Cocoa Dolce Brings Panache to Wichita with Great Ganache

Wichita Kansas-based Cocoa Dolce was founded in 2005, but the Voegeli family and their Birds Eye Holdings, LLC took over the company eight years ago and it has since become one of their more hands-on projects. Today Cocoa Dolce has three Wichita retail locations where more than a dozen chocolatiers and pastry chefs work their sweet magic.

Ganache, a mixture of cream and chocolate, made with Barry Callebaut chocolate is the foundation of most of their confections—from chocolate bon bons, to truffles and even baked goods. Cocoa Dolce is very particular about what ingredients they use in general, explains Amber Travis, Chief Brand Officer. “We want to offer the best of the best and we will not use any other chocolate unless it is important for a specific project. Barry Callebaut offers a good lineup for all the different flavor varieties that we want to utilize. And it’s delicious.”

Lisa Mickey, professional chocolatier, and production manager at Cocoa Dolce, agrees. “We like the smooth mouth feel it gives and the overall sweetness. It was the breadwinner for our previous owner and that’s where my palate started.” In addition, there are no preservatives, other than alcohol which primarily contributes flavor.

Great ganache

Cocoa Dolce production, photo by Lisa Waterman Gray

Ganache stars in 95% of Cocoa Dolce products, including the pastry line. But what makes Cocoa Dolce’s ganache stand apart? “We’re homing in on other key ingredients to marry them with the chocolate,” Mickey says. “We use a high butter content butter and premium grade alcohols. We work with Hildebrand Farms Dairy, about two hours away, and their cream has no added fat, so it’s not too watery and not too thick.

“Our ganache goes through an emulsion process, creating an excellent mouthfeel and texture. We thoughtfully pick out our chocolate flavors based on trends, premium ingredients, and high quality Belgian chocolates.”

“Everything about our ganache-from the look of it to the mouthfeel of it-starts with how [our chocolatiers create it],” Travis says. “They keep a good eye on what the quality is, from inside out. We hand-temper our chocolate, but we have been able to add some automation to our product line, so our volume has definitely increased.”

Cocoa Dolce production line, photo by Gavin Peters

Among the vast array of confections available at Cocoa Dolce, champagne truffles, Crème Brulée bonbons and grey salt caramels are customer favorites. “We’re also R & D-ing a Manhattan-flavored chocolate using Keeper’s Heart whiskey, whose owners are from Wichita,” Mickey says. “We will debut Cookies and Cream soon, with a wafer cookie inside. We will have a peanut cluster-type confection, and we have a collection of seasonal items too.”

Cocoa Dolce bon bons, photo by Lisa Waterman Gray

On average, Cocoa Dolce chocolatiers craft up to 10,000 chocolate pieces per week, with four times that amount during the holiday season. The company also produces novelty chocolate confections and house made pastry items.

Cocoa Dolce pastry chefs create 12-14 gluten-free French macaron varieties, with chocolate ganache flavors, as well as signature cheesecakes topped with ganache. “We can’t keep these in the store sometimes.” Mickey says. Cocoa Dolce also creates customized events, and crafts custom logos such as Wichita’s distinctive red, white and blue city flag (see photo).

Factory with a view

Cocoa Dolce confections including with Wichita’s distinctive red, white and blue city flag, photo by Lisa Waterman Gray

Previously a long-time Coleman Factory, the latest Cocoa Dolce location allows customers to view chocolate and pastry production through tall walls of glass. Travis says this retail space has a much smaller footprint than the first two shops do but with a little more industrial vibe, which perfectly complements its downtown address.

“We have a warehouse, shipping and receiving, and packaging in this location. We also office out of here. But we recently acquired an off-site warehouse which can store four times more than we are currently doing, so our current facility will expand production, packaging, shipping, and receiving.

“All three locations offer a place for any occasion, although the downtown store is definitely more business-forward,” Travis says. “We have people coming into our stores for coffee meetings, and teachers grading papers. It’s also a family spot where kids can enjoy gelato while adults can enjoy a glass of wine. We sell café mocha drinks, handcrafted martinis, and beer, and we offer wine and chocolate pairings, too.

“There’s a luxurious but approachable marriage of flavors. We want to make sure that Cocoa Dolce is the best part of everybody’s day.” Because everyone deserves a little ganache, and a little panache.