Glossary

We call chocolate bonbons the bonbons of ten grams composed of chocolate. Referring to pralines, the enrobed bonbons where the interior may be composed of ganache or praline paste, a dragée.

Legislatively speaking, a chocolate bonbon that can not entirely enter the mouth is called a bouchée. A bouchée weighs around 40 grams.

Chocolate enrobing is high quality chocolate that is used as raw material. It can be dark or milk but it contains at least 32% cocoa butter, which makes it very fluid, to make a finer enrobing than a classic enrobing.

Conchage is the heating the cocoa to augment homogeneity, aroma and onctuosity of the future chocolate. It is held with approximately 70°C in a mixer which slowly mixes the mixture of chocolate. During this stage, one can add emulsifiers. Almost all industrial chocolates contain an emulsifier in the form of lecithin of soya, which prolongs the homogeneity of the mixture.

Dark chocolate, also called melted chocolate or bitter chocolate, is chocolate, properly speaking. It is a mixture of cocoa and sugar. To be able to be called "chocolate" it must contain a minimum of 34% cocoa. Above, we speak of "confiserie chocolatée". The amount of suger needed depends upon the bitterness of the variety of cocoa being used. There has been a revival in the consummation of dark chocolate since the beginning of the 1990’s but it still is less consumed than milk chocolate.

Ganache is a mixure of chocolate morsels and fresh cream brought to a boil. Ganache is used as it is (plain ganache) or flavoured (coffee, tea, spices, alcohol). It can also incorporate fruit pulp.

An unctuous mixture of chocolate, icing sugar and roasted nuts, ground and drily incorporated, which gives a particular texture and consistence to this preparation which is close to the praline paste. Gianduja is equally sold without coating; it is a triangular bonbon that is individually wrapped.

Milk chocolate is chocolate that is obtained by adding powdered or condensed milk. It contains less than 40% cocoa. American law stipulates a minimum concentration of 10% cocoa. European law stipulates a minimum of 25% cocoa.

Melted sugar or caramel, with added roasted or slivered almonds. This mixture always confers a crunchy or crusty consistency to the bouchée. The great chocolatiers are those that know how to, even in their moast audacious compositions, achieve an equilibrium where different savours are subtly perceived without masking others, still with the predominant taste of cocoa which persists in the mouth.

A ground paste of sugared almonds or nuts, where roasting with a mixture of caramelized sugar gives a delicious odor.

Pure origin chocolate must be produced from cocoa coming from one country.

"Cru" chocolate is made from cocoa that comes from an identified geographical region or one plantation.

"Grand cru" chocolate is chocolate where the cocoa has an identifiable, unique character which justifies a higher price.

Unsweetened chocolate is the pure cocoa liquor without any sugar.

Criollo is the original cocoa, the finest but also the rarest (1% of global production), and therefore expensive.

Forastero is a cocoa from Brazil and Africa (80% of the production).

Trinitario , a hybrid of the varieties of criollo and forastero, is cultivated in the same territories as the criollo. (20% of global production).

Nacional is an old Ecuadorian variety of cocoa, with large purple seeds, that are clearly identifiable by their floral flavour.

White chocolate is a preparation that has as a basis cocoa butter, added suger and flavoured milk with no solid cocoa component. It chiefly used in confections for contrast of colours.