With its unique recipes and sumptuous photographs, this stunningly delicious cookbook delivers a lifetime’s worth of culinary excitement and experimentation into your kitchen. Join award-winning chocolatier William Curley as he examines the origins of one of the world's most popular foods--explaining the method of creating chocolate, how its quality depends to a large extent on the variety of beans used, and the differences between plain, milk and white chocolates. It reveals how some of today's most popular flavors - such as vanilla and chilli - were those favored by the pioneering Aztec chocolatiers centuries ago. William shares his techniques and most mouth-watering recipes, starting with the basics: tempering and making a bar of chocolate; advice on how to add exotic flavours like rosemary or raspberry; and introducing different textures. Once those skills have been mastered, it's time to tackle some of the authors incredible creations...from experimental (but delicious) fillings such as apricot and wasabi, sea salt caramel, black rice vinegar and thyme, to mouthwatering desserts including chocolate and pistachio cake, blackcurrant tea cake, millionaire shortbread, macaroons, and chocolate rosette with orange ganache, as well as a variety of chocolate ices, drinks, sauces and spreads including Gianduja chocolate, Tahitian vanilla and golden chestnut. With William Curley as a guide, you need never eat a bland dessert again.
Brought up in Fife, William Curley's career began with an apprenticeship at Gleneagles, followed by 6 years at numerous Michelin-starred establishments, working with respected chefs including Pierre Koffman at La Tante Claire, Raymond Blanc at Le Manoir aux Quata Saisons and Marco Pierre White at The Restaurant. He then became Chef Patissier at The Savoy Hotel under Anton Edelman, as Chief Patissier leading a team of 21 pastry chefs. In 2004, he opened his first boutique in Richmond, followed by the opening of his equally successful Belgravia Boutique. After an increasing demand for his chocolate and patisserie creations, William Curley chocolate and patisserie concessions were opened in world-renowned department store Harrods in July 2011. They also create bespoke patisserie to accompany Afternoon Teas at some of London's top establishments. William has been awarded Britain's Best Chocolatier by the Academy of Chocolate four times (2007-2011) and has won numerous other awards. Most recently William became a member of the prestigious Relais Desserts, an association of the top pastry chefs across the world who come together to promote haute patisserie. Couture Chocolate, William's first book, won the Guild of Food Writers Cookery Book of the Year award in 2012.
Arriving in Britain in 1970 and expecting to stay only a few months, PIERRE KOFFMANN is still here. Work at Le Gavroche led to his appointment as Head Chef at The Waterside Inn, where he helped the Roux brothers achieve two Michelin stars. In 1977 Pierre opened La Tante Claire in Chelsea, where he introduced Londoners to the Gascon cooking taught him by his grandmother, Camille. This venture won him three Michelin stars. Pierre's next move was to The Berkeley Hotel in Knightsbridge where, after a brief absence, he returned in 2009. True to his roots, Pierre continues to serve the classic provincial French food that has become his hallmark.
