Pushing the bar: Australian Chef Adriano Zumbo offers a glimpse into his world of chocolates

V8 cake

On his visit to the city last month to announce the launch of Fabelle Finesse, a limited-edition range of chocolate thins, we caught up with Australian patissier and television presenter Chef Adriano Zumbo. Soaked in a relaxed mood, he discussed the finer nuances of chocolate and innovations. For him, chocolate is stress relief, enjoyment, indulgence, and everything in between. The chef who popularised the croquembouche and goes by the title, The Sweet Assassin, has appeared on every season of Masterchef Australia. His parents owned a supermarket, so candies came free - Zumbo grew up with a sweet tooth and an inherent love for dessert.

Edited excerpts from the interview

What's been a game-changing innovation in chocolates?
In recent years, it has to be Ruby chocolate and now this - the world's finest chocolate, made using ground-breaking technology. To produce chocolate as fine as seven microns, beating the current number of 10 microns that manufacturers have been able to achieve so far, is no small feat. With textures, deterioration, and contamination - it can get very technical. Besides, chocolate is perishable, and it undergoes a change when it comes in contact with air or pressure.

Dirty chai dessert

What are your views on the sustainable sourcing of cacao?
In the past, the industry has been unregulated and controlled, with several rebel groups creating tensions, especially in Africa. But with the trade unions coming in, things have changed. Companies are audited, charities and funds are used to improve the standard of living in these belts, and schools are built so that people of the region have a better future while still being able to grow and harvest cacao. Cacao doesn't grow on farms; it grows in the rainforests. I've been to plantations in Brazil and seen how these trees don't grow in rows, so harvesting cocoa is not easy. It is done manually by picking ripe pods from the trees and opening them to extract the wet beans. These are fermented and then left to dry, often on roofs of homes on or near the plantations. These communities have been doing this for generations.

Which cacao beans are the best?
Good chocolate comes at a premium because it isn't only about the beans - of course, you need quality beans - but it is also about how you process them. How it is roasted and at what temperatures determines how its notes are released. Sometimes, you don't get any of those notes because of how the cacao was processed and that's a waste. It's like how when we create desserts, it's on us to bring out the right flavours and personalities of the ingredients.

Chef and patissier Adriano Zumbo, 38 is from Coonamble, New South Wales, Australia. He trained in Italy, France, and his native Australia before launching his career as a pastry chef in Sydney in 200

Which flavours are trending currently?
It doesn't matter. Trends come and go. A classic is a classic. Back home, we do unorthodox flavours such as chocolate and artichoke or chocolate and eggplant for those who wish to have something unusual. The dessert you just tried [The Fabelle Finesse Journal] had contrasting favours of pine nuts and citrus. The malt ice cream on the side was a third flavour that some like or don't, but it does add to the overall profile. At a restaurant, it is easy to play with flavours, but when you go to a supermarket or a chocolate boutique or when you are really happy or sad, you will always reach out for a bar of a classic. It's all about the feeling of inner safeness - something that's comforting, which the classic bar offers. Having said that, unusual trends are important for an experience. Like the lamington-flavoured chips in Australia - not everyone liked it, but it did create a talk within the foodie community.

What's your take on the inclusion of artificial sweeteners in chocolates?
I am not a fan of artificial sweeteners. Sugar has the cleanest taste and works beautifully with chocolate and desserts. When you add other, natural sugars, you are playing with the original flavour profile; it's polarising. Stevia has an unpleasant taste and there are several claims that it's unhealthy. I would suggest that people have sugar in moderation. Why sacrifice eating something good in the name of health?

Your favourite dessert?
It has to be the V8 cake, a gorgeous cult cake composed of eight different layers of vanilla - vanilla dacquoise, almond crunch, ganache, vanilla chiffon cake with vanilla syrup, toasted vanilla brûlée, vanilla macaron, vanilla water gel with toasted vanilla brûlée, vanilla crème chantilly, vanilla glaze. It's a complex recipe that requires patience and attention to detail.