In conversation with Masterchef Australia fame, Chef Adriano Zumbo

On his visit to the city last month to announce the launch of Fabelle Finesse a limitededition 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 freemdashZumbo grew up with a sweet tooth and an inherent love for dessertEdited excerpts from the interviewWhatrsquos been a gamechanging innovation in chocolatesIn recent years it has to be Ruby chocolate and now thismdashthe worldrsquos finest chocolate made using groundbreaking 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 contaminationmdashit can get very technical Besides chocolate is perishable and it undergoes a change when it comes in contact with air or pressureDirty chai dessertWhat are your views on the sustainable sourcing of cacaoIn 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 doesnrsquot grow on farms it grows in the rainforests Irsquove been to plantations in Brazil and seen how these trees donrsquot 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 generationsWhich cacao beans are the bestGood chocolate comes at a premium because it isnrsquot only about the beansmdashof course you need quality beansmdashbut it is also about how you process them How it is roasted and at what temperatures determines how its notes are released Sometimes you donrsquot get any of those notes because of how the cacao was processed and thatrsquos a waste Itrsquos like how when we create desserts itrsquos on us to bring out the right flavours and personalities of the ingredientsChef 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 200Which flavours are trending currentlyIt doesnrsquot 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 donrsquot 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 Itrsquos all about the feeling of inner safenessmdashsomething thatrsquos comforting which the classic bar offers Having said that unusual trends are important for an experience Like the lamingtonflavoured chips in Australiamdashnot everyone liked it but it did create a talk within the foodie communityWhatrsquos your take on the inclusion of artificial sweeteners in chocolatesI 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 itrsquos polarising Stevia has an unpleasant taste and there are several claims that itrsquos unhealthy I would suggest that people have sugar in moderation Why sacrifice eating something good in the name of healthYour favourite dessertIt has to be the V8 cake a gorgeous cult cake composed of eight different layers of vanillamdashvanilla dacquoise almond crunch ganache vanilla chiffon cake with vanilla syrup toasted vanilla brucircleacutee vanilla macaron vanilla water gel with toasted vanilla brucircleacutee vanilla cregraveme chantilly vanilla glaze Itrsquos a complex recipe that requires patience and attention to detail