Chocolate. For some it’s a delicacy, something savoured. For others, it’s plucked from its wrapper and devoured in seconds, unapologetically. No matter how it’s eaten or the preferred variety, the reward is universal – a comforting sugar-filled hit of endorphins.
It’s this very fascination for chocolate that inspired Founder Chantal Coady to open Rococo in 1983 – a chocolatiers based in the heart of London. Looking to craft quality recipes, Rococo's chocolatiers also wanted to capture the joy of eating through innovative flavour combinations. Why have milk chocolate on its own when you can have it peppered with gingerbread spice or mulled wine?
Rococo & The Magic of Chocolate
The London-based chocolatiers put an artisan spin on the sweet.
“The company has always had a real curiosity for chocolate”, says its Head Chocolatier, Mireille Discher. “We’re constantly pushing the boundaries.” Set foot in one of its stores and you’ll discover this Willy Wonka-style approach. Rows upon rows of ribbon-trimmed treats from praline ‘quail eggs’ to chocolate infused with bacon. Everything down to the packaging seems to be made with a little magic.
In the spirit of Christmas – where everyday rules no longer apply and we indulge in chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner – we spoke to Discher to hear more about what makes their creations so special. (Keep reading for a wacky chocolate pairings menu and the new Rococo chocolates that are exclusive to us).
In the spirit of Christmas – where everyday rules no longer apply and we indulge in chocolate for breakfast, lunch and dinner – we spoke to Discher to hear more about what makes their creations so special. (Keep reading for a wacky chocolate pairings menu and the new Rococo chocolates that are exclusive to us).
What does a typical day look like for you?
We create all our chocolate on a two-week cycle, so being organised is a must. Every day starts with kitchen prep, laying out the ingredients and materials we need. Our recipes require a lot of work by hand – from tempering to balancing flavours. One minute we’re caramelising nuts for our nibble bags, the other we’re creating ganache.
What’s been Rococo’s wackiest flavour combination or idea to date?
Recently we've created an interesting Japanese-inspired Miso Caramel which blends sweet and umami flavours. Another one for the real cocoa connoisseur is the Big Smoke Dark Chocolate Artisan Bar made with smoky Lapsang Souchong tea. Every season we bring out new flavours, so our collection is forever evolving.
Rococo clearly believes in setting trends, not following them. How does this come out in the way you create?
I tend to use my external surroundings for inspiration. Nature is particularly helpful. Once, when I was making our dark milk raisins, I felt something was missing – something to enhance the acidity. At the time I was eating a granola breakfast with a lovely blackcurrant syrup and suddenly had the idea to dust the raisins in blackberry powder. Voila!
Why do you think Brits are so good at eccentricity? The Brits have always had their fair share of eccentric characters throughout history and that quality is something we’ve celebrated, never shied away from. A playful sense of humour is a big part of our creativity.
We create all our chocolate on a two-week cycle, so being organised is a must. Every day starts with kitchen prep, laying out the ingredients and materials we need. Our recipes require a lot of work by hand – from tempering to balancing flavours. One minute we’re caramelising nuts for our nibble bags, the other we’re creating ganache.
What’s been Rococo’s wackiest flavour combination or idea to date?
Recently we've created an interesting Japanese-inspired Miso Caramel which blends sweet and umami flavours. Another one for the real cocoa connoisseur is the Big Smoke Dark Chocolate Artisan Bar made with smoky Lapsang Souchong tea. Every season we bring out new flavours, so our collection is forever evolving.
Rococo clearly believes in setting trends, not following them. How does this come out in the way you create?
I tend to use my external surroundings for inspiration. Nature is particularly helpful. Once, when I was making our dark milk raisins, I felt something was missing – something to enhance the acidity. At the time I was eating a granola breakfast with a lovely blackcurrant syrup and suddenly had the idea to dust the raisins in blackberry powder. Voila!
Why do you think Brits are so good at eccentricity? The Brits have always had their fair share of eccentric characters throughout history and that quality is something we’ve celebrated, never shied away from. A playful sense of humour is a big part of our creativity.
What does your creative process look like? (From finding inspiration through to finalising the recipe)
The first step in any new product development is that we decide whether to do a classic bonbon shape or something special and moulded. We then have trials of recipes and tweak as we go. I try to let my team have regular space to create – what I call a 'play day' – where they create new things and come to me with different ideas.
___There are lots of people and brands out there who call themselves chocolatiers – what do you think is the true mark of premium chocolatier?__
The key things are attention to detail, good quality ingredients, a great team and of course - passion.
Savoury fan, sweet fan, inexperienced palette, mature palette – it’s difficult to find someone who doesn’t enjoy chocolate. Why do you think that is?
Chocolate has all the best things in it - sugar and fats. Theobromine, the chemical in chocolate, releases endorphins which is why we feel good when we eat it. And what's more, chocolate melts at exactly our body temperature.
The first step in any new product development is that we decide whether to do a classic bonbon shape or something special and moulded. We then have trials of recipes and tweak as we go. I try to let my team have regular space to create – what I call a 'play day' – where they create new things and come to me with different ideas.
___There are lots of people and brands out there who call themselves chocolatiers – what do you think is the true mark of premium chocolatier?__
The key things are attention to detail, good quality ingredients, a great team and of course - passion.
Savoury fan, sweet fan, inexperienced palette, mature palette – it’s difficult to find someone who doesn’t enjoy chocolate. Why do you think that is?
Chocolate has all the best things in it - sugar and fats. Theobromine, the chemical in chocolate, releases endorphins which is why we feel good when we eat it. And what's more, chocolate melts at exactly our body temperature.
Eccentric Chocolate Pairings
We asked Discher to concoct six unusually delicious chocolate pairings, just for us.
Milk Chocolate Christmas Pudding Spice Artisan Bar & Blue Cheese Savoury and salty meets fruitcake-like sweetness.
Praline Quail Eggs & Breadsticks Just like Nutella on toast.
Milk Rose Wafer Thins & Porridge A decadent option for breakfast. The creaminess of the porridge and the notes of rose sit together beautifully.
White Chocolate Cardamom Thins with Massaman Curry The perfect combination of sweet, savoury and spice. The curry already has cardamom notes and the white chocolate serves to add creaminess.
Milk Chocolate Gingerbread Spice Artisan Bar in Gravy This would add a lovely warmth to a rich gravy, perfect with game.
Single Origin Chocolate Melted into Warm Milk Each single origin chocolate is like a wine from a specific region with its own flavour and character. When melted into warm milk, you could enjoy a medley of gourmet hot chocolates.
Milk Chocolate Christmas Pudding Spice Artisan Bar & Blue Cheese Savoury and salty meets fruitcake-like sweetness.
Praline Quail Eggs & Breadsticks Just like Nutella on toast.
Milk Rose Wafer Thins & Porridge A decadent option for breakfast. The creaminess of the porridge and the notes of rose sit together beautifully.
White Chocolate Cardamom Thins with Massaman Curry The perfect combination of sweet, savoury and spice. The curry already has cardamom notes and the white chocolate serves to add creaminess.
Milk Chocolate Gingerbread Spice Artisan Bar in Gravy This would add a lovely warmth to a rich gravy, perfect with game.
Single Origin Chocolate Melted into Warm Milk Each single origin chocolate is like a wine from a specific region with its own flavour and character. When melted into warm milk, you could enjoy a medley of gourmet hot chocolates.