Guittard Chocolate Company is the oldest continuously family-owned and -operated chocolate company in America and in the highly competitive world of chocolate-making, it remains true to its artisanal roots.
In the mid-1800s, at the time of the California Gold Rush, a Frenchman with a dream of striking it rich arrived in the Bay Area with little more than currency from his family’s business back home: chocolate bars. Etienne Guittard’s plan was to pay for mining tools with his French chocolate, but he ended up selling his bars to the miners instead. One hundred fifty years later, Guittard Chocolate Company is the oldest continuously family-owned and -operated chocolate company in America and has carved out a name for itself in the highly competitive world of chocolate-making by staying true to its artisanal roots.
Etienne Guittard’s great-grandson Gary Guittard now runs the business as company president, with other family members, including his daughter, Amy, in high-level roles. From its chocolate-making facility in Burlingame and the recently expanded location in Fairfield, Guittard makes chocolate for professional bakers and other food producers in wide-ranging sizes and forms. For the rest of us, there are chocolate chips in white, milk, and a range of darks, from semisweet to bitter, along with choices from the Collection Etienne to snack on with our coffee. The bars come in six intensities, ranging from the lighter, creamy 38 percent milk chocolate “Soleil d’Or” to the almost sugarless 91 percent super-dark bittersweet “Nocturne.” All of it is all-natural, non-GMO, and made with fair trade-certified cocoa, and the variety of the bean and its source are highlighted on the label.
In an industry where bigger is better, Guittard is smaller than most, but it’s right where it wants to be. “We’re a little guy, but because of our size, we’re more flexible,” Gary Guittard says. “We work with rare cocoa beans and do blends with things that aren’t easy to purchase and buy. We’re more connected to our supply chain, from the farming of cacao to the fermenting and drying process. It allows us to be more hands-on in the journey of our product, from bean to chocolate.”
Chocolate Cherry Scones
(Makes 12 scones)
These fruit-and-chocolate scones make a regular appearance at my potluck brunches. Three kinds of chocolate — semisweet chocolate, white chocolate, and cocoa powder — ensure a serious chocolate flavor that’s balanced by the tart bite of dried cherries. These scones can also be served for dessert with a dollop of whipped cream or crème fraîche. For light, fluffy scones, start with very cold butter and don’t overmix the dough. — Amy Guittard
3 ounces Guittard Semisweet Chocolate Baking Bars, broken into pieces
½ cup Guittard Choc-Au-Lait Baking Chips (white chocolate)
½ cup Guittard Cocoa Rouge (Dutch-processed unsweetened cocoa powder)
½ cup dried cherries
½ cup sugar
2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled
1 large egg
¾ cup full-fat buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Using a food processor, pulse the semisweet chocolate, white chocolate, cocoa powder, cherries, and sugar until the chocolate is finely ground, about 30 seconds.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the chocolate mixture to the flour mixture and use your hands to mix well. Cut the cold butter into ½‑inch cubes and add to the mixture. Using a pastry cutter or 2 knives, cut the butter into the mixture until the mixture resembles wet sand.
In a liquid measuring cup, lightly beat the egg with the buttermilk. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients and blend with a hand mixer until combined.
Lightly flour your hands and transfer the dough to a lightly floured work surface. Form the dough into a mound and divide it into 3 equal portions. Flatten each piece of dough into a 5-inch circle about 1-inch thick. Cut 1 circle into quarters to form 4 wedges. Place the wedges on the prepared baking sheet so there are 1½‑inches between them. Repeat with the 2 remaining circles of dough.
Bake for 15 minutes, or until the scones are puffed and cracked on top. Using a spatula, immediately move the scones to a wire rack to cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days; or wrapped tightly in plastic wrap in the freezer for up to 2 months. To defrost, move the wrapped scones to the refrigerator overnight. Reheat in a 375-degree oven for 3 – 5 minutes.
Edited and reprinted with permission from the Guittard Chocolate Cookbook by Amy Guittard (Chronicle Books, 2015). To purchase the cookbook, visit the publisher’s website or Amazon.com. Subscribe to the forthcoming monthly Taste of the West e-newsletter below.