![Food52 Genius Desserts: 100 Recipes That Will Change the Way You Bake [A Baking Book] (Food52 Works)](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81GWr77xkqL._AC_UL160_SR160,160_.jpg)
In 1970's, Alice Medrich was, I believe, the first person to popularize the very rich, dense chocolate desserts that are common today. This book was the first of its type, full of rich chocolate recipes and glorious, color pictures, and it is still one of the very best. The recipe instructions are more reliable and easier to execute than most other chocolate cookbooks, although I have doubts about some of the decorative procedures in the appendix for the average home cook. Whenever I need a chocolate recipe, this is the book I reach for first.
Chocolate is notoriously difficult to cook and bake with, and many chocolate cookbooks are equally notorious for their difficult to execute recipes. Medrich is not professionally trained, so you will not find the usual array of vaguely described professional recipe instructions. Instead, you will find procedures of the author's own invention, and these are thoroughly described and easy to follow (in fact, many are unique ones that you will not find elsewhere); I almost never have trouble executing them. The recipes themselves are endlessly fascinating, and I discovered several new things, such as: cake pans do not need to be buttered and floured, the secret to her rich version of truffles, and that a hot milk sponge is better for roulades than a genoise. The only error I found is the recipe for simple syrup (it should be 2 cups sugar to 2 cups water).
The appendix, which describes "Building Blocks" and "Finishing Techniques", is more troublesome. The first section has basic components that are used in the rest of the recipes, and you will have to spend time getting the hang of making things like meringue, genoise, or lady fingers. The second half, while not impossible to do at home, is for the dedicated amateur pastry chef only. For these, I suggest that you just skip them; whipped cream in a can, bottled commercial dessert sauces, or pre-made cake decorating supplies from the grocery store are acceptable. The author became famous for her simple, yet strikingly elegant and under-stated decorating techniques; you will miss this element of her desserts, but they will still taste great.
Of all the chocolate recipes I produce in my home kitchen, at least half come from this cookbook. It sort of looks like a coffee table book full of worthless recipes, but here looks are deceiving. Virtually all of the recipes are good ones that are worth doing. The instructions are exemplary, and almost all of the recipes have a matching picture so you can see what the end result should look like. Experienced home bakers will be fascinated by the introductory material in the first 30 or so pages. Beginners should spend time reading through all of the recipes, and then select those that are easier to do; sadly, the author does not rate here recipes for difficulty.
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