THE ARTISANMichèle Bowman is a chocolate maker, lover of all things baked and sweet, of flavours and mad creations. She is a passionate artisan and self-taught chocolate maker, a dreamer of dreams, a sensitive soul and a lover of the chocolate life.
Having started baking when she was a child, and then running a baking business from home for many years, Michèle opened a from-scratch bakery, in 2015. After two successful years, and more love than she could handle, she closed her Little White Kitchen with a dream of becoming a chocolatier. |
|
|
In the winter of 2017 Michèle discovered the world of craft chocolate and the mysteries and beauty of single origin cacao. With a sense of adventure and a little insanity, she crafted her first batch of Sweetness chocolate in March 2018. Several pop-ups and lots of encouragement led to the opening of her first manufactory, in a 300 sq.ft space in Olde Riverside in July, and a year later she is moving to bigger digs. The world of chocolate is Michèle's oyster.
|
THE PROCESS
The craft of making chocolate begins with the cacao bean. Michèle uses only ethically sourced, premium quality, heritage varietals sourced from small plantations around the world. These carefully selected beans are then roasted, ground, refined, conched, aged, tempered, and then molded. The end to end process of creating a single bean to bar chocolate can take as long as two months. The whole process is 100% handcrafted. Every stage is supervised and carved into perfection.
By having control over every part of the process, Michèle's chocolate creations are able to take on the distinctive flavours of the particular cacao bean, which, similar to coffee beans, taste different depending on where they are grown.
By having control over every part of the process, Michèle's chocolate creations are able to take on the distinctive flavours of the particular cacao bean, which, similar to coffee beans, taste different depending on where they are grown.
Roasted cocoa beans cooled before passing through a machine to crack and remove the shells from the cocoa nibs.
|
Cocoa nibs are grounded into a paste called cocoa liquor. This 100% cocoa has a very course texture resembling nut butter.
|
Aging in untempered blocks brings out the natural flavour of the beans.
|
Chocolate is hand tempered on a marble slab.
|
|
Before the chocolate is molded into bars, it must be tempered. This involves melting and cooling the chocolate to promote the proper crystallization of the cocoa butter molecules. This final step ensures that our bars have a shiny flawless finish and a nice snap.
While many of the chocolates produced are of the classic single origin variety, Michèle is constantly experimenting with new flavour profiles. The Sweetness shop also features a growing range of delicious inclusion bars and decadent bon bons. |
|
Chocolate pecan caramel bon bon
|
Fruit and nut inclusion bars
|
Assorted bon bons
|
If you are interested in our bespoke options for special occasions, chocolate making classes or tasting events, please get in touch.