The Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg

  • That chocolate cake

    from The Essence of Chocolate: Recipes for Baking and Cooking with Fine Chocolate The Essence of Chocolate by John Scharffenberger and Robert Steinberg

    • Categories: Cakes, large; Dessert
    • Ingredients: store-cupboard ingredients; cocoa powder; heavy cream; unsweetened chocolate
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Notes about this book

  • Eat Your Books

    2007 James Beard Award Winner

  • Bloomie on August 26, 2020

    Made the Chocolate Peanut Butter Gianduja yesterday. Very simple. Tastes like a frozen peanut butter cup. Melts quickly. I cut the bars in small finger-like pieces for a light treat of something sweet.

  • betbaby on February 17, 2010

    Indescribably good chocolate recipes, including the best chocolate cake I have ever tasted (That Chocolate Cake).

Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Fudgy brownies

    • lkgrover on November 05, 2025

      Good fudgy brownies. Easy preparation, stir ingredients by hand (no electric mixer).

  • Chocolate drop cookies

    • clkandel on December 08, 2017

      Cookies are very rich and fudgy. Tops cracked, as recipe said, but it seemed the undersides were underdone and hard to get off the Silpat.

  • One-pot sour cream cake

    • clkandel on December 20, 2017

      This is the second cake I've made from this book and I've had trouble with the bottoms both times. The cake did not release cleanly from the pan. The taste is great - light, airy, chocolate. I also added a touch of cayenne pepper to the batter.

  • TKOs

    • jzanger on December 02, 2013

      The recipe for Thomas Keller's Oreos in this book is not remotely the same one as is printed in Bouchon. For all I know that recipe produces perfect cookies, but this one was pretty disappointing. The cookies melted too thin, even after freezing the cookie sheets for fifteen minutes prior to baking. Beyond that, I was expecting that even if the cookies were ugly they would be crunchy. Not the case. So, then what about these is oreo-like? There's a funky technique included in this recipe, and I have a feeling that is the culprit for the bad results. Even the white chocolate ganache part of the recipe was poorly written. I definitely had to whisk the mixture in a double boiler for a good five to ten minutes to melt the chocolate. I will try Joanne Chang's recipe from "Flour" next time.

  • Chile-marinated flank steak

    • lkgrover on April 14, 2025

      Grilled beef flank steaks with a mole marinade (with ancho chile paste & cocoa). Requires marinating for 24 hours prior to grilling. The steaks have a subtle spicy-cocoa flavor.

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  • ISBN 10 1401302386
  • ISBN 13 9781401302382
  • Published Nov 14 2006
  • Format Hardcover
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Hyperion Avenue
  • Imprint Hyperion Books

Publishers Text

2007 Beard Award Winner!

The first cookbook from America's premier chocolate makers, filled with recipes, kitchen tips, and dazzling photographs.

As Americans have become fascinated by chocolate, and especially high-quality chocolate, one name has risen above the rest: Scharffen Berger. Founded in 1996 by Robert Steinberg, a physician and amateur chef, and John Scharffenberger, an award-winning vintner, the company's confections have won a following among food professionals and home cooks alike. Now, in their first cookbook, the duo shares their passion with the world.

The Essence of Chocolate features more than one hundred spectacular -- and often simple -- recipes drawn from the Scharffen Berger files and from two dozen top pastry chefs. It is divided into three sections: Intensely Chocolate, which includes such decadent treats as That Chocolate Cake, in which the sumptuous flavor of chocolate is the star; Essentially Chocolate, with lighter chocolate desserts like White Velvet Cake with Milk Chocolate Ganache or Brown Butter Blondies; and A Hint of Chocolate, with recipes that use chocolate's spicier qualities to their best effect, like Vegetarian Chili and John's Cocoa Rub. And all will work magnificently with any high-quality chocolate.

Filled with helpful tips, sumptuous photographs, and the story of how chocolate is really made, here is a book that is every bit as seductive as its subject.