Famed for his exquisite chocolates and ingenious flavor combinations, Paul A. Young now shares his chocolate-making secrets for the first time. After teaching you the finer points of chocolate tasting, you are invited to his masterclass on how to make a classic chocolate truffle. Soon you'll be melting, blending, and tasting chocolate like a true aficionado, and so your chocolate adventure begins. There are up to 400 flavors in a piece of fine dark chocolate, and the variety and origin of the cocoa beans, as well as the way they were processed, all affect the taste of the finished product. With Paul at your side, you'll discover why Equadorian chocolate lends itself beautifully to flavors such as marmalade, pink peppercorns, and saffron, while Venezuelan chocolate tastes amazing when paired with cinnamon, chile, or lavender. Once you understand how to combine chocolate with other flavors, you can let your imagination run wild and experiment with your own tastebud-tingling combinations. The recipes are divided into chapters such as Fruit & Nuts, Sugar & Spice, and Unadulterated, and offer much more than just truffles.
You'll find recipes for Paul's famous hot chocolate, cakes, cookies, desserts, and even savory dishes-a sure talking point at any dinner party. Take your pick from Wild Strawberry and Pink Peppercorn Truffles, Sea-salted Caramel Tart, and the Ultimate Chocolate Martini. The Alchemy chapter is for the more adventurous cook, with wild and wonderful recipes such as Paul's Venezuelan Chocolate Chile Chicken, Sweet Chocolate Pesto, and even a Honey-cured Bacon, Stilton and Chocolate Sandwich-which Paul swears by as a hangover cure! Paul's enthusiasm for chocolate is irresistible and his stunning, easy-to-follow recipes are essential for all chocolate lovers.