Devilishly delicious chocolate art for Halloween
Christophe Bonzon uses his Swiss chocolate sculpture skills in selling special confections for the season
Burnaby's Christophe Bonzon is not a typical designer — he designs chocolate.
His shop, Chez Christophe, offers unique morsels for the different seasons, Bonzon said.
For Halloween, there's no need to be pretty: gruesome eyeballs and ghostly lollipops are on the offer as well as skull sculptures.
"Basically, we try every year to be different and create new things and keep things interesting," Bonzon said.
The eyeballs may look off colour but inside, it's 42 per cent chocolate from Ecuador. There's no compromise in the ingredients he uses for these scary treats.
Bonzon has also made gift packages that resemble evil scientist lab bottles full of chocolate fingers.
"Everything is edible except the plastic box," he said.
Halloween is different in North America compared to what Bonzon said he was used to in his home country of Switzerland. There might be a themed party in Switzerland, he explained, but none of fireworks and large scale decorations common in Vancouver.
"I enjoy [Halloween], I think it's another nice party before Christmas — just something to get you in the spirit of the holidays," he said.
Halloween Chocolate Lollipops
Ingredients:
500g 35 per cent Carma Des Alpes milk chocolate, tempered
Directions:
Tempering chocolate
1. Place the chocolate in a four-quart glass bowl. Microwave on medium for 30 seconds, and then stir with a clean spatula
2. Repeat two more times.
3. Microwave on high for 15 seconds, and then stir.
4. Repeat two to four more times or until the chocolate reaches 100 degrees F.
5. Microwave on high for ten seconds and then stir.
6. Repeat five more times or until the chocolate reaches 115 degrees F.
7. Remove from the microwave and cool by stirring occasionally until the chocolate reaches 95 degrees F.
8. Use chocolate when it cools to 90 degrees F.
Assembly
1. Pipe into Halloween lollipop molds.
2. Place stick in molds and rotate stick to ensure chocolate covers stick.
3. Refrigerate until firm.
4. Remove lollipops from molds and enjoy!
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