Sweet like chocolate

This decadent dessert consistently rates on hotel menus. And, here’s why…

Chocolate. Yes, that sweet, dark brown candy. Even just the thought of it can get the mouth salivating…

Despite the health-obsessed times we live in, customers will still find it the one item that’s hard to resist on the dessert menu, whatever form it comes in – ice cream, cake or some other wicked dessert! It’s the ultimate indulgence… and it’s an option that chefs should never overlook.

It doesn’t matter where guests are enjoying their meals – from family-orientated restaurants to fine dining – many won’t feel sated unless they round things off with chocolate.
And, it’s good news for operators, as desserts are based on lower-cost staples like sugar, flour, eggs, butter and cream, meaning better profit margins compared to appetisers and entrees.

Joe Cavallo, the head chef of Aperitivo restaurant in Sydney’s Leichhardt, says having chocolate on the menu is always a winner. “It is undoubtedly always a popular and often safe choice for customers to make – especially when it comes to desserts!”

BISTRO spoke about all things chocolate with those in the know – the chefs!

Why chocolate = success

If chocolate went to school, it’d be the cheerleader, because it wins the popularity contest – again and again!

Just ask Paul Hewitt, the head chef of P. J. Gallagher’s Irish pub restaurant in Sydney’s Parramatta. “I think 90 per cent of our customers would buy a chocolate dessert because, hey, who doesn’t like chocolate? Chocolate desserts always sell very well.” (P. J. Gallagher’s was awarded Best City Restaurant in NSW’s 2009 Australian Hotels Association Awards For Excellence.)

For Iain Todd from Piccalilly in Hobart’s Battery Point, chocolate has many virtues. “It adds colour, richness, texture – both hard and soft – shape and interest to a dish. It’s a very versatile ingredient.” (Piccalilly was voted Best Overall Restaurant of 2008/2009 in the Tasmanian Hospitality Association Awards for Excellence.)

As for Todd’s fave chocolaty dish, he enthuses: “Those where the chocolate has been lightened in texture, so it melts away in the mouth.” Mmmmm!

Watching the bottom line

Chocolate is – and will always be – a hit with diners, according to Leigh McDivitt, the head chef of 3Weeds Hotel’s restaurant in Sydney’s Rozelle. (The restaurant has two chef’s hats from the Good Food Guide and was awarded Best Restaurant in a Pub by the Australian Restaurant and Catering Association in 2009.)

Still, McDivitt says the good-quality variety can be expensive. “You must, of course, balance the costs of your ingredients, so that you can make money. I couldn’t sustain having a dish on my menu that didn’t make money.”
At the same time, McDivitt says the high, perceived value of chocolate makes it a perfect ingredient for producing a high rate of return… because it’s still considered a luxury!

Todd from Piccalilly echoes this sentiment: “The better the quality of the chocolate, the more intense the flavour, so you can afford to use less in your recipes… Chocolate is a good seller, so you know you will move plenty of units.”

Todd has more tips too: “Buy chocolate in bulk and never waste it. Chocolate, as long as it remains uncontaminated, can be used again.”
Hewitt from P. J. Gallagher’s reckons a careful balancing act is required when working with chocolate. “Just like any dish, we weigh up the cost of all the ingredients and find the best price that not only is profitable, but is also value for money for our customers.”

As you can see, all chefs agree that choccy desserts will always sell… the trick is finding the right balance between the cost of produce and labour, combined with a chef’s own knowledge, experience and skills to make a dish really ‘sing’!

Work it

Understanding chocolate’s properties and its behaviour is a “must”, according to McDivitt of 3Weeds. “You need to know what you are doing. Chocolate can be very tricky and takes skill and patience to achieve good results.” Plus, he adds: “Using quality chocolate and having the right equipment does make the difference.”
Hewitt from P. J. Gallagher’s has a few tips of his own: “Work quite quickly as chocolate tends to go hard and lumpy if left out too long; never add cold ingredients to warm chocolate; don’t melt chocolate over direct heat or it burns; and make sure all bowls and utensils are clean and dry before touching chocolate with them.”
Todd from Piccalilly chimes in with some ideas of his own: “Do your research. Ask for samples and taste the chocolate to decide which one suits you best for both price and intensity. Think about cocoa percentage and how that will affect bitterness or sweetness of the finished dish.”

Lastly, he says: “Don’t be afraid of it – it is easy [to use] with some understanding and practice!”

Getting creative

The use of chocolate in dessert dishes can allow chefs to get really imaginative, according to Todd from Piccalilly. “Think outside the box and be creative – think about incorporating chocolate into other areas of the menu,” Todd enthuses.

A recent dessert item on Piccalilly’s menu paired some particularly unusual flavours together – dark chocolate ice cream with pear and parmesan salad and mint jelly. Another recent addition has been soft-centered chocolate and violet mousse, with crystallised blossoms.

BISTRO asked Todd about the inspiration behind such dishes – particularly the ice cream! “Chocolate, pears and mint is a classic combination. The parmesan was added because it works so well with the pear. It adds salt to the dish, which is important, and gives it a more ‘adult’ feel. Piccalilly’s diners eat a large number of courses over a long period of time [so] it is important not to overload them with sugar.”
Cavallo from Aperitivo also errs on the adventurous side when it comes to choccy – particularly his dish dubbed ‘braised lamb, wrapped in filo pastry, with chocolate orange sauce’. Cavallo admits: “This is a challenging idea for some people at first, but is still very popular as it is such an unusual concept!” Other good sellers for the eatery include its chocolate truffles and Italian doughnuts with chocolate Nutella dipping sauce.

For McDivitt from 3Weeds, it’s all about combining different textures. A favourite? “Textures of chocolate with mandarin cigar and hazelnut praline.” Another recent addition has been its chocolate and beetroot marquise, with buttermilk sorbet and tequila jelly. Divine!
While McDivitt enjoys unleashing his creativity with such desserts, his feet also remain firmly planted on the ground. “We have found that we can be adventurous, but must keep it real. I like to take a classic dessert and add on top of that my own take. And then, of course, price will always be the defining point.”

Up-selling
When it comes to running a profitable kitchen, selling desserts is an integral component, according to Todd from Piccalilly. And, waiting staff should be well-informed, so as to entice customers.

“Educate your staff by getting them to taste the desserts,” Todd advises. “For the cost of one or two portions, the people, who can influence your guests’ decisions, can describe how lovely all the desserts are.”

As well, ensure a broad market is catered for on the dessert menu, according to Todd. “If only one person on the table feels like a dessert, they are likely to say no, so they’re not the only one eating. But, if there are more varied options on the menu to suit a range of tastes, you’re on a winner!”

Hewitt from P. J. Gallagher’s also has some wise words for selling desserts: “Giving a good and proper description on the menu always helps, and taking into account customer feedback of what desserts they like to eat.”

Special dates

Tapping into special events, which lend themselves to a chocolaty theme, can also help lure customers. For example, last Easter, the Sir Stamford at Sydney’s Circular Quay offered a chocolate indulgence High Tea.

This included chocolate scones with strawberry jam and double cream, a handmade praline chocolate Easter egg, velvet chocolate cupcakes, chilli chocolate creme brulee, with pistachio biscotti, and a chocolate fondue fountain with strawberries, Belgium waffles, handmade honeycomb and poached baby cherry apples for dipping. There was also an Easter High Tea buffet, which included chocolate shots, eclairs, tarts, and chocolate Pavlova. Gorgeous!

Valentine’s Day and Christmas are also other dates, where an extra-special choccy menu or treat can help attract patrons.

Chocolate? You’ll find it as irresistible as a menu add-on as your patrons will!

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