Ile de Chocolate

Live on 5fm this afternoon!!!

2010-07-22T15:09:00.002+02:00

Hi there,

Listen out for us on 5fm live this afternoon on the Fresh Drive at 15h55!!!

Thanks to the 5fm team for this opportunity!!

Interview with Reuters International News Company

2010-07-21T22:02:00.003+02:00

Hi to you all,

During the Soccer World Cup we here at Ile de Chocolat were fortunate to be interviewed by a Reuters News Crew regarding our Soccer Chocolates.

This interview was later screened internationally including Australia and Europe. Below are a few pictures of my kids being included in the interview...Yasmin, Dylan and Josh all enjoyed this as it meant that they could eat LOTS of the yummy chocolate soccer balls...lol!

We hope you all enjoyed the World Cup as much as we did and we would just like to say well done to all South Africans!!

Edible Chocolate Bouquets...

2010-04-26T17:28:00.003+02:00

Hello to you all,

Below is an image of another one of our edible chocolate bouquets...it contains 35 solid chocolate hearts wrapped in pink and blue foil, surrounded by silver tissue paper. (as per the clients request)

All this is presented in a metal container which can be reused as a small pot plant holder once all the chocolates have been eaten.

We added a few delicate organza butterflies and wrapped it all up in cellophane, to make the perfect birthday gift.

Hope you all have a wonderful week and stay warm...

More additions to our soccer range!!

2010-04-13T10:38:00.004+02:00

Hi there,

We have added a few more items to our soccer range...

We have a 15cm high milk chocolate soccer trophy, complete with silver or gold shimmer dust.

Also available are these adorable little soccer boots...just waiting to kick that winning goal!

As the time draws nearer we here at Ile de Chocolat are also becoming increasingly excited about the World Cup Tournament.

World Cup Soccer

2010-04-06T21:15:00.004+02:00

Hello!

Well we hope you all enjoyed the Easter weekend and that the Easter bunny was VERY generous!

With the World Cup Soccer fast approaching we thought it would be appropriate to give you all a sneak preview of what will be available in store soon from Ile de Chocolat...

This little box contains 8 milk chocolate soccer balls to enjoy during any game...share them or not...the choice is yours!!

Some of our corporate clients have requested South African flag chocolates, here are some examples as well as an image of our loose soccer balls and other soccer branded chocolates!

Wishing you all a fantastic chocolate filled week!

Happy Easter!!

2010-04-03T17:05:00.004+02:00

We would like to wish all our customers, friends and family a very happy Easter!!

Below some examples of our easter hampers and individual eggs.

Next up is the Soccer World Cup. Be sure to watch this space for further soccer product details soon!

Happy Egg hunting to you all!!

VERY EXCITING NEWS!!

2010-03-04T12:32:00.003+02:00

Hi to you all,

I know we have been very quiet lately but that is because we have been working very hard putting together new products and new events!

One exciting piece of news is that we will be launching our very own "Chocolate Tasting Club" within the next couple of weeks so be sure to watch this space for further details.

We will also be launching our new website, which is currently undergoing extensive revamping, and also a whole range of new and exciting products to temp and delight you with...even our diabetic fans will be delighted!!

I can however not give away too much detail as yet.

All will be revealed...SOON!!

Wishing you all the best!

The Ile de Chocolat Team

Season's Greetings Gift Boxes...

2009-11-22T22:08:00.002+02:00

Hello!!

Now available!!! Our little 6pc Season's Greetings box is available in either a red foil finish or a green foil finish. The little box contains 6 solid Christmas chocolates - 2 Santa Chocolates, 2 Snowman Chocolates and 2 Christmas tree Chocolates.

These are fantastic for your Christmas Lunch Table or as a little stocking filler for friends, colleagues and loved ones!!

Hurry and order NOW as stock is limited and moving FAST!!!!!

More Corporate Gifts!!

2009-11-06T14:10:00.003+02:00

Hi again,

Here is another example of corporate gifts...these were made for a client who sent these little 4pc personalised printed chocolates out to their clients with a year end lunch invitation...

We look forward to assisting you with your own personalised chocolates!!

Corporate Gifts!!

2009-11-06T13:34:00.003+02:00

Hi there,

We have just completed another corporate order...this little red pyramid box contains three chocolates (One printed chocolate, one Latte truffle and one plain dark truffle with edible glitter deco on the top)...

These were used by the client as little gifts to celebrate their companies 5th Birthday!!

To have us design your own personalised gifts do feel free to contact us!!

Bye!!

"Oh Christmas Tree...Oh Christmas Tree..."

2009-10-21T13:37:00.004+02:00

Hello to you all,

The spirit of Christmas is really taking off here at Ile de Chocolat!! But then again who can blame us when Christmas is a time of giving and sharing...especially delectable chocolate delights!!

These delightfull little Christmas trees are sure to delight young and old this Christmas and make for an excellent stocking filler or table decoration too. They weigh 50gr and are available in 70% dark, milk or white couverture.

Win a Chocolate Santa Clause for Christmas!!!

2009-10-20T10:51:00.002+02:00

"Ho..Ho..Ho...and Merry Christmas!!!" from Ile de Chocolat.

This fella is 1.6kg in weight and stands 50cm high.

He is in desperate need of a name. We are giving one of these Santas away over the festive season. All you need to do to stand a chance of winning him is come up with an original name for him. Leave your comment/name suggestion on either our Facebook page or on our blog...

All entries will be placed into a hat and a random winner will be drawn on the 20th of November 2009. The winners name will be published on our FB page and on the blog. The only condition to this lucky draw is that you need to be a fan of our FB page or a follower of our blog to qualify.

We look forward to all your entries!!!

Santa and Frosty

2009-10-19T15:04:00.003+02:00

Hello again...

We would like to introduce "Frosty" the adorable snowman and "Santa" to you.

They are the newest addition to our ever growing chocolate family and would LOVE to spend Christmas with you!!!!!

They weigh 50gr and make for the perfect stocking filler for Christmas. They are available in 70% dark, milk or white couverture and come packaged in a clear bag decorated with festive organza ribbon.

To avoid disappointment on Christmas morning, contact us and we will ensure that "Frosty" and "Santa" are in your Christmas stockings!!!

Wedding Favours

2009-10-19T14:51:00.003+02:00

Hi All,

Wow...what a long time since we have updated...too many things going on!! :)

We are proud to inform that Ile de Chocolat has moved to its new home in Pretoria and after some hectic times we are settled and back to full production!

We have quite a few new products which we will be revealing over the next couple of weeks!! (So be sure to watch this space closely!!) We also want to ensure that everyone is ready for the chocolate season which is starting now...christmas, valentines day, easter, mothers day, soccer world cup and fathersday...and of course any other day you wish to endulge in some chocolate...

Above are some pictures of wedding favours that are available all year round. This is a small white personalised box filled with solid heart chocolates in either milk, dark or white couverture. The chocolates are foiled in colours to suit your needs. The box is sealed with delicate organza ribbon. These make fantastic small "Thank you" gifts for your wedding guests!!

Another Fun Chocolate Course...

2009-08-05T12:07:00.005+02:00

Hello!!

We had such fun!!!

We went along to the Prue Leith Chef Studio in Centurion and presented the one day Chocolate Making module to the students. This is part of the Prue Leith Chefs Academy Pastry Course which is currently running.

The students were shown, and then eagerly participated, in the making of hand dipped bonbons, pralines and truffles and were also shown how to create chocolate decorations.

The above pictures clearly show the fun had by all!!

To book your own chocolate course or to enquire about ready made products please do contact us!

A few of our handmade truffles...

2009-07-21T09:37:00.003+02:00

Hi,

Below are a few images of some of our handmade truffles...

Some of the flavours featured above include..

Cherry Cream in Dark Couverture
Brandy and Coffee in Dark Couverture
Champagne in Dark Couverture
Vanilla Cream topped with chopped nuts in Milk Couverture
Dream Truffle in Dark Couverture
Orange Cream in Dark Couverture
Whiskey Cream in Dark Couverture
Pistachio in White Couverture

The above shown truffles are all made from White Couverture and contain the following filling...

Vun der Hum Orange Liqueur
Strawberry Cream
Nachtmusiek Liqueur
Caramel
Lemon Cream

All the above, as well as all our other handmade truffles are available per flavour or an assortment can be made up for you.

We look forward to hearing from you soon!!

Turkish Delight and Cranberry and Macadamia Nougat

2009-07-08T13:11:00.005+02:00

Turkish delight and nougat are two products that are fantastic just the way they are but are EVEN BETTER when smothered in 70% dark chocolate!!!!

We produce our own turkish delight in various tempting flavours including...

Cherry
Rose
Lemon and Lime
Orange
Pineapple
Pistachio and coconut

These are available either coated or non coated, either way they make fabulous treats!!

Our nougat is also handmade and comes in assorted flavours as well including...

Cranberry
Apple
Rooibos
Assorted Nut

The nougat is also available either plain or coated...

Both of these products are great to chase away these winter blues...we look forward to hearing from you soon.

Decadent Hot Chocolate Recipe!!!

2009-06-23T14:24:00.001+02:00

Ingredients:

1ltr Full Cream Milk
230gr 70% Dark Chocolate
115gr Milk Chocolate
Tiny pinch of salt
2ml Ground Cinnamon

Method:

Warm about one third of the full cream milk with the chopped chocolates and salt.
Stir until the chocolate is melted.
Whisk in the remaining milk, heating the mixture until it is hot.
Add the cinnamon.
Use a hand blender or whisk and mix the hot chocolate until it is completely smooth.
Pour into mugs and top with some whipped fresh cream, marshmallows and chocolate shavings.

ENJOY!!!

Tempering...what is it and how is it done??

2009-06-15T14:49:00.002+02:00

Hi,

Have you ever wondered what the term "Tempering" actually means and why it is so important when working with couverture chocolate? Below is an article that we did for the "Chef!" magazine.

This article was done in conjunction with Prue Leith Chefs Academy who hosted the photo shoot and photographer Richard Goode who took these stunning photos.

Tempering chocolate can be quite tricky but once you have mastered the basics it becomes a whole lot easier.

Personalised Chocolates

2009-06-12T12:03:00.002+02:00

Hello,

Are you requiring special chocolates for a corporate event, wedding, christening, birthday etc? We will gladly assist by printing your company logo or special message onto chocolate for you.

Feel free to contact us for more details.

The above image shows some examples of chocolates done for ConnectNet and the University of Johannesburg.

An update on the Chocolate Demo at St Mary's!!

2009-06-12T08:54:00.002+02:00

Hi,

As mentioned, we were invited to do a chocolate demo for the Grade 2's of St Mary's...well here are some inages of the girls...

First the girls were given a talk about the history of chocolate and how chocolate is made, then the fun began...

Each girl was presented with their own goodie bag containing a disposable piping bag, a teflon mat and a small bag of luxury chocolates for them to eat...

We melted some white chocolate for the girls and filled all their piping bags, I think the pictures explain the rest...

After the demo the Grade 2 girls and their teachers presented us with some very special "Thank you!" cards, which they had made for us. Look how beautiful they are!!!

Lots of fun was had by everyone and we are sure that we will be doing more of these demos for our younger generation to introduce them to the wonderful world of chocolate!

Some Gifting Ideas

2009-06-08T13:36:00.005+02:00

Hi,

Why not give that special someone a luxurious box of their favourite chocolates. Below are some samples of our gift boxes. These could be ideal for...

Wedding Favours
Corporate Events
Pure Indulgence

Our gifts can be made up in various sized gift boxes, all depending on your specific needs. Please feel free to contact us to discuss your gifting needs.

Above is our 16pc "I love You!" box containing 8 Champagne Truffles and 8 Solid Chocolate Hearts. Next to it is our small bag of Solid Chocolate Hearts, available in either Dark, Milk or White Chocolate. The Heart Slab contains Morello Cherries and Cashew Nuts and weighs roughly 300gr. These small 2 pc boxes are more for our corporate clients for conferences, golf days, dinners etc.

This is our assorted 16pc Truffle box which is also available in a 25pc variation.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

The Chocolate Making Process

2009-06-04T19:20:00.003+02:00

Hi,

Ever wondered how this wonderful product called chocolate is made, below is a simple diagram that explains the entire process...enjoy!!

Introducing - The Gourmet Slab!

2009-05-22T10:50:00.004+02:00

Hi,

The "Gourmet Slab Range" is growing more and more popular, so we thought it a good idea to introduce all our new clients to the range as well. The image below shows the most popular in the ever growing range...

Featured here:
- Colour Fantasy (Creamy White Chocolate with Astros, also available in Milk Chocolate)
- Cashew Crunch (70% Dark Chocolate with Cashew Nuts)
- Decadent Swirl (70% Dark Chocolate swirled with White Chocolate)
- Cranberry Blaze (70% Dark Chocolate with Sundried Cranberries)

We invite you to colour your world beautiful with some of our Gourmet Slabs!!

Looking forward to hearing from you soon!

Chocolate Demo at St Mary's School for Girls!!

2009-05-22T09:14:00.004+02:00

Hi

We are so excited...we have been invited to do a chocolate demonstration for 52 young ladies (grade 2) at St Mary's School for Girls in Waverley next week. The young ladies are having a chocolate theme and we will be hosting a discussion about chocolate. After that the girls will get to have some SERIOUS fun with chocolate!!

This is all happening in conjunction with our chocolate supplier, Flavourome, who import the Aalst Couverture range and Coated Fabrics SA, who import all our moulds.

We are looking forward to a fun filled day!

Pitures of the event will be posted here next week.

Bye!

Chocolate Course Schedule: June 2009 - August 2009

2009-05-20T18:07:00.004+02:00

Hi,

Below please find our current training schedule. All courses will be held at the Midrand Studio, unless otherwise specified. Full address details will be given on confirmation of your booking. Each course accommodates 6 candidates and is charged at R750.00 per person. Bulk bookings as well as single bookings for all eight courses can be awarded a discount. Please contact us for our discount structure.

Training Schedule:

2 June -Artisan Chocolates, Hand Rolled Truffles
4 June - Artisan Chocolates, Moulded Pralines
9 June - Artisan Chocolates, Hand Dipped Bonbons
11 June - Artisan Chocolates, Hollow Figures
18 June - Artisan Chocolate, Chocolate Decorations
23 June - Fun Chocolate Confections
25 June - Decadent Chocolate Desserts
30 June - Slabs and Flavour Infused Chocolates

2 July - Artisan Chocolates, Hand Rolled Truffles
4 July - Artisan Chocolates, Moulded Pralines
9 July - Artisan Chocolates, Hand Dipped Bonbons
14 July - Artisan Chocolates, Hollow Figures
16 July - Artisan Chocolate, Chocolate Decorations
21 July - Fun Chocolate Confections
23 July - Decadent Chocolate Desserts
28 July - Slabs and Flavour Infused Chocolate

30 July - Artisan Chocolates, Hand Rolled Truffles
4 August - Artisan Chocolates, Moulded Pralines
6 August - Artisan Chocolates, Hand Dipped Bonbons
11 August - Artisan Chocolates, Hollow Figures
13 August - Artisan Chocolate, Chocolate Decorations
18 August - Fun Chocolate Confections
20 August - Decadent Chocolate Desserts
25 August - Slabs and Flavour Infused Chocolate

Course Outlines:

Artisan Chocolates – Hand Rolled Truffles:

The Basics (Discussion)

Ingredients
Techniques
Flavour Fusions
Pairings and Presentation

Making Hand Rolled Truffles

Practical demo with active student participation. Students will make assorted hand rolled truffles which they then take home. (Recipes not listed due to seasonal ingredients)

Artisan Chocolates – Moulded Pralines:

The Basics (Discussion)

Ingredients
Techniques
Flavour Fusions
Pairings and Presentation

Making Moulded Pralines

Practical demo with active student participation. Students will make assorted moulded truffles which they then take home. (Recipes not listed due to seasonal ingredients)

Artisan Chocolates – Hand Dipped Bonbons:

The Basics (Discussion)

Ingredients
Techniques
Flavour Fusions
Pairings and Presentation

Making Hand Dipped Bonbons

Practical demo with active student participation. Students will make assorted hand dipped bonbons which they then take home. (Recipes not listed due to seasonal ingredients)

Artisan Chocolates – Hollow Figures:

The Basics (Discussion)

Ingredients
Techniques
Packaging and wrapping

Making Hollow Figures

Practical demo with active student participation. Students will make assorted hollow figures which they then take home. (Recipes not listed due to seasonal ingredients)

Artisan Chocolates – Chocolate Decorations:

The Basics (Discussion)

Ingredients
Techniques

Making Chocolate Decorations

Practical demo with active student participation. Students will make assorted chocolate decorations which they then take home. (Recipes not listed due to seasonal ingredients)

Fun Chocolate Confections:

The Basics (Discussion)

Ingredients
Techniques
Flavour Fusions
Pairings and Presentation

Making Fun Chocolate Confections

Practical demo with active student participation. Students will make assorted chocolate confections including lollipops, fruit and nut tablets, crunchies and more which they then take home. (Recipes not listed due to seasonal ingredients)

Decadent Chocolate Desserts:

The Basics (Discussion)

Ingredients
Techniques
Flavour Fusions
Pairings and Presentation

Making Decadent Chocolate Desserts

Practical demo with active student participation. Students will make assorted chocolate desserts. (Recipes not listed due to seasonal ingredients)

Slabs and Flavour Infused Chocolate:

The Basics (Discussion)

Ingredients
Techniques
Flavour Fusions
Pairings and Presentation

Making Slabs and Flavour Infused Chocolate

Practical demo with active student participation. Students will make assorted chocolate slabs and infuse chocolate with various flavours. (Recipes not listed due to seasonal ingredients)

Course Duration:

All courses listed above are full day courses, starting at 9h30am and ending at 15h00.

All equipment and stock needed for these courses are supplied. Equipment used during the course remains the property of Ile de Chocolat Chocolate Studio. Equipment and stock will be available for purchase after the course. (Cash only)

IMPORTANT NOTE!!!

Please note that these are only our set courses. We can develop a custom course for you if you require specialised training. Please contact Kirsten Walters for more details. We also offer corporate team building days where small groups can come and experience the world of chocolate first hand at our studio and enjoy a day filled with fun activities!! Please contact us for further details.

We look forward to hearing from you soon.

Bye!