Say It With Chocolate—

A Chocolatier Sets Up Shop In Newtown

By Kendra Bobowick

Some are bitter and others are sweet enough that the aroma reaches the front door. Certain bits are a deep brown and nearly black while other pieces are a beautiful, bright ivory color.

They are all chocolate, hand-crafted, shaped and decorated by Newtown’s new chocolatier, Jack Elias, who has turned out the “Open” sign at the Newtown Chocolatier in Ricky’s shopping plaza on Route 25. Within his glass cases are truffles, semisweets, clusters, caramel hearts, and a rainbow of colors and kaleidoscope of shapes combined into bit-size treats decorated with sprinkles, nuts, raisins, and old-fashioned baker’s efforts.

Bring a sweet tooth to Mr Elias and banish a craving or bring home dessert. As the longtime pastry chef makes his first venture into retail, he offers ideas for chocolates other than self-indulgence.

Smiling as though he speaks from experience, Mr Elias said, “You can use it for a gift, or a forgive-me. You can use it to say sorry.” He also noted that his store, which opened just before Christmas, is a good stop for stocking stuffers.

“Chocolate is good for holidays; it cheers people up,” he said.

Behind the versatile treat that both sooths and satisfies is a lot of hard work.

Compared to boxed chocolates coming from manufacturers, Mr Elias’s chocolates are fresh and each piece is hand-dipped, he said. In the back room of his shop sits a chocolate tempering machine, similar to a large vat for boiling soups and stew. In this cauldron is a bath of melted chocolate that he will use for sculpting handmade pieces such as his Valentine’s Day Chocolate Heart Box. One all-chocolate box will be raffled off on February 12.

He first poured out a length of liquid chocolate onto a transferable surface and smoothed it into an even thickness. As the mixture acquired a certain consistency as it cooled, Mr Elias took heart-shaped cutouts and traced their form into the cooling surface. He later transferred the chocolate heart to rest on top of another cooled, cut piece that formed the base of a chocolate heart-shaped box. With the lid and base assembled and allowed to cool, he added decorative touches. He drizzled a molasseslike stream onto the heart box and added swirls along the seams.

Hidden in his heart box is another delicious secret.

“This is quality chocolate and probably some of the best European and French blends,” he said.

And the reason why chocolate is so good it melts in your mouth? Cocoa butter, he explained.

Visit the Newtown Chocolatier Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 6 pm or Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm. Call for special orders from a simple gift to a delight much larger, such as a wedding cake.

An official grand opening will take place in February, but the store is already open for business. Call 304-1273.