Swe will be installed, in 2022, rue Paul-Bert, in 11e district, bears witness to its rise. After its first chocolate factory, opened in Vincennes in 2018, then a second address in 12e arrondissement, in 2021, Julien Dechenaud weaves his web in eastern Paris. A stone’s throw from Cyril Lignac’s pastry shop, its petrol blue storefront next to the Terroirs d’avenir brand and a holistic concept store in this street, very popular with fans of traced products.
Renowned for its pure origin ganaches or flavored with lime or Timut pepper and for its hazelnut, almond or pistachio pralines with low levels of sugar, this Lyonnais native, trained by cocoa maestros (Jean-Paul Hévin, Patrick Roger and Alain Ducasse), also became known thanks to a chocolate tart that became a best-seller.
Offered only on weekends – or to order during the week – and made the same morning to preserve all its crunch and freshness, this delicacy is displayed in the window as soon as it opens on Saturday morning, among the full cakes and cookies. regressive and other flans with a tender heart created by this son of a chocolatier drawing on his childhood memories.
Next to these pastries, called travel pastries because they are easily transported, this tartlet topped with a disk sprinkled with cocoa, with remarkable finesse, immediately displays an attractive delicacy. We hardly dare cut it for fear of disrupting this perfect balance. The taste buds are first sharpened by the sound, by hearing the crack of the disc that is broken under the tip of the knife. A smooth creaminess, a thin layer of praline and a slightly salty shortcrust pastry are then revealed.
From bean to tablet
In the mouth, the textures play their part in turn, while the 75% Venezuelan chocolate, with beautiful floral notes, combined with thick crème fraîche from Normandy, brings sweetness, revived by a touch of acidity. In an environment where opacity reigns, Julien Dechenaud makes a point of paying attention to the provenance of his products. If his hazelnuts come from Mathieu Martinet, a producer in Lot-et-Garonne, the 33-year-old chocolatier plans to soon cultivate a small almond plantation near Perpignan.
For the past year and a half, he has also launched into “bean to bar”, literally from bean to bar, consisting of grinding and roasting cocoa beans to transform them into chocolate. A popular but still relatively rare practice which requires solid know-how. On the shelves are lined up around thirty vintages from Africa, Asia or Latin America, packaged in compostable paper with cocoa fibers. Total craftsmanship.
Julien Dechenaud. 32, rue Robert-Giraudineau, Vincennes (Val-de-Marne). 16, rue du Rendez-Vous, Paris 12e. 11, rue Paul-Bert, Paris 11e. Tart from 5.50 to 55 euros depending on size.