Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme (Hardcover)

~ (Author) "This is a dark-as-midnight chocolate cake that gets its strong chocolate flavor from cocoa and small chunks of premium-quality bittersweet chocolate (think the best chocolate..." (more)
Key Phrases: Source Guide, Black Forest Cake, Deep Chocolate Cream (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Since Pierre Hermé is probably the best pastry chef in the world, and chocolate the best dessert flavor, it's no surprise that this stellar combination, presented in Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Hermé is dazzling. Hermé's beautiful recipes are written by Dorie Greenspan, who also worked with him on his award-winning Desserts by Pierre Hermé, and the resulting creations are photographed as works of art by Jean-Louis Block-Laine.

Although Hermé is best known for his multilayered extravaganzas, this collection was written and tested for American home kitchens. So while there are a few mind-boggling, taste-bud-stretching experiences like Plaisir Sucre (hazelnut dacquoise, milk chocolate ganache, milk chocolate whipped cream, sheets of tempered milk chocolate, and a crunchy chocolate praline spread), most of the recipes are more than manageable, and just as scrumptious. Lacy Coffee-Cocoa Nougatine Cookies are crisp and delicate and extremely flavorful. The Chocolate Macaroons are the perfectly smooth, ganache-filled ones you see all over Paris, and with Hermé and Greenspan to walk you through the steps, the best results are guaranteed. Pistachio Waffles with Chocolate Cream are crispy outside and moist and tender inside, and the combination of hot and cold makes them even more memorable. Chocolate Rice Pudding is far from old-fashioned, and while it makes a delectable stand-alone dessert, Hermé suggests making it part of a truly grand dessert: his Pear and Fresh Mint Tempura with Chocolate Rice Pudding is an amazing combination of flavors, textures, and temperatures.

In recipes for everything from Hot Chocolate to Bittersweet Chocolate Sorbet, from Moist and Nutty Brownies to the legendary chocolate caramel extravaganza the Faubourg Pave, readers will benefit from Hermé's 25 years of experience, his limitless creativity, and his obvious passion for his profession. This volume is destined to become a classic. --Leora Y. Bloom

From Publishers Weekly

Celebrated as one of France's greatest (and most prolific) pastry chefs, Herm‚ delivers a spectacular collection of recipes celebrating most magical ingredients. In their second collaboration (after Desserts by Pierre Herm‚), Greenspan, a food writer and author, has carefully translated metric measurements and faithfully interpreted French ingredients for the American home cook. She describes the recipes' cultural and technical aspects and includes comments from Herm‚ that shed light on the origin or capture the essence of an ingredient. As in their earlier book, the recipes range from simple to complex, but all are signature Herm‚ with their finely tuned marriage of the "three Ts": taste, temperature and texture. There are some truly special desserts like the Plaisir Sucr‚ (Sweet Pleasure), five distinct textural layers of milk, hazelnuts, sugar and chocolate, or a concoction after the Italian Granita that includes whiskey and a whimsical topping of Rice Krispies home versions of the inventions that established Herm‚'s reputation. From the ethereal moist-centered chocolate "Suzy's" Cake to the Moist Nutty Brownies, cooks will be surprised by the simple methods and ingredients. Classics such as Chocolate clairs are impeccably rendered and often freshly interpreted, such as the unusual "inverted" puff pastry in the Chocolate Mille Feuille (Napoleons). The book is full of connoisseur knowledge about cocoa demonstrated by cosmopolitan ideas like the beautifully layered Criollo, named after the rarest and most prized Latin American cocoa bean, but it also contains a section of base recipes and a glossary of ingredients and terms. Amateurs will appreciate the careful instructions; storage tips will help professionals. Beautiful full-page illustrations are a siren call to cooks of all stripes.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Little, Brown and Company; 1 edition (September 20, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316357413
• ISBN-13: 978-0316357418
• Product Dimensions: 10.9 x 8.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #17,144 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 82 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Terrific book, December 28, 2001

By	Eric J. Wu (cambridge, ma USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Contents. Cakes: Loaf cake,Suzy cake, St. Honore cake, eclair, black forest cake, chocolate meringue cake, puff pastry w/chocolate cream and with orange cream. Cookies: cigarette cookies, macaroons, florentines, financiers. Tarts: chocolate fig tart, nutella tart, pecan tart. Puddings: rice pudding, coffee/whisky cappuccino. Candies: regular truffles, caramel truffles, nut truffles, candied fruits, passionfruit/milk chocolate truffles. Ice cream: Different ice creams, banana splits, sherbet, ice cream sandwich with meringue. drinks: variety of hot chocolate.

I recommend this book. The pictures are beautiful (though not everything is photographed), and the recipes are well explained, Most importantly, all of the recipes work (Pierre's recipes always work). The binding on this book is very strong, so you can actually use it as a cookbook.

One of the other reviewers said this book was for "novices", I see the point, but do not agree. I think this book is a little harder than "Desserts by Pierre Herme". For instance, it it asks for passion fruit pulp in one recipe ("desserts" asks for passion fruit juice, which is easier to get), some of the recipes assume you have an icecream maker, and I know of no amateur who makes St. Honore cakes. "Desserts by Pierre Herme" is organized with building blocks first, recipes second, "chocolate desserts" is the other way around. To me this assumes you know the recipes and just need to check the back for reference. ON the other hand, this book is definitely easier than his other book "The patisserie of Pierre Herme" (which also has building blocks at the end). That book assumes you have nut paste (which you can make as an amateur, but a pain), are willing to make Joconde cakes to wrap your cake around, can make chocolate ruffles, and so on. If you're a professional, that's the book you want.

This book definitely gets 5 stars, but keep in mind who you are first. If you are total beginner, there are some easy recipes here but some things will be too hard. IN this case I think "cocolat" by Alice Medrich is a good, easier alternative, or even "desserts by Pierre Herme" (that book has less chocolate though). I think a intermediate-advanced amateur will get the most out of this book. If you're a pro, you won't learn new techniques. A pro would get this book if he was a fan of Pierre and wanted to see Pierre's thinking and the original way he puts together components (for instance his use of cinnamon in general, or pears in St. Honore cake).

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Absolument Delicieux, Decadent, Mais Non Difficile!, December 2, 2001

By	Diana F. Von Behren "reneofc" (Kenner, LA USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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While the photos in this wonderful book are enough to make your mouth water, reading the fantastic descriptions will force even the most uninventive baker to hop in his/her car down to the nearest gourmet specialty shop and purchase a supply of Valrona's sumptuous dark chocolate, parchment paper and a fun assortment of accoutrements that would please the most well-turned out pastry chef. Those who have never used a pastry bag, need not panic; the results are well-worth the process. The recipes are fun and fantastic, the tastes, subtle and the step-by-step directions, complete with Pierre's sidebar tips and suggestions, foolproof. The book is divided into different sections focusing on Cakes, Cookies, Tarts, Custards/Mousses, Truffles/Candies, Ice Cream/Frozen Desserts, Hot and Cold Drinks. The book is prefaced by a brief essay on what you can expect from the book and finished to perfection with Pierre's base recipes and a dictionary of terms, techniques, equipment and ingredients with a source guide. I especially enjoyed concocting Pierre's Chocolate Macaroons, the Financiers, and the Moist and Nutty Brownies. The total chocolate experience of the Original Hot Chocolate is Proustian, (with or without the madeleine)reminiscient of that served in a Parisian specialty shop in a tiny cup. The books presentation alone would make a lovely gift even for the coffee-table brand of patisserie chef, but for those who are a little more adventuresome, there is much pleasure to be derived from this little gem.

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chocolate Desserts by Pierre Herme, September 25, 2001

By	Patricia A. Mitchell "R&D chef" (Carlsbad, CA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As with Pierre Hermes other books the photography is beautiful (not all desserts are photograped) and many of the flavor combinations are interesting to say the least. He cares a great deal about quality and choosing the correct ingredients for each formula and is specific about what to look for/purchase.
Being a professional I would have preferred more difficult formulas and ideas rather than some of the basics such as truffles or french banana split just to name a few. If you are a novice I would suggest this book as it has many interesting ideas as well as basic information. If you are a professional and are looking for a totally new book on chocolate I am not sure that this is it.
My 4 stars are for the facts that it is clear to understand, nice to look at and to say the least, has many good ideas for the novice . Some of the recipes are quite long and may not be for those individuals who want a quick easy recipe.