Canberra chocolate maker creates Enigma Fine Chocolates

There’s chocolate, and then there’s Chocolate. Enigma Fine Chocolates, as the name suggests, definitely fits into the second category. Canberra chocolate maker Stuart Strutt-Shotton, creates the most amazing single origin chocolates from his own home in Lyneham, treating his chocolate offerings much like coffee roasters and purveyors do these days.   Stuart worked for many years in upmarket Melbourne and Canberra bakeries and restaurants, and now works in a Civic café by day, creating his chocolates into the evening.

He currently creates a range of around 13 truffles and around 14 bars, almost all of which are created using Valrhona chocolate (French based). Most of the chocolates are single origin – from either Madagascar, Dominican Republic and Grenada. His 100{919d826c0730d492d9b75cddbb51fd01fa3e5d45dc1125b67f720901bbac5117} cocoa truffle is made using the 100{919d826c0730d492d9b75cddbb51fd01fa3e5d45dc1125b67f720901bbac5117} Venezuelan by Willie’s Cacao (of William “Willie” Harcourt-Cooze fame) Interestingly, Stuart mainly uses a water-based ganache rather than cream or butter which is designed to show off the chocolate flavour only and avoid that fatty residue on the palate. Some of the yummy flavours he creates include his ‘Lamington Truffle’, made with vanilla sponge ganache and Valrhona 65{919d826c0730d492d9b75cddbb51fd01fa3e5d45dc1125b67f720901bbac5117} Kallingo single origin from Grenada finished in desiccated coconut, and his “Peanut Butter and Jam on Toast Truffle” – a raspberry puree reduction and peanut butter ganache made from all natural peanuts and sea salt, then layered in a truffle shell and coated in 40{919d826c0730d492d9b75cddbb51fd01fa3e5d45dc1125b67f720901bbac5117} cacao. Sound good? They are! Stop in and see Stuart and Adna from Enigma Chocolates on your next market visit – they will be here at least every second Sunday until the weather gets too hot for the chockies!