One of America's leading chocolatiers and the founder of the famous Cocolat shops shares the secrets behind her decadent, European-style desserts in this beautifully illustrated, easy-to-follow guide. Alice Medrich founded the first in a chain of chocolate shops in 1976, introducing legions of Americans to the joys of chocolate truffles. With the guidance of this lavish book, home cooks and budding pastry chefs can make their own renditions of the shop's sophisticated confections. Each fabulous recipe features detailed instructions that even first-time bakers can follow to create treats that are - almost - too beautiful to eat. Alice Medrich shares her exclusive techniques for making visually stunning, professional-quality desserts, from a Christmas mousse and a child's birthday cake of miniature cupcakes to dainty macaroons and soft-centered chocolate truffles. Easy-to-follow directions, illustrated in full color, explain how to sculpt chocolate roses, ruffles, fans, shavings, and other finishing touches. This newly revised edition features a new Introduction by the author, a new Chocolate Chart with advice on ingredients, and updated Resources and Equipment sections. The ultimate chocolate dessert book, Cocolat promises to be the crowning jewel of any cookbook collection.
