How David Chow makes his handmade chocolates
“Merry Christmas,” I say to David Chow as he opens the door of his candy workshop.
It’s Saturday morning, 9 a.m., on Dec. 5. As a born-again Christmasian, I’ve been wishing people “Merry Christmas” since Dec. 1, mostly to a reaction of narrowed eyes, resentfully muttered “happy holidays” and people telling me that it’s way too soon. Christmas is still three weeks away.
“You mean there’s only three weeks left,” Chow corrects me.
With the North American economy pivoting around holiday sales, the maker of sweets has 20 days left to produce and sell chocolate Christmas trees.
“I’m already doing photo shoots for Valentine’s.”
For now the pastry chef (formerly of the Drake Hotel and Trump International Hotel & Tower) works out of his cousin’s café, the Eatery, next to Momofuku on University Ave. During the week, Chocolates & Confections by David H. Chow is crammed into a tiny corner to produce his extensive line of handmade candy bars (caramel/hazelnut, popcorn/pretzel), yuzu caramels, PB & J dragées, etc. On the weekends, the café is closed. So this morning we have the soaring ceilings and ample daylight to ourselves.
A one-man operation (plus another cousin who helps him package), Chow’s only marketing is his Instagram, an enviable collage of Marc Chagall’s colour palette and the abstract splatter of Jackson Pollock, realized in edible chocolate. With high food costs (the almonds and chocolate I’m working with this morning run about $30 per kilo), his profit margin is found in labouring until 2 a.m. Over the course of a weekend, I help make, package and label chocolate bars, candies and honeycomb toffees.
As I boil the inverted sugar, honey and baking soda, I don’t really understand what a honeycomb is. But the next day, as I chop the cooled, golden brick into nuggets of caramelized puffs, I recognize it as the filling of a Cadbury’s Crunchie bar.
One of my favourite things that happens during kitchen work is when two people have their hands full with repetitive tasks and there is time to gab. It’s not unlike Christmas afternoon, when you find yourself between the twin productions of gift exchanging and eating, left alone to talk with people who are normally in a constant rush.
“So what’s your favourite sweet?” Chow asks me as he paints each individual chocolate petal of an edible, miniature Christmas tree with green cocoa butter.
“Reese’s anything,” I say, the liquid chocolate on my fingers rapidly solidifying as I dip almond clusters. We debate the merits of cake doughnuts versus yeast doughnuts (like Montreal bagels, superb for an hour before they go stale).
“I love a good pie,” says Chow. “Because I suck at making pie.”
Chow has an engineering degree and he makes his own Reese’s cups. It’s hard to believe he can’t bake a pie.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Chipotle Bar
I like to alternate between easy and advanced recipes, and this one is a challenge. Anyone who attempts it deserves a gold star. But you don’t have to make the whole thing.
“A chocolate bar is just several kinds of candy,” says David Chow, “bound together by chocolate. They could just make the meltaway, roll it in balls and toss them in powdered sugar. Like you don’t have to make a Twix bar at home. You could just make the shortbread or caramel.”
Unless you’re a serious baker, or you want an excuse to spend zero time with your family this Christmas, just make the nougat or the meltaway. But if you’re a glutton for challenges, here’s the whole thing.
Domino Foods in St. Lawrence Market carries Valrhona.
Everything else you can find at Bulk Barn. Peanut butter nougat 1 egg white 1/3 cup (80 mL) inverted sugar (or
honey) 1 cup (250 mL) sugar, granulated 1/2 cup (125 mL) water 1/4 cup (60 mL) molasses 1/2 cup (125 mL) lucose syrup (or corn syrup) 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract 1/2 cup (125 mL) peanut butter,
smooth 1/3 cup (80 mL) non fat milk powder 1/4 cup (60 mL) icing sugar 1 cup (250 mL) peanuts, toasted, roughly chopped Line a 9-inch by 13-inch (23 cm x 33 cm) deep pan by greasing with parchment paper coming over the sides, allowing the bar to eventually be pulled out of the pan easily. Put the egg white and inverted sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
In a pot, boil the water, sugar and glucose to 118 C/244 F. When the syrup reaches 110 C/230 F, turn the mixer on to medium high so that when the syrup reaches the right temperature the eggs will be whipped to soft peaks.
Over a medium low speed, slowly drizzle the syrup into the whipping egg whites. The hot syrup will cook the egg whites.
Turn the mixer back to high and whip till the meringue is shiny and glossy and still warm to the touch, about 10 minutes.
While the meringue is whipping, prepare a large mixing bowl with the peanut butter, peanuts, milk powder and icing sugar. When the meringue is ready, fold it into the peanut butter mixture, working quickly as it will stiffen very quickly.
Scrape mixture into the prepared pan and press with your hands (lightly oiled to prevent sticking) pat the nougat mixture out into as even a layer as possible. Let cool at room temperature before proceeding with the meltaway layer. Peanut butter meltaway 2-1/4 cups (560 mL) chopped milk chocolate (Chow uses Valrhona 40% Jivara milk chocolate) 6-1/2 tablespoons (92 mL) peanut butter (don’t use natural as it’s not emulsified so oil separates out) 6 tbsp + 1 tsp (95 mL) coconut oil 1-1/2 tsp (7 mL) chipotle powder Fit a large metal mixing bowl over a pot of simmering water.
Combine the milk chocolate, peanut butter, coconut oil and chipotle powder in the bowl, stirring, until it reaches 36 C/96 F.
Temper the mixture using one of the four methods listed in the column (easiest version is fitting bowl over another bowl of ice and stirring until mixture is 28 C/82 F, then place it back over the double boiler to bring it back up to 29 C/30 C (84 F/86 F). Spread over the cooled nougat layer in the pan. Allow to set at room temperature 4 hours or ideally overnight.
Note from David Chow: “You can simply do the meltaway layer in the 9x13 pan. In that case, let it set again and cut into little cubes. Toss into cacao powder or icing sugar and serve!” For the bars 2-1/2 cups (625 mL) dark chocolate (Chow uses Valrhona Equatoriale, but says to use any other high quality couverture chocolate, which is made with extra cocoa butter for enrobing) Remove the candy bar loaf from the pan. Slice into whatever shapes you want. With Chow’s measurements of 3/4-inch by 4-inch (2 cm x 10 cm) he gets 33 bars.
Fit the pot of simmering water again with a large metal bowl. Add two-thirds of the dark chocolate and melt to 45 C/113 F. Remove from heat. Add remaining chocolate, stirring until it is 28 C/29 C (82 F/ 84 F), then putting it back on the heat and stirring until it is 31 C/32 C (87 F/89 F).
Dip each bar into the chocolate with a fork, using a spatula to wipe excess chocolate from below. Place on parchment-lined sheet to cool.
Makes 33 peanut butter chipotle bars.