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Lorraine
Its shape, size and appearance recall a real cannonball, in a nod to the city's military history: yet it is a mouthful of chocolate, caramel and hazelnuts, born in Metz in 1934.
Confectionery from Lorraine.
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The boulet de Metz is a chocolate speciality from the city of Metz. Its original recipe was developed in 1934 by a pastry chef from rue des Clercs, Léon Bohr. The Observatoire des produits du terroir places it at the "BB" pâtisserie in Metz, run by M. Bohr, and adds that the creation was patented and met with immediate success. The Tables & Auberges de la Moselle guide now ranks it among the department's desserts and local specialities "steeped in history", alongside the wagotine.
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The name says it all: the shape, size and outer appearance of the sweet recall those of real cannonballs, in reference to the city's military history. Léon Bohr wanted a confection that evoked a cannonball, inspired by a famous interwar song about an artilleryman from Metz. The Observatoire des produits du terroir notes that the creation pays tribute to this artilleryman from Metz, and that the boulets were sold in packaging shaped like a cannon barrel, containing four or eight boulets, which read: "When the artilleryman leaves his garrison, at BB he hastens to fill his caissons!".
Sources do not agree on how the recipe was taken over. According to the Observatoire des produits du terroir, just as the boulets were on the verge of disappearing, M. and Mme Dalmar reportedly bought the recipe along with the shop in 1955, and the "Boulet de Metz" trademark reportedly still belongs to their family. Other sources place the revival in 1995: the chocolatier Gilles Dalmar, originally from Nancy, bought both the trademark and the pâtisserie on avenue de Nancy in Metz, which had belonged for several years to the heir of Léon Bohr's recipe. Gilles Pudlowski writes that he registered the trademark in 1998; Wikipedia mentions a new trademark filing in 1995.
The shop, formerly "Le Royal", now bears the name "Les Boulets de Metz" on its façade. The chocolate shop, writes the En passant par la Lorraine network, enjoyed great success, especially when Gilles Dalmar paraded his chocolate dresses at the Foire internationale de Metz.
Appearance
A large, round ball measuring about 6.5 cm in diameter and weighing 100 g, covered in roasted hazelnut pieces and a thin layer of dark or milk chocolate.
Taste
Halfway between a sweet and a small cake, according to the Observatoire des produits du terroir: a chocolate ganache, almond paste, caramel and biscuit beneath a coating of chocolate and hazelnuts. The Tables & Auberges guide describes it as "to be enjoyed without moderation".
Texture
A succession of layers: the centre is surrounded by biscuit, then almond paste and light caramel, rolled in flaked hazelnuts before being dipped in chocolate. Haut Chocolat speaks of a crunchy caramel.
The couverture chocolate is dark or milk in the shop on avenue de Nancy, and dark, white or milk according to the Observatoire des produits du terroir.
a dark chocolate ganache, flavoured with an orange liqueur, is enclosed between two halves of the choux bun once cooled.
the biscuit thus assembled is coated in a generous layer of almond paste.
the ball is dipped in liquid light caramel, then rolled in roasted hazelnut pieces.
once the ball has hardened, it is dipped into a chocolate coulis.
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Haut Chocolat recommends it in the afternoon, with a cup of coffee or tea, and considers it good at any time of day. It can be found in Metz at the shop on avenue de Nancy, which also sells traditional pastries: chocolate entremets, millefeuille, and lemon or raspberry tarts.
"Boulet de Metz" is a trademark owned by the chocolatier Gilles Dalmar: it is a house name and not an official quality sign (PDO (AOP), PGI (IGP), Label Rouge…).
No producer is listed for this product yet.