INGREDIENTS I USE

I DO EVERYTHING I CAN TO AVOID CROSS-CONTACT between products containing allergens and those that don't, however, in my kitchen I bake with the following common allergens: eggs, wheat, milk, soy, peanuts, coconut, sesame seeds and tree nuts (walnut, pecan, hazelnut, almond, cashew, pistachio). This means I can't guarantee a kitchen environment that is allergen-free.

CAIRNSPRING MILLS DOES IS RIGHT. Their flour comes from wheat varietals that are researched and tested to meet their uniquely high standards. It is stone-milled in small batches to ensure freshness and never has any additives. My favorite bread flour, Organic Expresso, provides a darker than usual color and a robust, earthy flavor. READ ABOUT THEIR PROCESS HERE.

cou•ver•ture

/'kōōvәrCH(o͝o)әr/ • noun

Comes from the French word “couvrir” meaning to cover or coat. This chocolate is of very high quality and is almost exclusively used in the candy, pastry and baking industry for dipping, coating, and molding.

Back in pastry school, we exclusively used Belgian chocolate from CALLEBAUT®. I'm very familiar with this brand and I love using it for all of my baking chocolate. 

However, my chocolate confections require a higher grade of chocolate called couverture that has a higher percentage of cocoa butter than baking chocolate. Throughout the years, I've used many brands for my chocolate confections , including France's VAHLRONA and CACAO BARRY® and Switzerland's FELCHLIN. These companies are producers of some of the world's finest chocolate, but it's amazing how they each offer a unique quality to my bonbons and tablets.

Regardless of what chocolaty products of mine you're enjoying, rest assured the chocolate you are eating is some of the best around. What does this mean? Take the time to savor your bites, let the chocolate melt willingly in your mouth and let your taste buds discover all of the different notes swimming past them.