Raúl Bernal’s Swiss Sao Thomé: a recipe where cacao takes center stage

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After a period dominated by color, glossy finishes, and masked flavors in high-end pastry, the sector is turning its gaze toward more understated creations—ones where the ingredient itself reclaims the spotlight.

Embracing this philosophy, award-winning Spanish pastry chefs Raúl Bernal and Albert Daví present a collection in so good.. magazine 3 6 centered on the color black and Barry Callebaut’s new Cacao Noir Intense.

We are exclusively sharing on our website the recipe for Raúl Bernal’s Swiss Sao Thomé —a fine pastry creation in which cacao reveals its full aromatic and sensory complexity through varied textures, intensities, and techniques, all without resorting to artifice.

Photos: Ivan Raga

Discover so good.. magazine 36

Swiss Sao Thomé

Sao Thomé 70% couverture shards

Q.s. Sao Thomé 70% couverture

Roll out tempered Sao Thomé 70% couverture between two acetate sheets (guitar sheets). Allow to crystallize. Break into irregular shards.

Crunchy praliné

385 g Ghana 40% milk couverture
385 g hazelnut praliné
140 g cocoa cookie
210 g feuilletine

Melt the couverture to 40ºC and add the hazelnut praliné. Mix well and add the remaining ingredients. Heat to 40ºC and temper. Spread into a 0.5 cm frame. Allow to crystallize. Cut into 3×14 cm pieces. Set aside.

Sao Thomé pastry cream

580 g milk
145 g UHT cream (35% fat)
120 g sugar
115 g pasteurized egg yolks
50 g modified starch
0.6 g salt
175 g Sao Thomé 70% couverture

Heat the milk and cream. Mix the starch with the sugar, then incorporate the egg yolks. Gradually add the hot milk and cream mixture. Bring the mixture to 85°C. Add the chocolate couverture and salt, and mix well. Cool and store in the refrigerator.

Sao Thomé Whipped Ganache

145 g UHT cream 35% (1)
35 g coconut purée
60 g coconut milk
40 g glucose
155 g Sao Thomé 70% couverture
4.4 g powdered gelatin
25 g cold water
425 g UHT cream 35% (2)

Heat the cream with the purée, milk, and glucose. Add the gelatin (previously hydrated in cold water). Emulsify with the couverture melted to 40°C. Add the second portion of cold cream and finish emulsifying. Store in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Cocoa Glaze

110 g water
125 g sugar
70 g glucose
5 g Noir Intense cocoa powder

Heat all ingredients together and store in the refrigerator. Brush onto the warm pastry.

Croissant

Poolish

550 g strong Panettone flour
20 g fresh yeast
580 g water

Mix all ingredients in the mixer using the whisk attachment and store in the refrigerator for 24 hours.

Cocoa Croissant Dough

1270 g panettone flour
100 g Noir Intense cocoa powder
43 g salt
190 g sugar
25 g invert sugar
10 g honey
250 g *beurre noisette* (brown butter)
300 g water
60 g milk powder
12 g fresh yeast

Knead the poolish with the water and dry ingredients for three minutes.

Add half the butter and knead for another three minutes.

Incorporate the remaining butter and the yeast.

Knead for a total of nine minutes.

Shape into a ball and cover with plastic wrap. Let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature.

Roll out using a dough sheeter to 60×40 cm and freeze.

Lamination

Remove the dough from the freezer the day before and place in a storage unit at -4ºC.

Roll out 1250 g of butter (at 16ºC) onto a 40×40 cm sheet between two silicone mats using the dough sheeter.

Place the butter so it covers two-thirds of the dough; fold the uncovered third of the dough over the middle third, then fold the remaining third on top.

Trim the edge and roll out to perform a simple fold.

Let rest in the refrigerator for one hour.

Roll out for another simple fold, maintaining a width of 40 cm and a thickness of 1.5 cm.

Cut 1 cm strips and arrange them on the dough to cover a surface area of approximately 25 to 27 cm.

Let rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Roll out in the direction of the lamination to a thickness of 4 mm.

Cut into 3 x 35 cm strips.

Position with the laminated side facing down.

Using a piping bag, pipe 30 g of chocolate pastry cream onto the center of two-quarters of the dough.

Distribute a few drops of chocolate (Cori type), 3 g per piece.

Place the praline crisp (3 x 14 cm, approx. 35 g) on top.

Fold the ends toward the center and flip the piece over.

Freeze.

Place the piece in a mold (5.5 cm wide x 21 cm long x 4.5 cm high) coated with release spray.

Proof for 4.5 to 5 hours at 26ºC and 80% humidity.

Bake in an oven preheated to 190ºC: 14 minutes at 160ºC with the vent closed, followed by 15 minutes at 160ºC with the vent open. Once baked, brush the hot piece with a cocoa glaze.