Valrhona Dulcey 35% is unlike any other chocolate. It’s not dark, not milk, not white — it’s blonde. Accidentally invented by Valrhona pastry chef Frédéric Bau in 2006 when white chocolate was left to caramelise slowly in a bain-marie, Dulcey has since become one of the most distinctive and sought-after couvertures in professional patisserie.
What Is Valrhona Dulcey 35%?
Dulcey is a blond couverture made from caramelised white chocolate. The slow caramelisation process transforms the milk solids and sugars into something entirely new — a golden, biscuity chocolate with a flavour profile that sits somewhere between white chocolate, shortbread, and salted caramel.
Flavour profile: Toasted biscuit, salted butter caramel, vanilla, and a gentle sweetness with a slightly savoury finish. It’s deeply comforting and instantly recognisable.
Format: Fèves for precise scaling and even melting.
Why Chefs Love Dulcey
- Unique flavour: Nothing else tastes like Dulcey — it fills a gap between white chocolate and caramel that no other couverture occupies.
- Crowd-pleasing: Its biscuity, caramel warmth appeals to almost everyone — it’s approachable without being boring.
- Versatile: Works in ganaches, mousses, ice creams, glazes, and as a flavouring agent in buttercreams and creams.
- Beautiful colour: Its warm golden hue makes it visually stunning in tarts, bonbons, and glazed cakes.
How to Use Valrhona Dulcey 35%
Ganaches: Use a 2.5:1 chocolate-to-cream ratio. A pinch of fleur de sel amplifies the salted caramel notes beautifully.
Mousses: Light and indulgent — Dulcey mousse layered with a dark chocolate sponge is a classic combination that balances richness with depth.
Ice cream: Dulcey makes an extraordinary ice cream base — the toasted biscuit notes intensify when cold. Add a swirl of salted caramel for a showstopping result.
Buttercream: Melt and fold into Swiss meringue buttercream for a sophisticated, caramel-forward frosting that works beautifully on layer cakes.
Glazes: Combine with neutral oil for a warm golden glaze — stunning on entremet cakes and tarts.
Tempering: Melt to 40–45°C, cool to 25–26°C, bring back to 27–28°C. Handle like white chocolate — gently and with a thermometer.
Recipe: Valrhona Dulcey & Salted Caramel Tart
The ultimate expression of Dulcey — a silky blonde ganache over a layer of salted caramel in a crisp pastry shell. Indulgent, elegant, and deeply satisfying.
Serves: 8–10 | Prep: 45 mins | Chill: 2 hours
For the Pastry (Pâte Sucrée)
- 200g plain flour
- 80g icing sugar
- 25g ground almonds
- Pinch of fine sea salt
- 120g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tbsp cold water
For the Salted Caramel Layer
- 150g caster sugar
- 60ml double cream, warmed
- 40g unsalted butter
- 1 tsp fleur de sel
For the Dulcey Ganache
- 300g Valrhona Dulcey 35% fèves
- 180ml double cream
- 25g unsalted butter, room temperature
- Pinch of fleur de sel
Method
1. Make the pastry
- Blitz flour, icing sugar, ground almonds, salt, and butter until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Add egg yolk and cold water, pulse until the dough just comes together.
- Chill for 1 hour, roll to 3mm, line a 23cm tart tin, chill 30 minutes.
- Blind bake at 170°C fan for 15 minutes, remove beans, bake 8–10 minutes until golden. Cool completely.
2. Make the salted caramel
- Heat sugar in a heavy-based pan over medium heat until it melts and turns a deep amber — do not stir, just swirl the pan.
- Remove from heat and carefully add the warm cream in a slow stream — it will bubble vigorously.
- Add butter and fleur de sel, stir until smooth.
- Pour into the cooled tart shell and spread evenly. Refrigerate for 30 minutes to set.
3. Make the Dulcey ganache
- Place Dulcey fèves in a heatproof bowl.
- Heat cream until just below boiling. Pour over Dulcey in three additions, stirring from the centre until smooth and glossy.
- Add butter and fleur de sel, stir until fully emulsified.
- Pour over the set caramel layer. Tap gently to level.
- Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
4. Serve
Remove from the fridge 20 minutes before serving. Finish with a sprinkle of fleur de sel and a few shards of dark chocolate for contrast. Serve in thin slices — it’s wonderfully rich.
Tips for the Best Result
- Watch the caramel carefully — it goes from perfect to burnt quickly. Pull it off the heat as soon as it reaches a deep amber.
- Warm the cream before adding to caramel — cold cream causes violent bubbling and can seize the caramel.
- Don’t overheat Dulcey — like white chocolate, it’s sensitive to heat. Keep temperatures gentle.
- Rest before slicing — the ganache needs to be at room temperature for a clean cut.
Pairing Suggestions
Dulcey’s toasted biscuit and caramel notes pair beautifully with: salted caramel, dark chocolate, coffee, banana, pecan, miso, and tahini. For an adventurous twist, add a tablespoon of white miso to the ganache — it deepens the savoury, umami notes in a remarkable way.
Shop Valrhona Dulcey 35%
We stock Valrhona Dulcey 35% fèves at Nut House — the blonde couverture that belongs in every serious baker’s repertoire.