There’s nothing like a love for chocolate! Today (July 7), on the occasion of World Chocolate Day, we find out how chocolatiers, home bakers, pastry chefs and chefs are doing their bit to make Lucknow sweeter and chocolateier with each passing day.
Kashmiri Cherry, Chocolate and Jaggery Travel Cake by Niharika Bajaj
Nice walk
Chocolate momos are very popular in the Lucknow market. “For those who love desserts at our store, chocolate momos served with ice cream are a must-try. Many come just for this and it is a popular takeaway,” says Ranjeet Singh Rawat of Nainital Momos.
Danbro by Mr Brown has launched two new variants. “Pure Belgian chocolate brings a lingering taste and lasting memories. We have introduced the Silk Pastry and the Hazelnut Pastry for chocolate lovers,” says founder Tanushree Gupta.
Chef Himani of Sassy Canteen says: “Our Chocolate Fig Brownie Pudding, made with sea salt caramel, tea, figs and dark chocolate and served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, is a dessert that everyone loves.”
At your door
Amrita Shukla, owner of Choc-oh! Bakery and Patisserie, says, “Lucknow readily embraces the ever-changing world of chocolate as it was when I started my bakery in 2018. Many don’t prefer to stray from the traditional flavours of chocolate cakes and pastries, but it has certainly witnessed a surge in the supply and demand for artisanal chocolates. Light chocolate-covered wafer biscuits have been my flagship product and to celebrate the occasion, with every delivery, I give away a sample of my signature chocolate biscuits.”
The pleasure of connoisseurs
For taste buds developed for authentic chocolate, there are now options available in the state capital as well. Niharika Bajaj, an amateur pastry chef who makes desserts using premium ingredients, says, “These days, bakers don’t use chocolate butter as there is a shortage of it and it is very costly, but we use it only because people who know the taste buy products made from original and authentic ingredients. Then, using ingredients like cane sugar and honey is very healthy and tastes amazing.”
Choco is the way
Chocolatier duo, brothers Priyansh and Abhinav Bajpai, who make, market and teach online how to make the most of chocolate at home, believe the taste of baked sweets in Lucknow has come a long way.
“We launched our startup Chocoa, inspired by the small chocolate businesses in Belgium, where I spent time as a former naval officer. So far, I have taught what I learned about artisanal chocolates to over a thousand students. Today, people are loving and enjoying the flavors of artisanal chocolates much more. Soon, we plan to resume our pandemic-hit artisanal chocolate supply business in the city where we marketed our specialty chocolate products to local bakeries and kitchens.”
Jyotsna Habibullah, founder of the Lucknow Farmers Market, says people are now aware of local produce that comes directly from farmers and producers. “We promote cocoa, which is procured from farmers in Kerala, and customers buy it to support them,” she says.
