David H Chow - Chocolates and Confections

David H Chow is a long time friend, colleague, inspiration and chocolate genius. I had the pleasure of working with David at The Drake Hotel for almost 8 years where he created beautiful desserts and produced exquisite pastries at rapid speed on a daily basis. David never ceased to amaze me during our time together at The Drake but what he does now with chocolate and confections is blowing my mind.

Each piece of candy or chocolate is a work of art. Meticulously hand crafted, like perfect little jewels. His instagrm account is a delightful account of all his creations and inspiration. We love keeping tabs on his creations while watching his creative process unfold before our eyes. His imagination is endless and his palate so exciting, see his Dark chocolate bar with super nutty puffed wild rice, Aleppo chilli pepper and sea salt below:

David has been recognized as one of Toronto's top pastry chefs and chocolatiers with over 10 years experience at top hotels.  As an engineer-turned-pastry chef, he applies both his technical and artistic background to produce unique hand-crafted products in the city using both local and top-shelf products including Valrhona's Grand Cru Couvertures.  Drawing from his lengthy tenures as Executive Pastry Chef at the Drake Hotel, Albany Luxury Resort and Trump International Hotel & Tower Toronto, he continues to push the boundaries of chocolate and confections in the city and beyond.  With each season comes an exciting selection of chocolates and candies to enjoy or (should you be so strong willed) gift to those your love most.

The new Saks Food Hall (at Eaton Centre) has the largest selection of my goods at the moment. Bonbons, bars and other miscellaneous dipped items (dragees and honeycomb for example) are all available in the gourmet chocolate section of this magnificent store.

A few of the standouts at the moment are:

1.  The bulk chocolates:  various flavours of bonbons in pre-packaged boxes of can be selected on-site.

2.  the holiday peppermint bar:  always the perennial favourite.  Red and green splattered white chocolate shell filled with a 70% dark chocolate and peppermint meltaway!

3.  international choc award winner:  the chocolate bar won silver in canada and bronze and the worlds.  It's a roasted white chocolate bar with Ontario buckwheat honey sponge toffee, caramelized buckwheat, fennel pollen and sea salt (it tastes like fennel butterscotch).

4.  figurines (coming this week):  the holiday ornaments and reindeer/bear filled with maple and salted butter caramel pretzel caramel corn.