Gilles Cresno, pralines under a lucky star

With its taste of roasted fruit and caramel, praliné is one of the favorite ingredients of chocolate lovers. Not so many professionals make it, however, as it requires a mastery of baking. Gilles Cresno produces it according to the rules of the art, and goes even further... Passionate about technique, he creates an enchanting palette of textures and tastes.

Caroline Mignot Published today at 7:35 AM

A native of the Vendée region, Gilles Cresno started out as a pastry chef before taking his chocolate CAP and joining La Maison du Chocolat, where he trained alongside Pascal Le Gac. he trained alongside Pascal Le Gac, who worked in this famous chocolate factory for twenty-five years before moving to Saint-Germain-en-Laye.later, at Hervé Robin's, now in Périgueux and Bergerac, Gilles continued his training and learned the art of standards, accuracy and precision. The young man had no shortage of ambition when, at the age of 24, he set up his own small chocolate factory on Mont Valérien in the Hauts-de-Seine. On a garden level, in a street that doesn't see many people pass by, business is almost non-existent. But his passion for handling tools and transforming materials keeps him going.

Until the day he opened a store in Rueil-Malmaison. The location, the footfall and all the energy he had put into it brought him recognition. Sales take off! The praliné was already there, but the chocolatier knew he needed know-how and equipment. He's going to remedy that. He learns again and again, and invests in the right machines and larger premises in Nanterre.

Smooth and creamy

Gilles Cresno tastes a lot, tests a lot (all kinds of tests, smoky, fruity, floral...) and relies on what he likes. "It's often the simplest things that succeed. "Loyal customers know they're in for a treat with Gilles Cresno's signature chocolates, which offer incredible value for money. listening to them, the chocolatier understands that pralines are very, very popular. Among all the dried fruits, almonds come from Spain (Valencia variety), pistachios from Sicily and Iran, but hazelnuts are undoubtedly among the favorites. He chooses them from Piedmont, although he is also interested in French production.

His spread, made with 50% hazelnuts, is a great success. Gilles is also interested in gianduja, a Piedmontese paste made from a mixture of roasted and ground hazelnuts, sugar and milk chocolate. It takes two hours in the grinder to achieve the desired smoothness and creaminess: "There are a lot of gianduja fans out there ", he enthuses. Its smooth texture is very appealing, while other customers appreciate a chewy texture.

from an identical composition, depending on whether the praline is smooth or crunchy, the perception is different and the taste can change completely. This fascinates Gilles Cresno, who can't stop talking about technique, granulometry, stabilization, crystallization...