“I’ve always had a burning passion for food and culinary art. Growing up I was exposed to my grandmother’s baking and cooking, and of course I would help her. That’s where I developed the interest. When I got to high school, home economics became one of my favourite subjects and I eventually found my way into a kitchen that opened up the world of chocolate I never knew existed.”
As a chocolatier Nosi, as she is fondly known, is skilled at working with the solid form of chocolate and melting it down to create anything from filled moulded chocolates, truffles, desserts and pastries to building show pieces or chocolate figurines.
“It is also important to understand the different notes involved in chocolate crafting, especially when it comes to pairing it with other foods or wines and whiskeys. A large part of what I do also entails educating our consumers about chocolate production and ensuring that they actually get to enjoy a complete chocolate experience.”
“I often get asked if I get sick of chocolate or what my favourite chocolate is, and I guess it has a lot to do with how much I enjoy what I do. If I could describe myself like chocolate, I’d probably make the comparison to my favourite Lindt chocolate – dark caramel with a touch of sea salt – sweet but bold and full of character! It’s been 10 years and I’m still enjoying this chocolate dream. So… just to give you a little peek into my world when it comes to desserts, here’s one of my personal favourites to whip up on a quiet night at home with my other half. And because I’m not a wine fan, I usually serve it with a good whisky, but I will leave that up to you. Hope you enjoy it just as much as I do.”
Baked Chocolate dessert with raspberry coulis
The key to the intensity and flavour of this luscious chocolate cake lies in the quality of the few ingredients involved in its making. Choose a high quality dark chocolate (I prefer Lindt 70%) and use real quality butter, such Lurpak. The brightness and acidity of the raspberry coulis balances out the richness of the cake and will leave you begging for more.
Baked Chocolate dessert
Ingredients
100g 70% dark chocolate
100g salted butter
40g egg yolk (yolk of about two large eggs)
60g flour
30g sugar
Method
Place the butter and the chocolate in the microwave to melt. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar to a light volume. Add the flour and fold in. Pour into buttered Dariole molds and bake until set and top begins to crack (160°C for about 8 minutes).
Raspberry Coulis
Ingredients
2 cups fresh raspberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
Water (optional)
Method
Heat the sugar and water and a teaspoon or two of water (optional) in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring from time to time, until the sugar dissolves completely, about 5 minutes. Put the raspberries and the sugar syrup in a blender and puree. Strain through a fine mesh sieve to remove the seeds (optional). The sauce keeps well, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for four to five days, and freezes perfectly for months.
