Project Foodie - Chocolate

Chocolate

Save Recipe: Fondant

Photo by Natacha Nikouline, from Chocolate by Paule Cuvelier (Paris Flammarion: 2008)

Hard as it is to believe, not everyone loves chocolate. Fortunately most of us do, and I’m definitely in that group. If you love chocolate then you may want to check out Chocolate by Paule Cuvelier. Chocolate has two appropriately named volumes: The History of Chocolate and the taste of chocolate. The history of chocolate not only describes chocolate's progression from a drink of the gods, to currency, to a modern day obsession but also the growth, cultivation and production of chocolate. Cuvelier presents the Taste of Chocolate with the elegance and delicateness it deserves. Much like a wine book but for chocolate, she discusses the virtues of chocolate, the Grand Cru cocoas of the world, and the tastes of chocolate. But what chocolate book would be complete without recipes? As the sample recipe for Fondant shows below, Chocolate includes several tantalizing recipes for elegant uses of chocolate. The recipes, however, are not the main focus of Chocolate, instead the world’s, and for Paule Cuvelier, France’s, love affair with chocolate is the focus.

Fondant

Recipe from Chocolate by Paule Cuvelier (Paris: Flammarion, 2008)

Prepare a day in advance

Serves 8

Preparation: 30 minutes

Cooking time: 1 hour

1 cup (250 g ) of sugar
9 oz (250 g ) of chocolate (70 percent cocoa)
2 sticks (250 g ) of butter (plus some to grease the tin)
3/4 cup (75 g ) of flour
3 eggs
grated chocolate and icing sugar to dust

In a medium-sized pan, boil 1/2 a glass of water with the sugar. Add the chocolate broken into small pieces, along with the butter and stir over a low heat until the mixture is smooth. In a bowl, mix together the flour and one whole egg. Then add the remaining two eggs one at a time. Remove the chocolate mixture from the heat and pour the mixture in the bowl onto the chocolate mix. Stir vigorously. Butter an 8 in. (20 cm) cake tin and pour in the mixture. Place the tin in a container of warm water and bake in a medium oven at 390°F (200°C; mark 6/7) for 1 hour. Remove from the oven and leave to cool until the following day. Garnish with the grated chocolate and dust with icing sugar. Delicious served with a light vanilla or coffee-flavored custard.

About Chocolate

Beautifully produced and presented in an attractive box, this two-volume celebration of one of the world’s most beloved confections is a must for chocoholics everywhere. Its mouthwatering photographs, taken by one of France’s leading food photographers, are feasts for the eyes, making Chocolate an ideal gift. In the first volume, The History of Chocolate, chocolate lovers can discover the fascinating story behind this global favorite, and how the discovery of the cocoa bean and its subsequent transformation into a valuable commodity changed the face of history. The second volume, The Taste of Chocolate is devoted to appreciating chocolate in all its myriad guises, and includes useful tips on the optimal conditions to savor this black gold and how to find the perfect accompaniments, whether fruit, cheese, wine, or spices.