Customer Reviews

Cocolat: Extraordinary Chocolate Desserts

5 star:		(21)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is an absolute MUST HAVE for anyone who loves desserts and loves to bake. As a former pastry chef myself, I have well over 200 cookbooks, and this is one of the most well-written, best-tested baking books I own. As a matter of fact, I can only say that about 2 other books I have. I have made about 90% of the desserts in this book, and they have all turned out exactly like Chef Medrich describes and look exactly like the photos. How many baking books can you say that about? I can't begin to count the number of people that I have recommended this book to.

If you buy Cocolat for no other reason you should buy it for the "Building Blocks" in the back. If you have that section and follow her directions exactly, you will be able to create an endless number of incredible desserts. Chef Medrich's genoise formula, for example, is the most reliable formula for genoise I've ever used. That is a staple in my kitchen, along with her formula and method for french buttercream. And frankly, her formula for Chocolate Velvet Mousse is worth the price of the book all on its own. I use it for everything; filling for every type of cake, mixed with whipped cream for fillings for cream puffs, layered with sponge cake for chocolate trifle; I could go on and on. In my opinion, it's the finest chocolate mousse both in texture and flavor that I've ever eaten.

Marcel Desaulnier markets himself as the King of Chocolate, but he can't even begin to compare with Alice Medrich, who is in a class all by herself.

Chef Medrich, if you read this, thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! You and Emily Luchetti are my baking mentors; you are a great chef and teacher.

If you love things chocolate and like to make them, then this is the book you have been waiting for. Personally, my obsession is truffles. I have been searching for years for a domestic equivalent to the bittersweet truffles I used to buy at chocolatiers in Paris, but to no avail. Everything I could get in SoCal was either too sweet, too old, or not chocolatey.

Not so here. These recipes produce truffles just like the ones I remember from France: a grown-up treat, not the over-sweetened, over-flavored, dried-up disappointments we have imported or made here. I have only tried the recipes for truffles, but I plan to work my way through the rest of the book, recipe by recipe, the cakes and pastries too. Truffles are so easy to make! Excellent technical information on the handling of chocolate from a writer who is obviously sharing her inside tips. Do what Alice Medrich says, and you can't go wrong. Good mail order sources, copious (and luscious) photos and illustrations. Also, an inspiring and colorful story of someone with an idea who just couldn't let go of it no matter what. In an oversize format, the book itself is a pleasure in the hand and a literal feast for the eye. I plan to give it to friends for Xmas

Wonderful book. I have tried about 11 of the recipes and all but one was beyond excellent. I have made stunning desserts that have more than impressed everyone. My one and only caution is that most of the main recipes in the book contain liqueurs. I don't find this a problem, but many people do. Even if you don't care for those types of recipes, still, buy the book. The back of the book lists "building blocks", everything from sponge cake recipes, mousse, fillings, glazes, etc. so that you can fabricate your own designer desserts.

This is an interesting book with lots of beautiful pictures of chocolate desserts. Looking at the pictures and reading the ingredient lists should make your mouth beg for a piece of the masterpiece that you are seeing. However, be warned - those who are just learning to make desserts or who those have some skills already (like myself)of making desserts- this book is not for you. First for all you HAVE to have a patient to read the recipe carefully. Since most of the desserts in this book have several components and each of those components needs to be assembled separately (has its recipe of its own - thankfully listed at the end of the book as a separate chapter - "Building Blocks ..."). Second, you will need lots of time and lots of space in refrigerator and freezer as you proceed with your masterpiece. However, all said, the desserts I believe will be heavenly once they will be on a plate, in front of you. Check out your local libraries for a copy of this book before you buy.

Okay, guys, here's a true story. I was hanging out in a chat room and mentioned a dessert from this book. I had been experimenting before getting online. Well, ALL the women started IMming me. Their public coments were on the order of "Stop it, I can't take it!" Their private, IM comments were more interesting.

Here's another story. A friend asked me to do a bunch of cooking for her retirement party. I showed her six desserts from this book, together with the absolutely edible pictures. Of course, I thought she'd want one or two. Nope. She wanted all of them! Well, hey, if you like to cook and the cookbook is foolproof, what else can you say but "Of course!" Eventually she scaled it back a little but by then I had made everything she asked for and tested them on the kind guinea people at the office. Five straight hits. FIVE!

One tip: If you make the Citrus Tart, on page 142, read the note about organic lemons and oranges. I tried it first with ordinary citrus. It was disappointing. On the second try, with the organic stuff, it sparkled. Hey, the note is right there to see. I'm just telling you this author has it together, so pay attention.

Kind of as an afterthought, I knocked out a batch of Meringue Mushrooms for the party but they didn't get out to the table on time. Later, discovering them untouched, I wandered around and let people have just one. It was wild to see some of the peculiar looks on some of the faces! Even better, though, was to hear the laughs of delight behind me as I took the few remaining `shrooms to the next table. Any food that makes grownups laugh with delight must have merit.

Thank you, Ms. Medrich. Some people think I'm sort of a chef. I hope they don't read this review!

I am writing to thank Mr. Wu for his very enthusiastic review of my book. I would also like to assure him that I made all of the chocolate ruffles pictured on the cover and in the book by hand (with a spatula of course); they were not made by a machine as Mr Wu suggests. Mr. Wu might enjoy taking my class at Sur La Table or at Ramekins in Sonoma. Thank you, Alice Medrich.

Book covers: introduction, Alice's thoughts on ingredients and chocolate, cakes, tortes, mousses, truffles, brownies, where to buy stuff, and techniques. I've tried both truffle recipes (they are very easy and can be done in 1.5 hours!) and both are excellent. Alice has since modified the French chocolate truffle recipe to include mixing the eggs with boiling water (instead of water in the chocolate) to keep it safe from salmonella. A beautiful book, with tons of incredible photos and glossy pages. One thing that struck me though, was that a few of the chocolate ruffles shown were obviously created using an automatic "ruffle maker" (you grind them out circularly from a cylinder of chocolate) instead of by hand as the rest of us have to do, and as she describes in the book. That irritated me a little. I think for total beginners there are better books from which to learn which equipment to buy, to learn about ingredients, and the like. For instance There is no section on how to cut your cake into 3rds (not as easy as it appears). It's hard to give more specific examples, it's just a general feeling that some of the things in the book are not totally easy to do. But I love the concept of the desserts that Alice has designed, the recipes look correct, and the 2 I've tried were great. And out of the 4 baking books I own, this is by far the most beautiful. Compared to Pie/Pastry and Cake Bibles and Baking with Julia I feel this book is less suited for the beginner if it's the only book you get - if you have more baking books than this book is wonderful. This book is also well-suited for the intermediate who wants to further develop style in creating desserts and also familiarity with chocolate.

I have made over half of the recipes in this book, and I am amazed at how wonderful each of them tastes. The rich flavor and beauty of the presentation of these desserts are unparalleled. Despite the complexity of flavor, the author clearly explains how to make the desserts, how to avoid pitfalls, and how to replicate her beautiful presentation. Bravo! I have long waited for a dessert book like this one!

I not only have this book but also have Alices book, Cookies and Brownies. Her recipes are wonderful, from there taste to there beauty! The instruction in the book is easy to follow. I would recommend this to anyone that loves chocolate (Who Doesn't) One of the other reviews on this book stated that she must have used a machine to make the chocolate ruffles. I was lucky enough to attend a class at Sur La Table (an excellent cookware store) the instructor was Alice herself! We learned exactly how to make the beautiful ruffles by hand. It was not hard and they turned out beautiful. Like with any good cookbook you have to read the instruction carefully. With a little bit of practice the ruffle technique can be done beautifully. You will impress your family and friends with your creations from using this wonderful book. I would recommend highly to anyone wanting to learn about chocolate.

This is without question my favorite cookbook. It has recipies for chocolate deserts of almost every occasion. I have made about half of all the recipies and everyone has been a hit. It also has directions about how to make all the fancy decorations that make the presentation just as great as the food. The directions are pretty much idiot proof so those of us who are not chefs can fool our friends. This also is a must for any single guy looking to impress a woman with food!! The pictures give you great decorating ideas to finish off your masterpiece.