A Sweet IndulgenceStrange Creatures in Strange LandscapesMadelyn MillerChocolate is one of life’s greatest pleasures, and one that is indulged in on a daily basis at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong. Cocoa beans were first cultivated around 600AD by the ancient Mayans, and the popularity of chocolate quickly spread throughout the world. Initially chocolate was mixed with water and sugar to make a sweet drink. London’s first chocolate shop opened in 1728, and since then chocolate has been refined and improved to become more palatable. The first chocolate factory opened in Switzerland in 1819, and by 1900, with the creation of chocolate companies such as Cadbury’s, Lindt and Suchard, the world of chocolate was changed forever.Yves Matthey, Executive Pastry Chef at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, believes that chocolate is good for you. He eats chocolate every day, and after more than 20 years as a chef and master of chocolate, his passion for this sweet treat is undiminished.The small chocolate kitchen located in Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong produces the hotel’s renowned chocolates, a considerable portion of which are exported to Japan. This fragrant kitchen has a conveyor belt where pralines are lined up to be coated with glossy chocolate, decorated and delivered to the tables of Vong, Mandarin Grill, The Café and of course the Mandarin Cake Shop. According to Matthey, good chocolate contains more than 50 per cent cocoa butter, and Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong uses Valrhona chocolate from France, which is considered by many to be the best in the world. In addition to running the busy pastry kitchen and supplying the Mandarin Oriental Cake Shop, Matthey also finds time to practise chocolate sculpting. Over the years he has won numerous prizes for his creations. One sculpture was a 1.5 metre scale model of a Renault automobile, but he confesses that his ambition is to create a scale chocolate model of a Boeing 747. “One of the nicest things I was asked to do was when a guest asked me to place a diamond engagement ring inside a chocolate so that he could propose to his fiancee. I wrapped the diamond up in tissue paper, covered it in chocolate cream and placed it in the chocolate,” he recalls, obviously delighted to have played such an important part in such a happy occasion.Chocolate Facts
200 g Liquid cream 35% fat 50 g Butter (50 g Honey) Good quality cocoa powder PREPARATIONa) Chop the chocolate very thinly, and place into a large round container. b) Boil the cream, (with the honey) pour slowly over the chocolate and stir continuously in order to obtain a glossy and "elastic" texture. c) When the mixture (ganache) reaches 40°c, add the soft butter and let it set on a tray overnight at at a cool temperature. d) The next day, use a piping bag to pipe the truffles on a sheet of paper or plastic. Place into the refrigerator and let rest for 2 or 3 hours. e) Melt the chocolate in a large container at 35 / 40°c, dip the truffles, then using a fork; roll them over in the cocoa powder. f) Sieve the truffles gently in a strainer, and keep them in a tight container in the refrigerator or a wine cellar. NOTE: Please note that the truffles have a shelf life of approximately two weeks if kept in optimum conditions If you like to add some alcohol such as Champagne, it should be added with the butter, but should exceed more than 10% of the total masse.  Valrhona 130 g Butter 600 g Egg white 200 g Sugar 150 g Egg YolksPREPARATION a) Melt the chocolate to about 50/55º c with the butter add the eggs yolks b) Whip egg white with sugarc) Check the temperature, 45/50º C, and finish by mixing rapidly, using a scraper or a rubber spatula, the rest of the egg whites, in order to obtain a nice mousse Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong YVES MATTHEY CHEF PATISSIER Madarin Oriental Hong Kong Yves Matthey joined Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, on 1st May 1987 as Chef Patissier. Responsible for a team of 30, Matthey oversees the production of pastry for all the hotel restaurants together with the Mandarin Cake Shop, room service, banqueting and outside catering events. Chef Matthey was heavily involved in the design and installation of the new bakery, which opened in 1990, extending the range and quality of the products produced for the hotel. Prior to joining Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong, Matthey spent seven years at the Excelsior as Pastry Chef and three years in England with Whienold Confectioners. His career began at the Hotel Moreau in Switzerland. Matthey studied at Ecole Abeille in Zurich and completed an intensive training in chocolate production immediately after his apprenticeship finished. In addition to running the busy pastry kitchen and supplying the Mandarin Oriental Cake Shop, Matthey also finds time to practise chocolate sculpting. Over the years he has won numerous prizes for his creations. One sculpture was a 1.5 metre scale model of a Renault automobile, but he confesses that his ambition is to create a scale chocolate model of a Boeing 747.Edited by Madelyn Miller |
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