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Three tools from Andrey Dubovik for creating bonbons with unique effects
One of the most striking aspects of the book Offbeat is Andrey Dubovik‘s creativity in designing molded bonbons. The chef uses his own tools, everyday objects, and even accidental effects to achieve unique patterns and textures.
Here are some of the most original techniques and tools featured in the book.
1. A Self-Invented Aluminum Foil Stamp for Fractal Effects
Offbeat showcases his own inventions, tools that were previously unavailable in the professional market, such as the aluminum foil stamp.
The process begins by shaping a piece of aluminum foil over the bonbon cavity. Then, the stamp is heated with a heat gun and pressed onto molds that have been previously sprayed with dark cocoa butter.
Next, the cavities are painted with yellow cocoa butter, and the bonbon is encased. The result is a spectacular fractal effect in yellow and black, with a very modern and artistic aesthetic.
2. Tea strainer, an everyday object transformed into a design tool
Dubovik demonstrates that professional tools aren’t necessary to create highly aesthetic bonbons. Many of his designs originate from everyday objects like paintbrushes, toothpicks, or adhesive tape.
One of the most curious examples is the use of a small tea strainer. The chef places it over the mold cavities and airbrushes dark cocoa butter through the metal mesh.
He then applies white cocoa butter and coats the bonbon with dark chocolate. This achieves a very fine and elegant geometric texture, with a delicate dark gradient on the top of the chocolate.
3. Viscose cloth for generating static electricity
Some of Dubovik’s most original techniques were born by accident. One of them takes advantage of the static electricity generated when cleaning the molds with a viscose cloth.
After rubbing the cavities and applying cocoa butter, the chef discovered that the product reacted differently: it became more electrified and less stable. Instead of avoiding this effect, he decided to use it as a creative resource.
To achieve these decorative particles with a bronze finish, he first rubs the mold with a napkin or viscose cloth. Then he brings a piping tip coated in cocoa butter close without touching the surface. The result is a very dynamic and sophisticated visual effect, perfect for signature bonbons and avant-garde designs.
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