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Chocolatier


A chocolatier is a person or company who makes confectionery from chocolate. Chocolatiers are distinct from chocolate makers, who create chocolate from cacao beans and other ingredients.

Professional chocolatiers study topics including:

A comprehensive course also covers:

Chocolatiers generally start out as pastry or confectionery chefs. Being a master chocolatier involves perfecting the art of working with chocolate to create not only delicious desserts, but also beautifully and skillfully crafted pieces of art with the chocolate. Generally it takes years of experience and a good background of confections and pastries to master the art of working with chocolate.

There are a variety of culinary schools and even specialty chocolate schools, such as the Ecole Chocolate school in Canada, and The Chocolate Academy, with twelve schools worldwide. The French Culinary Institute also offers pastry and confectionery courses that are said to help a chocolatier learn the trade.

To become a chocolatier one must learn how to make and work with chocolate on different levels to create handcrafted pieces of art that also must taste sensational. Generally schooling consists of learning how to make chocolate from a variety of different origins. Once students learn how to make chocolate and begin to understand the physical and chemical aspects of chocolates they can learn to work with chocolate in many different applications. Chocolate is a versatile food thus different courses offer learning about different techniques when working with chocolate. Once someone becomes well-educated about all of chocolates' applications, or specializes in specific applications of chocolate they may be considered a chocolatier. Often perfecting technical techniques of design and the art of flavor takes many years of practice. Advanced studies can lead to a better understanding of the components of chocolate and how to make chocolates along with sculpting and creating beautiful masterpieces from chocolate.

Once a chocolatier has mastered the artistry of chocolate they may be considered a Master Chocolatier. The best of the best can be found competing in The World Chocolate Masters, a chocolate competition that started in 2005. Some of the greatest chocolatiers of today are Naomi Mizuno from Japan, Francisco Torreblanca, master Spanish chocolatier, Pierre Marcolini, Yvonnick Le Maux from France, and Carmelo Sciampagna from Italy. These master chocolatiers are some of the best in the world when it comes to designing and sculpting using chocolate. These master chocolatiers also craft pieces of chocolate with outstanding flavor and texture, said to be the best in the world by some. Chocolatiers must be able to work with chocolate in many different applications tempering, molding, sculpting, and decorating. Chocolate can be made into pieces, incorporated into pastries, or simply designed as a piece of art.


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