Chocolate is linked to pleasure and enjoyment. If cocoa is good, it is also capable of elevating those who try it to heaven. That “trance” or “ecstasy” to which tasting something delicious leads is known in Iran as “behnoush”, so Behnoush Niksereshta Dane of Persian descent who has lived in the Canary Islands for seven years, could not choose a more appropriate name for her artisan chocolate factory in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, called Benush Chocolatière.
At number 66 Méndez Núñez street, in the historic Yellow Houses projected in 1921 by the architect Antonio Pintor, Behnoush lets his creativity fly and also his skill when it comes to executing mixes. His first profession was a construction technician and that carries over to the way he makes his chocolates. “The process is very complex, you have to measure the quantities well and, at the same time, be guided by smell and taste”Explain.
The raw material could not be of better quality: 100% natural Belgian chocolate to which pistachios, walnuts, raspberries or oranges are added. Liqueur chocolates are one of their star products. Among all the ingredients there is one that Behnoush always intentionally excludes, both for having a high level of saturated fat and for its harmful effects on the environment: palm oil.
How to make a chocolate
Preparing a chocolate is not an easy task, the process lasts around three days. First you have to put a thin layer of chocolate inside the mold, which will serve as a coating at the end. In parallel, the chocolate filling must be prepared, which will be poured into another mold and left to cool for 24 hours until it crystallizes. Then the filling is joined with the icing and another layer of chocolate is applied to seal, which must cool for another day. Finally, the chocolate is unmolded and displayed in the display case, ready to be enjoyed.
Different flavors
As for the flavors, Behnoush tries to make them “balanced” so as not to offer a product neither too sweet nor too bitter: “In the end, there are only 60 calories per chocolate and very little sugar, so you don’t eat it compulsively like you do with sweets.” There is also no fear of adding salt to some chocolates, an option that already captivates a large niche of customers. Their store also has chocolate options for diabetics and vegans.
Daily cravings
Behnoush’s philosophy is that to enjoy good chocolate you don’t have to wait for a special moment. In fact, many of the pedestrians who pass by the window of his store, whether on their way to work or to García Sanabria Park, cannot resist the temptation. In order to satisfy the craving of these sweet-toothed customers, the master chocolatier offers mousses, crunchy chocolate bars or caramel, peanut and hazelnut snacks. In addition, in summer it is possible to enjoy artisanal ice cream at their establishment and in winter, hot chocolate.
And the most romantic will find the perfect gift in chocolate boxes. You can choose the varieties to taste and have a detail from the two units of chocolates. At Christmas, the Advent calendar allows you to pamper your loved ones with 24 chocolate surprises that are different every year.
