The Essence of Chocolate ~ Scharffen Berger Chocolate Maker

The Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate, published in 2006. The first cookbook from the premier American chocolate maker, with 100 recipes for all  things chocolate!

An introductory chapter touches on favorite techniques ~ melting, baking in a water bath, using ramekins & souffle molds ~ and offers insight on a few favorite kitchen tools.

The first chapter, Before We Made Chocolate, delves into the background of the authors (and company's two founders) with a short bio for each ~ one was a winemaker, the other a physician.

The first set of recipes, Intensely Chocolate, is filled with recipes where the chocolate flavor is the star. A few of the selections include That Chocolate Cake, chocolate molten cakes, a chocolate orange fondue, cocoa ice bars, dark chocolate ice cream, brownies, chocolate pecan pie, scotch truffles, chocolate shortbread with cacao bits & sea salt and a few beverages ~ drinking chocolate or chocolate martinis.

An interlude chapter - A New American Chocolate Company - continues the story of the founding of the company, which is followed by the second set of recipes ~ Essentially Chocolate. The dishes in this section feature lighter chocolate desserts and consist of a chocolate chunk cheesecake, cocoa chiffon cake, a chocolate pecan tart, orange chocolate baklava, black & white creme brulee, a chocolate zabaglione trifle, biscotti, chocolate & peanut butter paninis, frozen chocolate mousse, cocoa cabanas (cookies), brown butter blondies, chocolate caramels and egg cream.

Another interlude chapter ~ How We Make Our Chocolate ~ discusses the different steps and machines used in the chocolate making process. Then we move to the next set of recipes, A Hint of Chocolate, which encompasses chocolate marbled cheesecake, gingerbread, white velvet cake with milk chocolate ganache, banana caramel cake, pull apart kuchen, chocolate chunk challah, scones, cacao nib waffles, macaroons, apricot hazelnut squares, coca caramel panna cotta, mint basil chocolate chunk ice cream, almond roca and a few savory treats ~ BBQ sauce, chili, a coca rub for grilling and baked beans.

A short section on Cacao touches on cultivating and the types of cacao, while Basics and Add-Ons are comprised of marshmallows, creme fraiche, chocolate syrup, hot fudge sauce, dulcje de leche, candied almonds and macerated berries.

The final two sections explore the future of cacao, list the recipe contributors and provide a glossary of terms found throughout the book.