Pure Chocolate: Divine Desserts And Sweets From The Creator of Fran's Chocolates by Fran Bigelow and Helene Siegel

  • Truffle brownies

    from Pure Chocolate: Divine Desserts And Sweets From The Creator of Fran's Chocolates Pure Chocolate by Fran Bigelow and Helene Siegel

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Blanc et noir

    • SilverSage on January 06, 2011

      I have made this several times - it's always a big hit.

  • Cappuccino cream cake

    • TonyInSeattle on October 22, 2019

      This cake is phenomenal and it presents as if it was much more difficult to make than it was. I’ve made it 10 times at least and it’s a perfect birthday cake for 6-8. It’s a permanent fixture in my house!

  • Chocolat au chocolat roll

    • kjwright on December 26, 2020

      Baked the chocolate genoise as base for Buche de Noel, though did not make gianduja filling (sprinkled cake with kirsch then filled with black currant jam); cake is a nice tidy size and not too over the top. Perfect for our more intimate Christmas in 2020.

  • Dark-chocolate ganache glaze

    • SilverSage on January 06, 2011

      I'd give this a 6 if I could! It is my go-to ganache, and she does an excellent job of describing the technique.

  • Dylan's birthday cake

    • cespitler on November 27, 2015

      I consistently use this recipe (combined with Prince Torte) when called on to make a cake for an event or party. It never disappoints.

  • Key lime white-chocolate tart

    • TonyInSeattle on October 21, 2019

      My folks live in Key West and I’m always searching for the best key lime pie when I’m down there. This one wins hands-down. While it’s not traditional, with its chocolate crust, it’s tangy and delicious. The key lime filling has a wonderful glossy/creamy texture that I look for in a key lime pie. You won’t be sorry if you make this!

  • Prince torte layers

    • cespitler on November 02, 2012

      I'm not a huge chocolate fan, but when called on to make a chocolate cake, this is my favorite. It's dense and holds up to a variety of frosting options. Invest in good chocolate for this one and you won't be disappointed.

  • Triple chocolate pyramid

    • TonyInSeattle on October 22, 2019

      Beautiful and delicious, even if my pyramid was a little off-kilter!

  • Tropicale coconut roll

    • SilverSage on January 06, 2011

      The flavors were delicious. However, it was a bit difficult to work with, so the presentation wasn't nearly as nice as the picture. Both the cake & the filling were very soft, which made it wonderful to eat, but difficult to roll.

  • Truffle brownies

    • milgwimper on September 22, 2010

      These do not have the crispy top, but they are dense, and good.

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Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • L'orange

    • Not So Humble Pie

      ..very simple to make and the result, a rich Viennese style fruit and nut torte that is intensely fragrant...The tort is dense, pebbly with almonds and moist with a total twenty tablespoons of butter.

      Full review

  • Chocolate wafers

    • Not So Humble Pie

      my favorite cookie recipe for ice cream sandwiches. They're crisp, rich with chocolate flavor and stay true to shape when baked. Be sure not to substitute plain non-alkalized cocoa for dutched cocoa.

      Full review

  • Chocolate crème brûlée

    • Not So Humble Pie

      Sure that silky chocolate is good, but I am a sucker for those crisp bits of caramelized sugar. I'm also a sucker for all things involving kitchen blow torches!

      Full review

  • Chocolat au chocolat ice cream

    • Not So Humble Pie

      ...my favorite super-rich chocolate ice cream recipe.

      Full review

  • Dark-chocolate mousse

    • Not So Humble Pie

      ... it will of course decimate my chocolate supply too, but Fran's recipes are always worth it.

      Full review
  • ISBN 10 0767916581
  • ISBN 13 9780767916585
  • Published Mar 01 2006
  • Format Hardcover
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher Broadway Books
  • Imprint Broadway Books (A Division of Bantam Doubleday Del

Publishers Text

2005 James Beard Award Nominee - Baking and Desserts

2005 IACP Award Finalist - Bread, Other Baking and Sweets Category

2005 IACP Award Finalist - Food Photography and Styling Category

In 1982, Fran Bigelow proudly opened the doors to Fran's Chocolates, a boutique storefront styled after European chocolate salons, where she could showcase the pure flavors of the exquisite confections she had spent years perfecting. Chocolate lovers in Seattle immediately beat a path to Madison Street to taste desserts as wonderful as anything in Paris or Belgium. Over the past two decades, Fran Bigelow has grown into a world-class chocolatier, operating two elegant shops that enjoy cult status in Seattle and beyond, by way of her mail-order and Internet business.


Now, in her debut cookbook, Fran reveals the magic behind her addictive creations: how she manipulates a few ingredients--butter, cream, eggs, sugar, salt, vanilla, and nuts--to create sublime textures and highlight pure flavors in her elegant modern desserts. The seventy-five recipes included here range from extravagant celebration cakes and holiday specialties (White Chocolate Torte or Souffléd Chocolate Mocha Roll); to European style fruit and nut tarts (Chocolate Cherry Tart or Milk Chocolate Crème Fraîche Tart), soufflés, cheesecakes (White Chocolate Brie Cheesecake, a Fran specialty), homemade ice creams (Dark Chocolate and Ginger Bombe), and extraordinary renditions of American classics, including brownies, chocolate cookies, the ultimate hot fudge sauce, and a chocolate milkshake that will instantly transport you back to childhood.


Fran also tells you everything you need to know about chocolate, from the different styles of chocolate-making employed in Europe, South America, and the U.S. (and how each result in different flavors), to deciphering labels (which ingredients enhance meltability, for example), and how the amount of cocoa in different brands and styles of chocolate influences the final taste of a dessert. You will learn how to taste a truffle--preferably in two bites--and the language of chocolate "signs," the squiggles atop candies. Recipes for some of Fran's award-winning confections are also included here: chocolate cherries and nut clusters; chocolate stuffed fruits; easy cocoa-dusted truffles; and more ambitious dipped truffles featuring liqueurs, coffee, vanilla, and other chocolate-friendly ingredients; and chocolate fondue, a perfect party dessert for children and adults alike.


Whether you are a cocoa connoisseur or devotee of the cacao bean with cravings that won't quit, Pure Chocolate is a must-have for any chocolate aficionado.

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