Cookbook review: Chocolat

A cookbook this pretty needs to prove itself.

Chocolate is the age-old mood elevator, romance builder; it’s even considered a health booster in some circles.

So when a book such as “Chocolat” comes along, with the adorable appearance of an enormous bar of chocolate, it’s tempting to dismiss it as a lightweight.

The book looks as if it’s covered in silver foil with a brown sleeve imitating a paper wrapper. Inside, the full-color photos spread across nearly every page make it fun to flip through even if you never plan to pick up a whisk. It’s ready-made gift-shop material.

But for those who want some content with their confectionery, the book covers most everything you would want to know about chocolate without belaboring each part. It explains how best to taste chocolate, how to host a tasting party, how to store it, the different types and what pairs best with chocolate—including some pretty nontraditional ideas. Zucchini flowers, saffron and red bell peppers, to name a few.

Included are 40 recipes categorized as either subtle, medium or intense.

The dessert and breakfast foods hit the right notes, with a smart combination of more traditional offerings—poundcake with cocoa or chocolate truffles—and more interesting ones—chocolate roulade or dark chocolate and armagnac sabayon.

I made a chocolate génoise, which is supposed to be a light and airy spongecake, named for where it originates, Genoa, Italy. The book’s author, Stéphan Lagorce, categorized it as “medium” as far as the intensity.

As directed, I beat the eggs and sugar for 10 minutes until thickened. I carefully added the flour, cocoa and melted butter little by little, but the batter deflated considerably. What came out of the oven 30 minutes later was much denser than anticipated, and it didn’t taste like chocolate. It wasn’t even sweet.

The closest it came to the picture and description was the color. It was brown.

Lagorce does advise using the cake as a basis for other desserts or to cover it with a ganache. Maybe next time. Ten minutes of holding an electric mixer feels like a long time.

A failed génoise aside, the book’s recipes are general enough to appeal to almost anyone, with a few thrown in that will intrigue a veteran chocoholic. It’s a safe-bet buy to satisfy a sweet tooth.

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