October 17, 2011
Desserts containing chocolate can be intimidating to make at home, but L.A. chef Engoron confronts this fear head on, taking care to make chocolate accessible to inexperienced cooks. Every recipe is marked with a level of difficulty (one to four stars), with most landing in the lowest category. More reassuring is that all the recipes are based on just five recipes for ganache, a simple confection that doesn’t require a double boiler. The cake and cupcake chapter covers a wide range of combinations. The sour cream chocolate cake is a moist, simple cake perfect for any time of day. Alternatively, the tres leches chocolate cake is a lengthy recipe that would be great for special occasions. If the word elegant drew you to this book, look to the recipes for tarts. The bittersweet chocolate tart or the sacher torte are both simple yet sophisticated desserts. While these recipes can be time consuming, Engeron succeeds in presenting a collection of easily executed chocolate desserts.
September 15, 2011
Before presenting the recipes, Engoron, an award-winning chef and cofounder of the premium California chocolate boutique Choclatique, details the history of chocolate, buying and caring for chocolate, and using all the senses to appreciate it fully. (Break the chocolate and listen for the snap. Smell the bar at the broken point....) All of the recipes call for ganache, which is relatively simple to prepare but should be made separately a day beforehand. Some recipes require specialized ingredients or cookware, which novice cooks may not have on hand. Gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan recipes are noted. The finished book will feature QR codes that link to video demonstrations; a buying guide for "keen stuff" is included. VERDICT Mouthwatering recipes for chocolate lovers who are willing to devote an hour or two (or maybe more) to create a chocolate dessert with maximum wow power.--Maggie Knapp, Trinity Valley Sch. Lib., Fort Worth, TX
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