The golden ticket

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Al Nassma general manager Martin Van Almsick.

Chocolate has long been one of the world's most popular treats but recently the Middle East market has seen a popularity boom. Ben Watts talks to chocolate experts from across the region about their cocoa passion and the thriving industry.

Traditional, universally popular and incredibly versatile as an ingredient, chocolate continues to be one of the most popular treats enjoyed in the Middle East.

But the past few years have seen a real chocolate boom, with numerous specialist chefs and suppliers moving to the region, looking to bring their products to the wider Arabic market.

From chocolates made from camel milk to artfully created Eiffel Towers made of the stuff, the region is now home to a thriving chocolate culture.

The Harbour Hotel and Residence executive pastry chef Lawrence Justin Wallace is an expert in the field of chocolate. A pastry chef by trade, Wallace professes to having a special love for chocolate.

"Its aroma and sensitivity inspires me and allows my creativity to flow," he explains.

Chocolate franchises are also growing in popularity across the Middle East.

BinHendi Hospitality recently launched Cacoa Sampaka, a chocolate-based store and café franchise originating from Spain. Meanwhile Kuwaiti brand The Chocolate Bar has gone from strength to strength, with three outlets now operating in its home country.

Four Seasons Hotel Doha executive pastry chef Laurent Allereau adds that big-name chocolate brands are an increasingly common sight in Qatar.

"Since 2004 when I arrived in Doha many outlets have opened, including Neuhaus, Leonidas and Godiva - the big three names in Belgium," he comments.

One regional chocolate-making firm helps its product stand out from the competition by adding a very local flavour.

Al Nassma, whose factory in Dubai distributes across the region, creates its chocolate using camel milk.

"The decision and idea to use camel milk was mainly inspired by the fact that it is only recently that first class camel milk has been produced, which is the basis for a premium chocolate," explains Al Nassma general manager Martin Van Almsick.

"Camel milk has five times more Vitamin C and is rich in minerals and antimicrobial. It is the best milk from the region, which we use to create the perfect chocolate for the region," he says.

Recent research

As a newcomer to the region, chocolatier Swiss International Chocolates conducted research into the Middle East's chocolate-eating habits prior to establishing its bespoke brand Chocolat in Dubai.

The research revealed that the Middle East really had caught the chocolate bug, with statistics placing it among the top five chocolate-consuming regions in the world.

"The results are of great significant for growth opportunities, especially once our product become more widely known across the market," asserts managing director Daniel Hutmacher.

"The trends are promising and the attention our clients focus on having an excellent and fresh product provides a good opening. We are right in the place where the future is taking place, despite the economical slow down - thanks to the downturn I believe the market is maturing and that the consideration to offer a gift such as chocolate will certainly veer towards high quality and locally made chocolate," he adds.

Al Nassma's Van Almsick is keen to emphasise that the priority is not increasing the quantity but rather the quality of chocolate consumed. "We firmly believe you should have a little bit of an outstanding product rather than plenty of an average one," he says.

Chocolate passion

Chocolate is a passion for many chefs and, true to spectacle-loving form, the Middle East has firmly embraced the art of creating innovative chocolate works of art.

The Harbour Hotel's Wallace is one of those leading the charge and is known for his spectacular chocolate creations.

"Chocolate is so versatile - that's one thing I like about it; in the same way that a lot of chefs who like to work with sugar, I like to work with chocolate," Wallace explains. "Chocolate is not just about making show pieces. You can actually use it within another ingredient and you can be so creative with it.

"We obviously do show pieces as well, but I'm not an artist," claims Wallace. "A lot of people say I am, but when I start working with chocolate it's just something I love doing."

Another chef who shares Wallace's passion for creativity with the ingredient is Four Seasons' Allereau.

"The last piece I created was an Eiffel Tower, which took a total of 36 hours to complete and is made from 6kg of pure Valrhona chocolate," comments Allereau.

"It was very challenging especially since it was built only with chocolate, with no plastic, wood or steel as a support to the tower.

"The secret is to use only pure chocolate prepared properly and then to bring it to just the right temperature in order to keep the chocolate strong and crisp, yet still maintaining its colour and shine."

In addition to creating impressive chocolate show pieces, Allereau says the additional possibilities for chocolate are endless, adding that mixing the ingredient with different spices has become a popular trend among fellow chocolatiers.

"The use of chocolate has no limit - you can use it in sorbet, ice cream, hot dessert, pralines, bonbon, cakes and creams," he lists.

"Now, many ‘chocolate masters' have gone back to the premium origin of chocolate by using spices with it. You can even use it with exotic spices particular to the Middle East, such as cardamom, saffron, cinnamon, fennel - whatever your imagination allows.

"Despite a very demanding schedule as our guest requests always take priority, the moment that time allows, I love to experiment and try to create new pieces," he reveals.

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