Amazon.com Review
Fans of high-end chocolate delights have long flocked to Robert Linxe's La Maison du Chocolat, a Paris-based confection-boutique "chain."
La Maison du Chocolat, blissfully photo-illustrated in color, offers readers an introduction to Linxe's art and craft, plus 65 recipes for a wide range of treats, from candies and cakes to creams, mousses, soufflés, and more. Though not difficult in themselves, the recipes are sometimes flawed (baking sheets, for example, are called for when baking pans are required, and dimensions for these are frequently omitted). Experienced bakers can fill in the blanks, but the rest of us will probably do best to enjoy the book as a record of one man's passion and its mouthwatering realization.
Beginning with a paean to Linxe's artisanal skill--he's been called the sorcerer of ganache--the book then provides an investigation of chocolate bean types, each of which has its own role in the chocolate-making process, plus a glimpse at Linxe's exacting candy-making process. The recipes come next, and include such temptations as Chocolate-Almond Cake with Lemon Cream, Extra-Rich Brownies, Chocolate Raspberry Mousse, and Bittersweet Chocolate-Nut Candy. A chapter on frozen desserts and beverages, which includes a definitive hot chocolate recipe, follows, as does a section on basic preparations and techniques, like tempering. Interspersed throughout are introductions to the extraordinary (and wonderfully named) Linxe confections, such as the chocolate-mint Zagora. These further disable readers already wobbly from the chocolate euphoria Linxe's candies--and now his book--provide. --Arthur Boehm
About the Author
For over twenty years, talented, passionate, pioneering, and avant-garde
Robert Linxe has devoted himself to the world of unique creations with chocolate. In 1977 he opened the first La Maison du Chocolat in the elegant rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Today, La Maison du Chocolat has six prestigious addresses (including two locations in New York City, as well as Paris and Tokyo) and is planning on spreading his unique savoir-faire and style to other parts of the world.
Coauthor
Michele Carles is one of the famous Scotto sisters. Together, the sisters have published many successful cookbooks, including: L'Héritage de la Cuisine Francaise, La Cuisine des Soeurs Scotto, Gourmande et Pressée, and Desserts de Reve.
Christine Fleur is an internationally renowned photographer specializing in table arts and cookbooks. She has published several successful works in France, including La Cuisine des Parfums and Plaisirs de Thé.
