Life
How To Make Chocolate Like Jacques Torres, The Master Of All Things Sweet
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Most people have heard of Jacques Torres — either from his time at Le Cirque, his James Beard Award, or — more often than not — from his Food Network show, aptly named Chocolate With Jacques Torres.
Torres has come a long way from Algiers, where he was born in 1959. His decades-long career has since taken the chocolatier from the South of France (where he had his first apprenticeship at the Patisserie Frangipane) to the mean streets of New York City (where his ninth store opened in February).
Bustle caught up with Mr. Chocolate himself at his Brooklyn-based factory, and caught a glimpse of the magic behind his delectable bonbons (and his world famous chocolate chip cookies, of course). Read on for an exclusive peek into his patented process, and Bustle's tips on how to replicate the sugary goodness at home.
Image: Getty Images
Sourcing Cacao Beans
“The first thing I do is select my cacao beans. And — the same way a winemaker knows Burgundy will produce some of the best grapes — I know where to find the best cacao beans,” says Torres. “My beans come from all over the world, but most often from Madagascar, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic.”
Bustle’s Tip: Raw cacao beans can be found at most health food markets, like Whole Foods. Although Torres purchases beans that are still in their shells, you can buy processed beans for a speedier recipe.
Image: Getty Images
Roasting The Beans And Separating Shells
“The second step in the process — roasting cacao beans — is like roasting coffee beans,” explains Torres. “The roasting takes about 30 minutes, and I then transfer them into a machine to remove their shells.”
Bustle’s Tip: To roast your own beans, pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees. Roast the beans for 10 minutes, and then lower the temperature to 350 before baking an additional 10 minutes. Make sure to stir every five minutes for even cooking!
Afterwards, lightly crack the shells, and then remove the beans.
Image: Jacques Torres
Grinding Beans And Adding Sugar
“After the beans are out of their shell, I move them to a Macintyre machine. This device takes care of the entire refining process,” says Torres. “It grinds the beans, and then mixes in sugar and vanilla. It takes about 48 to 72 hours, and the final product is pure, liquid chocolate.”
Bustle’s Tip: Beans are at their peak flavor immediately after roasting, so immediately transfer them into your coffee grinder. Just mimic the same process as you would to craft your perfect cup of joe! Then add vanilla and sugar — or milk powder, if you prefer milk chocolate. The amounts will depend on the number of beans you started with, and can be custom-tailored to your tastebuds.
Image: Getty Images
Molding The Liquid Chocolate Into Your Desired Shape
“With the chocolate in its liquid form, I can mold it into any shape. For me, that can be a bonbon, a chocolate bar, or a fun holiday shape,” Torres explains.
Bustle’s Tip: Many arts and crafts stores sell molding cups that can be used for chocolates. We like this mustache-shaped one from Michaels.
Image: Getty Images
Adding Garnishes
“While the chocolate is being molded, but still in liquid form, is when I can do just about anything I want with it,” says Torres. “I recommend tossing in almonds for an easy twist on plain chocolate.”
Bustle’s Tip: Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs into liquid chocolate, and then allow it to cool. Before serving, smother the treat with marshmallow spread for an “urban” s’mores experience.
Image: Getty Images
Cooking With Chocolate
When he gets home from long days at the factory, the last thing Torres wants to do is make chocolate.
If you, too, are feeling too lazy to make chocolate from scratch, find alternative ways to work the substance into your kitchen — like Torres’ favorite salmon recipe, which uses cocoa nibs and cocoa butter to compliment the fish.
Image: Jacques Torres
