The Chocolatier's Kitchen

At nearly 600 pages, this is an astonishingly diverse collection of professional chocolate confectionery recipes, primarily for bonbons but also including truffles, bars, crunchies, dragees, spreads, and even gelati. 

Produced under the auspices of Belgian chocolate brand Callebaut, it features recipes from seven different chocolatiers: Davide Comaschi, Philippe Vancayseele, Clare England, Beverley Dunkley, Mark Tilling, Ciro Fraddanno and Ryan Stevenson.

There are 273 recipes, arranged in three sections according to their length of shelf life: 1-2 weeks for short; 6-8 weeks for medium; and up to 6 months for long.

Recipes specify the use of particular Callebaut chocolates, chosen for various characteristics including their proportions of cocoa solids, sugar, and cocoa butter, as well as their relative fluidity, distinguishing those best suited for molding or enrobing from those which work better for ganaches, mousses, and so forth. For this reason, you will find some recipes with names such as “811 & Vanilla Manon,” which calls for Callebaud’s dark chocolate 811.

Among the other flavor combinations: java, nutmeg, and banana bonbons; white chocolate, pink grapefruit, and ginger bonbons; ruby chocolate and yuzu truffles; velvet chocolate and white peach spread; gold chocolate, coffee, and passionfruit gelato.

Handsomely photographed as well.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.