Le Fleur's logo was designed by Nichole Reed, and a big thanks to her for it. I love the finished result for a few reasons.
The reason I chose a plant for the logo (and the reason I chose the name, for that matter) is that most of my artistic creativity goes into the flavor of the candy. Instead of just focusing on the flavor of the chocolate itself, I add various plant flavorings, from hibiscus to tea to fruity-tasting oils. The different combinations of taste are what make each recipe unique.
It's easy to appreciate the beauty of a flower. However, a plant is nothing without its roots. A flower grows two ways, stretching out its roots as well as reaching upward. The roots of chocolate stretch very far back; as far as we know, the Olmecs of the Mexican Gulf lowlands were the first to cultivate cacao about three thousand years ago. Later, among the Mayans and Aztecs, chocolate was almost never consumed plain, instead, it was a drink that was flavored with various plants including chilli, vanilla, and other regional plants like "ear flower." I like to think I, too, am reaching both directions, both tapping into the tradition of flavoring chocolate as well as branching out into my own creations of flavored chocolate.
The lotus flower, pictured in the logo, is recognized as a symbolic plant because it grows from the muddy bottom of a body of water to a very beautiful flower the rests just above the water's surface. It is known as a symbol of overcoming struggle and hard times.
I did not wake up one morning and decide to create Le Fleur. I needed the help of a friend to get me out of the internal struggle that came with trying to choose between doing what I wanted and doing what I was expected to do with my life. And even after deciding that I would make chocolate, I was met with opposition and disappointment from teachers I had looked up to as mentors, among other older people. Over time, I had to learn on my own that only I have the right to say what I should do and what I should care about. I could not live my life giving in to pressure from people trying to shape me and my goals.
So this is more that just candy. It's Le Fleur Chocolat.
Le Fleur
Showing posts with label dark chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label dark chocolate. Show all posts
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
You're in for a Treat
Now, normally, I don't give away my secrets when it comes to my truffles, but in the spirit of competition, I will release my new recipe, Riceball!
What competition, you ask? Well, the monthly We Should Cocoa chocolate challenge, hosted this month by Choclette, of course! Really, it's not a competition, but I tend to make these kinds of things competitive because that's how I am with my chocolate.
About the recipe. You may recognize rice balls, or onigiri, as a Japanese dish. And while the recipe tastes nothing like onigiri, I'm sure, it does have a very Japanese ingredient. This truffle features crisped rice in the shell and genmaicha-infused ganache. Genmaicha is green tea mixed with toasted brown rice for a nutty-tasting tea, and can be found at health food stores or, less expensively, at your nearby Asian market. The following recipe is for milk-free dark chocolate, so the proportions may vary slightly depending on the chocolate you use.
12 fl. oz. (1 1/2 cup) dark chocolate chips
2 bags of genmaicha
100 mL almond or soy milk
1 tbsp. margarine
At least 2 additional cups of tempered chocolate for dipping
About 1/2 cup crisped rice (Rice Krispies cereal works fine)
In a double boiler/bain marie, melt the first cup and a half of chocolate. While it is melting, steep the two bags of genmaicha in the milk, stirring or moving the bags often to keep a skin from forming over the milk as the tea steeps. After all the chocolate is melted, pour 50 mL of the infused milk into it, straining out tea leaves if necessary. Remove from the heat and mix; I get the best results using a spoon to mix it a little, then a whisk to incorporate it thoroughly. Once the mixture is smooth, add the margarine. Be sure to mix this thoroughly as well, or you may end up with a chunk of margarine in your ganache.
Cover the ganache and chill in the refrigerator for two to three hours.once it's firm, take it out of the refrigerator. In your double boiler, melt the rest of the chocolate. While it's melting, spoon out your ganache and roll into balls with about a nickel's diameter. Temper the chocolate and stir in the crisped rice. Dip each ganache ball into the chocolate, making sure you get plenty of rice lumps over it, scrape the excess chocolate, and drop onto a cookie sheet. Allow the truffles to harden on their own; putting them in the refrigerator could basically undo all your hard work at tempering!
If you'venever made truffles, I'd recommend you practice making ganache first, then get good at tempering. The best way to learn how to make truffles is by experience.
What competition, you ask? Well, the monthly We Should Cocoa chocolate challenge, hosted this month by Choclette, of course! Really, it's not a competition, but I tend to make these kinds of things competitive because that's how I am with my chocolate.
About the recipe. You may recognize rice balls, or onigiri, as a Japanese dish. And while the recipe tastes nothing like onigiri, I'm sure, it does have a very Japanese ingredient. This truffle features crisped rice in the shell and genmaicha-infused ganache. Genmaicha is green tea mixed with toasted brown rice for a nutty-tasting tea, and can be found at health food stores or, less expensively, at your nearby Asian market. The following recipe is for milk-free dark chocolate, so the proportions may vary slightly depending on the chocolate you use.
Dark Riceball Truffles (Vegan)
12 fl. oz. (1 1/2 cup) dark chocolate chips
2 bags of genmaicha
100 mL almond or soy milk
1 tbsp. margarine
At least 2 additional cups of tempered chocolate for dipping
About 1/2 cup crisped rice (Rice Krispies cereal works fine)
In a double boiler/bain marie, melt the first cup and a half of chocolate. While it is melting, steep the two bags of genmaicha in the milk, stirring or moving the bags often to keep a skin from forming over the milk as the tea steeps. After all the chocolate is melted, pour 50 mL of the infused milk into it, straining out tea leaves if necessary. Remove from the heat and mix; I get the best results using a spoon to mix it a little, then a whisk to incorporate it thoroughly. Once the mixture is smooth, add the margarine. Be sure to mix this thoroughly as well, or you may end up with a chunk of margarine in your ganache.
Cover the ganache and chill in the refrigerator for two to three hours.once it's firm, take it out of the refrigerator. In your double boiler, melt the rest of the chocolate. While it's melting, spoon out your ganache and roll into balls with about a nickel's diameter. Temper the chocolate and stir in the crisped rice. Dip each ganache ball into the chocolate, making sure you get plenty of rice lumps over it, scrape the excess chocolate, and drop onto a cookie sheet. Allow the truffles to harden on their own; putting them in the refrigerator could basically undo all your hard work at tempering!
If you'venever made truffles, I'd recommend you practice making ganache first, then get good at tempering. The best way to learn how to make truffles is by experience.
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