The Art of the Chocolatier
By Ewald Notter
I'm not sure why I continue to buy books about chocolate. Since I stopped being a pastry chef many years ago, I've only made the simplest varieties of chocolates, such as buttercrunch and truffles. I no longer make the more complicated types, such as liquor-filled chocolates, which require moulds, cornstarch, sugar solutions cooked to a precise density, and days of waiting. Yet chocolate continues to fascinate me, partly because it's one of the most technically difficult and frustrating of the pastry arts.
When I found Ewald Notter's The Art of the Chocolatier: From Classic Confections to Sensational Showpieces in a local bookstore, I snapped it up after only a cursory glance. I knew of Notter by reputation and even attended some of his pastry demonstrations when I worked in New York. The Swiss pastry chef is considered a master at chocolate showpieces.
The book's size and gorgeous fullpage photographs give the impression this is a coffee table book. However, it is meant to be used - maybe not by the novice, but by those with at least a little experience in a pastry kitchen. He explains how chocolate is made, the tempering process (which gives top-quality chocolate its distinctive gloss and 'snap') and how to make fillings. And, for the very patient and experienced, he gives instructions on difficult showpieces - not just of chocolate but also pulled sugar and pastillage.