Sweet success

Jessica Laing taps into her inner Willy Wonka at Newcastle’s School of Chocolate, La Chocolatrice…

Sweet success

Oh chocolate, how I love thee. Whether in the form of bars, truffles, thins, buttons, spread, cake, biscuit or ice cream, you make life just that little bit sweeter - on good days, bad days, big days and all the other days in between. Zoe Rutter shares my passion for it. The twenty-something is a self-confessed chocaholic and has had a love affair with the stuff since childhood, during which her grandfather would treat her to a bar of Cadbury’s every time they saw each other. “He’d tell me to savour every mouthful and not share even a single square with anyone else,” she says with a grin. “I was hooked at a very young age. There’s just something so joyful about chocolate. It’s the ultimate ‘happy food’. Hand someone a slice of chocolate fudge cake, or a triple chocolate cookie, and they’re your best friend. Life feels better, even for just a few moments.” After studying French at university, she moved to the land of ooh-la-la, where she worked as an au pair for a family in Paris. In between teaching the children English, she threw herself into patisserie courses and chocolate-making workshops to learn everything she could about the craft. It only cemented her love for the humble cocoa bean and, soon, she found herself putting her new-found skills to the test by making tempting treats for the children every afternoon. Watching their little faces light up with glee every time a truffle or square of dark chocolate passed their lips would later inspire her to open her very own ‘school of chocolate’ in her native North East. La Chocolatrice - which translates to ‘the female chocolate maker’ in French - opened its doors just a few months ago on Newcastle’s Westgate Road.

Passers-by won’t miss its whimsical window displays which, so far, have taken on stunning Valentine’s Day and Easter themes. They do a wonderful job of luring you in to a magical, Parisian-themed world of chocolate-making. “What first drew me to the building was its curved glass front and railings - it reminded me of the old chocolate shops I used to visit in France,” says Zoe. “Inside, I wanted to create a fun space, with a feminine edge. I wanted it to look ‘pretty’ and inviting. It’s why you’ll find pink walls, florals and sparkling chandeliers. A cold, steel kitchen was out of the question.” Being creative and getting your hands dirty is the name of the game during Zoe’s intimate and fun-packed workshops, which can host between three and 10 chocolatelovers and last anywhere from 90 minutes to two hours. Perfect for groups of friends and family looking to celebrate, or perhaps just pick up a few new recipes, tips and tricks, they take place around a giant granite table and centre around decadent handmade truffles, luxury chocolate flakes and chocolate thins - or ‘crisps’. You can even mix up your own vegan creations and create your very own bespoke chocolate bars. Experimenting with flavours and textures is encouraged - as is licking the bowl - and you take home everything you make. During my visit we add orange, vanilla and freeze-dried raspberries to our truffles and make our very own version of mint chocolate thins - which, to my surprise and delight, taste even better than After Eights. “If you’re working with, eating and selling chocolate every day, like I am, it needs to be best quality,” says Zoe. “Ours has only five ingredients: cocoa mass, cocoa powder, cocoa butter, sugar and vanilla. It’s as pure as you can get and, taste-wise, sits right in the middle of milk and dark. “It’s smooth and creamy, but still rich. The flavour lingers in the mouth for a lot longer

than the cheap chocolate you’ll find at the supermarket. It’s more luxurious and far more satisfying.” As we chat, I learn how to fold double cream into pools of melted chocolate until thick and glossy. I take great pleasure in drizzling it all over the table in front of me, before scraping it into flakes as it dries and sets. I discover how to roll my own fudgey truffles and ‘drop’ them from a height, into cocoa powder, like a pro. Zoe is on hand to make sure everything is measured out exactly, but as she enthuses, it’s not really about the mathematics at La Chocolatrice. It’s about using your hands, spoons and palette knives and getting stuck in with the mixing, stirring and decorating. It’s about immersing yourself in the sweet smells - the kind that make your eyes roll with delight - and enjoying those allimportant taste tests along the way. As the weeks go by, the busier Zoe becomes - but this young and ambitious entrepreneur isn’t complaining. Even after single-handedly hosting 24 workshops in the space of just seven days. “The interest and support I’ve received, in such a short space of time, is overwhelming. I feel like I never stop, but I’m loving every single moment,” she says. “People often ask me if I ever become sick of the sight of chocolate, but I honestly feel like I’m living the dream. “Running La Chocolatrice means I get to combine my two greatest loves - chocolate and teaching - and I’ve met some really fantastic people along the way. “I also sell my own produce - everything from bars to buttons, to lollies and pearls - which is another really fun part of the job. I always dreamt of having my very own chocolate shop - and now it’s a reality. “I’m not expecting every person who walks through the doors to leave an expert chocolatier. I just want everyone to enjoy themselves and have the best, most memorable, experience. If I’ve done that, then I’ve succeeded. Everything else is just a bonus.” My verdict? La Chocolatrice’s courses are perfect for creative chocolate-addicts and budding chocolatiers alike, packed with plenty of hands-on fun and technical chat, should you want it. Zoe is a charming host - and teacher - and you walk out the door feeling like you really learned a thing or two, with bags of indulgent homemade goodies you can be proud of - and that would put Willy Wonka to shame. Book up now.

Workshops start from £25 per person and children are welcome. For more information, or to book, visit lachocolatrice.co.uk

Zoe is on hand to make sure everything is measured out exactly, but as she enthuses, it’s not really about the mathematics at La Chocolatrice. It’s about using your hands, spoons and palette knives and getting stuck in

with chef Michael Wignall… New spaces, seasonal picks and tasty travels for our new culinary columnist…

MY FOOD TRAVELS >> It’s hard to find the time to dine out at the moment, so, on a recent 24-hour trip to London, I managed to fit in lunch and dinner at two restaurants. The first was Tom Aiken’s new opening, Muse. We took the whole kitchen team with us on a day off, so they could experience Tom’s food, which I have long admired. The menus at Muse have

been inspired by nostalgia and the pivotal moments and key people from Tom’s personal life and career. It was an exceptional meal, thoroughly enjoyed by the whole team. For dinner, we dined at my favourite restaurant, The Greenhouse, which is tucked away in Mayfair. I have been so many times and everything about the restaurant just seems to get better and better. The food is exquisite and the service some of the very best. You enter through a serene landscaped garden, decorated with stone artworks, and you feel as though you are leaving the hustle and bustle of London and instantly relax.

ON MY PLATE >> We are entering into one of the most exciting seasons – spring! We’ve enjoyed French white asparagus, which is sadly coming to an end. A favourite on the menu has been fermented Yorkshire garlic, wild garlic emulsion, poached and barbequed white asparagus, hen of the woods mushroom, dashi foam and winter truffle. But now we see French green asparagus and it won’t be long before the English starts. I love asparagus, it’s so versatile and has such a distinctive flavour. Yorkshire rhubarb is also coming to an end and we are now developing a dish using gariguette strawberries. These French strawberries are super sweet and aromatic - and great in dessert dishes!

MY WORLD >> We’re delighted to have completed the first phase of our refurbishments. January saw a small army of the area’s finest tradesmen create our new, open bar area, as well as carry out long overdue, essential maintenance works to this amazing building. We reopened the new doors to the Angel in early February and it’s been wonderful to welcome so many guests to our refurbished space. Many of this wonderful building’s original features are still here to welcome you, with the addition of a new fireplace to warm you up when April showers arrive. So, come on in and enjoy a local beer or a refreshing glass of wine at our wonderful new bar, which has been beautifully crafted by our neighbourhood joiner, from the most amazing local oak tree.

TRY THIS >> Pear tatin Serves 4

To prepare the pears…

Ingredients 2 x Angelys pears

Method Peel and cut in half vertically. Trim to size using a circular cutter, cut away stem and scoop out the core. Trim the rounded edge so that it is flat.

Caramel (for pears)…

Ingredients 250g caster sugar 110g butter

For the glaze 100g malt extract 75g tea

Method In a large, heavy-bottomed pan, put enough sugar to cover the bottom and place over the heat. Once all the sugar has turned a light, caramel colour, add a little more sugar and stir thoroughly. Repeat until all the sugar has been caramelised. Keep the pan on the heat, add the butter in small amounts at a time, whisking continuously. Once all the butter has been incorporated, pour it onto a lined tray into circles ready for your portions. Leave to cool and then put away in an airtight container.

Salted caramel…

Ingredients 180g double cream 1/2 vanilla (pod and seeds) 120g butter 275g caster sugar Salt to taste

Method Place the sugar into a pan and cover with water. Mix thoroughly and place on to the stove until golden brown in colour. In the meantime, add the double cream and vanilla into another pan and put to the side of the stove, just so it warms through. Once the sugar has caramelised enough, slowly pour the cream into the sugar, whisking continuously. After all the cream has been added, add the butter little by little, still whisking. Once the butter has been incorporated, add the salt. Leave to cool.

Vanilla ice cream…

Ingredients 518g whole milk 6g vanilla (seeds and pod) 30g egg yolk 60g caster sugar 40g milk powder 35g glucose powder 4g stab 2000 (or any ice cream stabiliser – this isn’t essential, it just gives it a nice texture)

Method Place the milk and vanilla into a pan, put on the stove to start heating up. Once hot, add milk powder, glucose powder and stab 2000 to the milk. Bring this to the boil. In a separate bowl, whisk the sugar and the yolks until fully combined. Pour some of the milk mixture over the yolks and sugar whilst whisking. Pour the yolks and sugar back into the pan with the rest of the milk mixture and place back onto the heat. Cook this for a few minutes to cook the egg yolks. Put into a container, cling film and chill overnight to infuse the vanilla flavour. Strain the mixture then freeze for at least 24 hours. Churn the mixture in an ice cream churner to serve.

TO ASSEMBLE >> Line a small tart tin with greaseproof paper. Place the caramel disc and the pear flat side down and cover with puff pastry. Cook for 25 minutes (180°C, fan 3) with a tray on top to flatten them, then cook for a further 5 minutes without the tray. Turn the tatin upside down, coat with the excess caramel and leave to sit for 2 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream and salted caramel. angelhetton.co.uk