Love that bean – Steven ter Horst Chocolatier

Photo courtesy of Ms Elysia Ang

Chocolate. A tongue’s best friend, the waistline’s worst enemy. Or so, that’s how the myth tells it. Thankfully, many scientific discoveries of late have confirmed the health benefits of the cacao bean, thus restoring the conscience of an entire generation of chocolate eaters.

Adelaide has seen the likes of many chocolate establishments in the past, but few have succeeded in highlighting the decadence, nay,  the refinement, of the art that is – chocolate making. Until now..

Enter Steven ter Horst, artisan chocolatier. Having firmly established itself at the Adelaide Showgrounds Farmers Market,  the label set shop in Malvern late last year; knocking out an exquisite collection of hand-crafted chocolates, with a strew of decadent cakes, tarts and cookies on the side.

Steven’s moulded chocolates/truffles lean noticeably towards the “dark side”, with more use of milk and dark couverture and less of white. Pristine and lustrous, these moulded chocolates were the product of an expert’s hands. Each was impeccably tempered with a near textbook-perfect outer shell, giving way to luscious fillings of ganache. The Fleur De Sel comes highly recommended with a decadent, oozy centre of Maldon salted caramel. Other favourites include the Jeanette (raspberry ganache with a hint of creme de framboise), Petit Cassis (Blueberry and creme de cassis ganache) and Lady Jane (fresh lemon milk ganache).

Olio (extra virgin olive oil) was bizarrely entertaining as it uncovered a savoury quality in the chocolate, whilst the ginger number a good-natured wildcard. Overall, the use of fresh South Australian ingredients found its translation in all of Steven’s chocolates as every flavour rang true.

Photo courtesy of Ms Elysia Ang

Gleaming alluringly, the chocolate tarts and petit gateau behind the glass have a dangerous gravitational pull. We fell in temptation to the Hazelnut Heaven mousse cake; a treat of sinful proportions with smooth as silk praline mousse and vanilla currant bavarois atop a crunchy Gianduja base.

To quench your thirst midway, sample the house-made sparkling ginger, orange and lemonade. Specialist coffee (Coffee Barun) and tea (Tea Forte) are also on offer as warming accompaniments.

The melding of dark-wooded fittings against the canvas of white walls, ornamented with embellishments of vintage suitcases, decorative moulds and cookbooks, form a breezy, contemporary setting for an intimate tea. It’s a cosy nook, with seating for few, so grab em’ whilst you can.

Interior

In the weeks to come, the shop will unveil their Easter specials, so pop in for a peep at their beautiful chocolate eggs or pick-out a gift box of 24, 12 or 4 chocolates for a loved one. There are also plans to develop a small macaron range at the shop (they currently make them to order).

So, whether you’re searching for a sweet fix with that finished sparkle, or simply a charming corner to mingle - scoot over to the newfound gem that is Steven ter Horst. Mr Willy Wonka would be so proud.

Steven ter Horst Chocolatier
221D Unley Rd,
Malvern 5061,
SA.
(08) 8373 1330
Opening Hours:
Mon – Wed (9am till 5.30pm), Thurs – Sat (9am till 9pm), Sun (11am – 5pm)

This Just In – The Mac Factory

Clockwise from top-left: Pine+Lime, Tea+Toast, Mandarin+Mango, Pistachio, Nutella

Hot off the press, out of the markets, and onto one of Adelaide’s most frequented eating precincts –  is The Mac Factory. At just 4 weeks old, this Hutt Street newcomer is already receiving a steady stream of inquisitive customers.

Bread, biscuits and other sweet morsels dot the surfaces of this squeaky new nest, perched atop the local post office. Make your journey up the stairs and over the quirky “grass” landing  and you’ll find that macarons are the order of the day. These home-made gems are made externally by creator Silvana Agostino and delivered to the shop daily to satisfy the constant flow of peckish buyers. Demand often overwhelms supply, and flavours do run out very quickly. However, loyal customers are often quite happy to wait around till the next delivery of macarons fill the shelves.

Looks – A psychedelic splash of colours. Slight rustic “home-made” look.  Glossy sheen on the crack. Texture – only the slightest resistance from the shell as one bites into the cushion of almond meal. Pleasantly soft. Flavour – Pine+Lime and Mandarin+Mango are refreshingly fruity (once you get past the luminous yellow and green hues of Pine+Lime), yet Mandarin+Mango with its sweet tropical hit was the preferred child. Some may find the lime flavouring used in the filling a touch artificial-tasting (we prefer if flavours are created using the raw ingredient itself), but others may be none too concerned. Nutella tasted as one would expect, the familiar hum of hazelnutty chocolate. Pistachio was impressive and held the essence of actual pistachios in its rich buttercream filling. But the real head turner of the pack was Tea+Toast: a pocket-sized reminiscence of breakfast, think heavily buttered toastie paired with smoky tea. A winner by miles.

One gets the impression that The Mac is currently firing on all cylinders to keep up with the grand response served up by the Adelaide community. But if they can pull through, then there’s little doubt we’ve got a new favourite on our hands. There is only one word to sum up The Mac Factory – promising.

Note* Head up to The Mac Factory this Sunday 20th March 2011 – we’ve been informed that the in-house cook book corner (The Book Nook) will be launched showcasing macaron reading materials to commemorate Macaron Day. Fingers crossed that more flavours will be on offer as well (though we suspect The Mac has something special planned for the day).

The Mac Factory
Upstairs
190 Hutt St
Adelaide 5000 SA
(08) 8223 3887
OPENING TIMES: Thursday to Sunday 9am-9pm (Saturdays till 4pm)

New Cake on the Block – Patisserie Jin

Sugar deprived Adelaideans rejoice! There is a new patisserie in town. Jin rolled out the welcome mat in Malvern late last year and has since created a small buzz amongst local diners.

This is music to the ears of Adelaide eaters who have frequently bemoaned the lack of all-day dessert eateries in the city and surrounding suburbs. What’s great about this place is that they keep their doors opened at night (mon – wed till 9pm, thurs – sat till late, closed sun)

Strategically situated beside an open car park, one enters the small-ish shop and is immediately greeted by a gleaming display counter shielding an array of gem-like cakes. Very pretty. Individual cakes go for $7.50 a pop with slightly larger gateaux ranging around the $20 to $40 mark. On the higher side of the dollar given the cake sizes.

Our table sampled the Red Wine Mousse Cake, Peach Mousse Cake, Sweet Potato Cake and the Strawberry Mousse Cake (lotsa mousse action here guys). Across the board, everything palated quite well and the flavours of each item was rather pleasing. Unfortunately, the mousse cakes were quite firm and almost “jelly-like” (heavy-handed on the gelatine perhaps). If that can be rectified, then you can bet your dolly’s uncle we’ve got a good one here. Surprisingly, the sweet potato cake was the favorite for the night – soft, creamy, easy. They’ve also got a mighty beverage list (think affogato and pineappleade) – liquid desserts. Additionally, I spied chocolate fondants, crepes, churros and tarte tatins dotting surrounding tables.

All in all, a “desserterie” with potential. I get the feeling that they’re still working out the kinks, but if that goes well, then we’ve found ourselves a a very likeable sweet spot.

Rating: 13/20 (Fair)

Patisserie Jin, 241 Unley Rd, Malvern 5061 SA