French-Swiss pastry chef and chocolatier Amaury Guichon is renowned for his breathtaking hyper-realistic chocolate sculptures that blur the line between art and dessert. Among his most playful and whimsical creations is the giant chocolate pencil, often paired with a matching sharpener — a delightful tribute to childhood memories of chewing on pencils and erasers.
Guichon shared the process through engaging videos on platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, capturing the imagination of viewers worldwide. One caption perfectly summed up the appeal: “Chocolate Pencil & Sharpener! ✏️ This one is for everyone who used to bite their pencil as a kid!” A separate giant version carried a similar nostalgic nod: “This one is for all the people that used to bite their eraser!”
Crafting the Chocolate Pencil
The construction of the pencil showcases Guichon’s signature precision and technical skill. The hexagonal body is built using layers of frozen chocolate ganache, carefully stacked and shaped to mimic the classic wooden form of a pencil. Once assembled, the surface is sprayed with yellow food coloring to replicate the familiar painted wood look. Fine details, such as brand markings or text, are added using stencils for an authentic finish.
The “lead” tip is crafted from dark chocolate, while the eraser end features a soft, chewy component. In one version, Guichon used a pink raspberry marshmallow or jelly-like element, which he described as delicious. The metal ferrule — the band connecting the eraser to the body — is molded from chocolate ganache and painted a realistic silver tone.
The Oversized Version and Matching Sharpener
One particularly impressive iteration was a massive, fully edible sculpture that reportedly required 65 pounds (approximately 30 kg) of chocolate and took three full days to complete. This oversized pencil included a 5-pound raspberry marshmallow eraser, making the entire piece not just visually striking but genuinely tempting to taste. Guichon noted that it tasted far better than any childhood pencil-chewing habit!
Complementing the pencil is a meticulously crafted sharpener, shaped from chocolate and painted metallic silver to resemble a real metal tool. The sharpener features realistic details that enhance the illusion, turning the duo into a complete stationery set made entirely of chocolate.
A Different Take: The Lemon Pie Pencil from Netflix
Guichon also explored the pencil theme in a more deceptive way during the first challenge of his Netflix series School of Chocolate. In that episode, he created what appeared to be a pencil but was actually a cleverly disguised lemon pie. The structure included a thin crunchy chocolate layer, light citrusy lemon mousse, lemon gel, and a recomposed crunchy streusel. The eraser was a pink lemonade marshmallow, while the “wood” and “lead” elements were designed with edible components that matched the visual accuracy down to the smallest details, including pencil shavings.
This version highlighted Guichon’s ability to combine trompe-l’œil techniques with delicious, inventive flavors.
Why It Captivates Audiences
Guichon’s chocolate pencil creations stand out not only for their technical brilliance but also for their playful, relatable concept. They transform an everyday object into an extravagant edible artwork, evoking nostalgia while showcasing advanced pastry skills like lamination, molding, airbrushing, and sculpting.
Whether it’s the pure chocolate giant version or the lemon pie disguise, these pieces demonstrate why Amaury Guichon has become a global sensation in the world of dessert artistry. His work continues to inspire both professional chefs and home bakers to push creative boundaries in the kitchen.
Have you come across Amaury Guichon’s chocolate pencil videos? Which version delights you more — the massive all-chocolate sculpture or the clever lemon pie challenge?
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