The Art of Chocolate: Techniques and Recipies for Simply Spectacular Desserts and Confections

By Elaine Gonzalez and Frankie Frankeny

This is not just a book of masterful recipes, tips, techniques, and meticulously detailed, easy-to-follow instructions. It is an extravagant paean to decadent desserts. Filled with luscious creations and lavish artistry-Chocolate Swan Truffles, Enchanted Forest Torte-this definitive guide to working with chocolate is unusual because it is written with beginners in mind. A cooking teacher with decades of experience, Elaine Gonzalez has devised innovative techniques to put the art of working with chocolate within everyone's reach. After mastering a few basics, any cook can create shimmering cakes, seductive truffles, and amazing chocolate sculptures. With "The Art of Chocolate," even novices will soon roll, curl, twist, coax, and nudge chocolate to dizzying heights of fantasy.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 081181811X
• ISBN13: 9780811818117
• Release Date: September 1998
• Publisher: Chronicle Books
• Length: 192 Pages
• Weight: 2.02 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 10.0" x 9.6"

Customer Reviews

Best Description of Tempering Chocolate

This is the only book I've read that absolutely takes the mystery out of tempering chocolate. My many questions about tempering were not answered by other books or research on the Internet. The author's description includes three methods and, most importantly, the rationale for using each one. She gives important information which is the culmination of years of experience. This book and The Chocolate Bible by Christian Teubner are the essentials for anyone interested in learning how to work with chocolate.

Great resource

I bought this book to get a better knowledge on handling chocolate. I had some practice before, but was still pretty intimidated with the whole process of tempering and molding chocolate. After receiving this book and taking the time to read the very informative basic instructions, I decided to give it a try. I ended up with a beautiful chocolate bow to decorate a cake with. Yes it took time, and no, it wasn't that easy for a novice, but the way the author describes everything made it a succes. She has really found a tone in writing that is very encouraging and friendly. I will definately work my way through the book with growing confidence.

Best Book I Own!

When I got interested in learning how to work with chocolate I bought a few books and some video tapes about it. This is by far the best book I bought. It is so simple to understand and it took away my fears of tempering. All the supplies you need are listed here, as well as where to get them. I purchased items from one of the suppliers in the book and found some great prices! I would say this is a must have for anyone who likes to work with chocolate!

candymaking neophyte

I am very new to candymaking. This book provided the whys and hows - including what equipment to use (I did invest $15 in a chocolate thermometer), what to shop for and where to find it! I made hand-dipped truffles for valentine's day as gifts - and boy were they a hit. The author makes it easy and non-threatening.

You get a full weeks' chocolate class in a single book.

Buy the book and necessary supplies, follow Elaine's expert instructions, and you can develop into a master chocolate maker. The book is a masterpiece in itself. It encapsulates Elaine's 20 years of experience and knowledge with very detailed instructions, beautiful pictures, invaluable references, and scrumptious recipes.She starts with the basics explaining types of chocolate, ingredients and tools, then goes into the details of various tempering methods. With these basics behind you, you then progress into chocolate confections including medallions, caramel pecan patties, truffles, dipped strawberries, peanut butter meltaways and butter pecan toffee - of course, all include ample amounts of chocolate.Next comes more than a dozen chocolate magic tricks including molding chocolate, chocolate plates, shells, bowls, boxes, cups, leaves, bows, flowers, tree bark and cutouts. Then, building on these tricks, she makes even more exquisite chocolate art into baskets, decorated boxes, fancy eggs, and fabulous centerpieces.She shows you how to make your chocolate cakes and desserts even more spectacular by combining various colorings and chocolate shapes creating new art forms. Then she includes a great selection of high-quality recipes for cakes, fillings, frostings, and sauces. Then, if that's not enough, there's a complete bibliography, glossary, mail-order sources, and several conversion charts customized for chocolate. Everyone who's serious about removing the mystery of chocolate art should certainly have and use this book. Elaine, thank you for inspiring and releasing some of my hidden artistic talents.