Zitter Chocolates has kulfi, gulkand, paan fillings that will take you straight to dessert heaven

You don’t need to choose between Indian sweets or chocolates for dessert. Zitter Chocolates offers both, in one tasty bite
Zitter Chocolates has kulfi, gulkand, paan fillings that will take you straight to dessert heaven

When Forrest Gump’s mama told him that life was like a box of chocolates and one never knows what one’s going to get, maybe she was thinking of a Zitter chocolate box. Filled with chocolates inspired by Indian sweets, one really doesn’t know what to expect. Flavours like chakkarapongal, gulkand and kulfi are only some of the Indian sweet flavours that have made their way into their repertoire. Started by 31-year-old Janani Kannan, Zitter is a three-month-old venture that makes customised bite-sized delights like moon rocks, semi-precious stones and conch shells, that are literally and figuratively out of the box. 

A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu with a specialisation in French patisserie, Janani started off working in a pastry store in Singapore, where she specialised in custom cakes and fondant work. But it was her matcha chocolates and simple pralines that were given away as party favours during her sister’s wedding that received phenomenal feedback, inspiring her to start her own venture once she got back to Chennai earlier
this year. “Starting a home-based venture like Zitter gave me the freedom to play with flavours and create a variety of pralines. It felt like it was my calling,” says Janani, who takes inspiration from chocolatiers like Melissa Coppel, Andrey Dubovik, Frank Haasnoot, Vincent Vallee.

<em>Chakkarapongal flavour</em>
Chakkarapongal flavour


Playing with flavours is something she clearly loves to do, given that Zitter currently offers 12 different flavours every week, ranging from lavender and passion fruit to Mexican hot chocolate, all made of Belgian couverture chocolate, and premium ingredients. But it is the Indian sweets inspired chocolates (only available on request) that is in demand. 

<em>Kulfi-filled white chocolate</em>
Kulfi-filled white chocolate


Indian sweets with chocolates (save the chocolate barfi) seem like a strange combo. “But the first one I tried – kulfi filling in white chocolate casing – really worked well. The key is to complement and contrast. For instance, the gulkand filling is sweet so I use a contrasting dark shell. But I can’t pair kulfi with a dark shell as it completely changes the taste,” she elaborates.  

<em>A collection of chocolates themed around The Avengers</em>
A collection of chocolates themed around The Avengers

We wonder what the future holds for Zitter. “I am working on flavoured chocolate tablets, something that is different from the regular bars and pralines. Also, watch out for some special Indian desserts in a chocolatey avatar for Onam,” she says. We are rooting for an ada pradhaman flavour. How ’bout you?
Rs 350 (box of five) to Rs 1,500 (box of 24).
 

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