To celebrate World Chocolate Day we have collaborated with Koko Black for a second year in a row to launch Theobroma: Food of the Gods.

This year, we ventured to nature to create an innovative seven-layer cake that takes chocolate connoisseurs on a first-of-its-kind exploration of the king of all ingredients, the cocoa bean.

Inspired by Greek mythology, the name ‘Theobroma’ is an ancient Greek term meaning ‘food of the gods’ and is also a plant species which falls under the same family as the cacao tree, native to the tropical forests of Central and South America. The supreme ingredient of the creation is the cacao juice, extracted from flesh that sits around the cocoa bean which is then fermented down to a sugar syrup to surprise chocolate lovers with an unexpected rich and fruity aroma.

Coalescing a mix of fresh and decadent flavours, the Theobroma cake begins with a cacao shortbread base followed by a caramelised puffed buckwheat and quinoa crunch, chocolate mousse, light cacao sponge and cacao fruit juice cremeux. Drawing on the elements of nature, the cake’s surface resembles leaves and twigs using an aesthetic garnish featuring a dark chocolate cacao pod filled with caramelised cacao nibs and cacao fruit compote with a white chocolate leaf with natural green colour along with chocolate twigs to finish.

Words from the Makers

“I want this creation to show that chocolate is so much more than the milky, bittersweet flavours that everyone knows. Theobroma heroes the often forgotten fruity and acidic flavours of the cocoa pulp and draws inspiration from the origins of chocolate by using natural ingredients in their most raw form. I still remember the first time I tried the fresh cocoa fruit, and instantly fell in love with it. I adore working with Remco on such a stimulating and collaborative project where we leant on each other’s skills to produce something extraordinary.”

Black Star Head Pastry Chef Arnaud Vodounou

“World Chocolate Day is a particularly special day for me where the product I have devoted my entire career to is thrust into the spotlight. At Koko Black, we prioritise collaborating with brands that possess the same values as us, which sparked a true partnership with Black Star Pastry where Arnaud and I spent six months brainstorming, conducting nine different cake trials with countless hours spent in the kitchen to deliver the most glorious celebration of the cocoa bean. Over the past few years of the annual collaboration, the bond and trust Arnaud and I have built has resulted in us producing our favourite creation to date.”

Koko Black Head Chocolatier Remco Brigou

This limited-edition 'Theobroma: Food of the Gods' is available for one day only on World Chocolate Day, Thursday 7 July.