HANDMADE WITH LOVE
Admire their perfection or taste the velvety smoothness, whichever you choose, Berryshka chocolates are simply divine. Once you try them you cannot resist more.
Their only downside is they run out – quickly.
How are they made? Naturally, the precise recipe remains a close kept secret known only to Zdenka, our master chocolatier.
The origin of chocolate begins with small cocoa grains that form the basis of chocolate. These are found only inside the fruit of the evergreen cocoa tree which grows only in tropical regions.
Berryshka chocolates achieve their noble taste by using only ingredients sourced from plantations in the Côte d’Ivoire and Brazil where the cocoa grains are grown and produced to the highest standards in quality.
From cocoa to cocoa mass is an intricate and painstaking process.
Once the cocoa grains are harvested from the cocoa pods they are exposed to sun just long enough to lightly stain them purple. They are then fermented to reduce the level of sugar in the grain which changes their colour to chocolate brown. Following this process they are dried, cleaned and any stones removed before roasting at 120° to produce the rich flavour and colour of cocoa. The following rapid cooling process prevents further internal roasting which could spoil the grains.
The roasted seeds are passed through a press to separate out the kernel from the husk the result of which is a thick, liquid, brown cocoa mass, rich in cocoa butter and fine cocoa particles. The mass is then exposed to high pressure from which the cocoa butter is extruded. The residue is then ground into cocoa powder.
Cocoa butter, cocoa mass and cocoa powder are the three main raw materials from which chocolate is made.
Accurate measurement of ingredients, based on our unique recipe, is essential to ensure our special flavour is consistent throughout. The ingredients are then kneaded together before rolling the dry components with the cocoa butter to achieve a smooth, fine blend. This fine, ground mass is then further rolled to achieve an even smoother texture.
Once dry, the chocolate shells and shapes are ready for filling. The pralines are lovingly filled with delicious, creamy fillings and carefully sealed with the same chocolate mix. This is a painstaking and precise procedure that requires patience and time and can last from 12 to 24 hours. Once completed and dried each praline is carefully removed from its mould, thoroughly checked to ensure that it meets our exacting quality standard before it is ready to nestle in the elegant packaging that is the Berryshka brand.
Now that the product is complete it is time for the final step of carefully packaging the chocolate products ready for storing in a temperature controlled environment to ensure it reaches you, our loyal customer, in the perfect condition that it left our premises. The chocolate is stored at room temperature of up to 20°C.