstration: a masterclass from Heston Blumenthal’s pastry team from The Fat Duck.

Executive pastry chef Hideko Kawa and her colleagues began with the production of a tartan chocolate blanket, using a transfer sheet and kitchen blowtorch. Of course, the theatrical elements synonymous with Blumenthal soon emerged: an umbrella, a spray gun (“purchased from a DIY store”), a toothbrush and liquid nitrogen were utilised to produce a speckled, chocolate eggshell filled with a sublime lemon, thyme and vanilla panna cotta. The team continued by producing jam tarts – inspired by Alice in Wonderland – each was served as a wafer-thin, edible playing card within a dainty, white envelope stamped with an edible crimson seal!

Rivalling their innovation was Aneesh Popat, the man behind the Chocolatier brand, whose presentation in the event’s tasting theatre explained how to defy tradition and produce creamy chocolate and ganache without butter or cream. The upbeat session included three chocolate tasters: a delicate Raw Coconut Bean, an acidic Beetroot, Red Wine Vinegar and Hazelnut and a moreish Mince Pie.

With quality and provenance at the core of the show, prices were beyond sweetshop and supermarket figures, but an overwhelming supply of freebies provided an opportunity to try different grades of produce. Drinking chocolate gurus Jaz and Jul offered shots of spiced Cinnamon and Rose and a sharper Raspberry Chocolate; Swiss company Beschle impressed with a flavoursome Green Tea Chocolate by Matcha. CaraMoka, a caramel and coffee sauce from Ed’M Jams et Caramels, had us returning for cheeky seconds!

We enjoyed bites from Hotel Chocolat (which also hosted a chocolate spa and massage area), Duffy’s, Venchi, The Highland Chocolatier, Melange, Valrhona and Demarquette as we continued around the floor. We cooled down with Artisan du Chocolat’s magnificent Chocolate Crème Caramel ice-cream, before sampling Luca Mannori’s exceptional panettone, studded with candied peel and almonds. However, it was François Pralus who offered the day’s standouts: an incredible Hazelnut Chocolate Spread and huge praline bars filled with whole roasted hazelnuts. 

Leaving feeling slightly sick and overcome with a sugar-rush not felt since childhood, Salon du Chocolat was a rich, decadent and unforgettably sweet experience. In other words, a perfect outing!

Niki Shakallis
Paulina Bobrowska

For further information about Salon Du Chocolat visit here.

Related Items

More in Food & Drinks

Farzi Café in St James’s: Traditional Indian recipes transformed into delightful modern dishes

★★★★★
Cristiana Ferrauti
Read More

Cakes & Bubbles at Hotel Café Royal: Creative desserts from the genius of Albert Adrià

★★★★★
Maria Barrios
Read More

Daniel Humm and Will Guidara to open a restaurant at Claridge’s this summer

Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

“A very enjoyable nightmare”: Rishi Naleendra and Manuela Toniolo on Michelin-starred Cheek by Jowl

Rosamund Kelby
Read More

British Charcuterie Day at the Cleveland Arms: A safe haven for meat-eaters this Veganuary

Alex Julie Woods
Read More

All the Paris Michelin star restaurants 2019 on a map and full list

The editorial unit
Read More

Zorawar Kalra on new opening Farzi Café: “We bring innovation to Indian cuisine”

Filippo L'Astorina, the Editor
Read More

The World Restaurant Awards 2019: Longlist nominations and judging panel ahead of February launch

The editorial unit
Read More

Perfect Christmas recipe: Christmas pudding by Adam Handling from The Frog

The editorial unit
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Marighella
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Babylon Beyond Borders at the Bush Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Rip It Up: The 60s at Garrick Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Johnstons of Elgin autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Jeremy Loops and James Hersey at the Roundhouse
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • STEVE O SMITH autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Paul Costelloe autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Wesley Harriott autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Richard Malone autumn/winter 2019 collection catwalk show for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Old Boys
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Cold Pursuit
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Capernaum
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Jeremy Loops and James Hersey at the Roundhouse
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • An interview with Piranhas (La paranza dei bambini) director Claudio Giovannesi
    Berlinale

Instagram

Something is wrong.
Instagram token error.
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Fund us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

Thor: The Dark World | Press conference
It’s a Lot premiere: A chat with the cast on the red carpet in London