Nina Métayer
Before she was 30 years old, Nina Métayer had been awarded Pastry Chef of the Year not once, but twice. Trained in Paris at the renowned Ferrandi school, Nina is a leading light in the pastry world, having worked in Michelin-starred kitchens in Paris. Now an independent consultant, Nina dedicates her time to sharing her skills and expertise with other professionals, along with writing and creating mouth-watering pastry recipes and content.
Cocoa is like wine: subtle in flavor, aroma and texture. It has a vastly different color and technical properties depending on how it's made. Depending on the variety you go for, you will have a more or less textured, liquid, spicy, colorful ganache. Its floral notes will stand out differently depending on the combinations you choose.
Get to know Nina
What is your favorite cocoa-based dessert?
A cocoa mousse, where the cocoa is the star of the dessert.
What would be your top tip for using cocoa for other pastry professionals?
Use the cocoa as a main ingredient and choose your cocoa according to the functionality you wish to present in your dessert. Play with the acidity notes, spices, roasted and bitter notes.
What are your favorite flavors for using alongside cocoa in pastry creations?
Citrus will enhance the acidity, and the spices side in the cocoa and it will balance out the bitter notes by their complexity of their flavors.
What do you like most about cocoa from deZaan?
They are premium quality products, specifically on their flavor, color and also their capacity to absorb. I love the approach of revealing a raw material put forward rarely as a the main ingredient in itself.
