What do you think?
Rate this book
Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights (A Cookbook)
From the bestselling, James Beard Award–winning food writer and author of Gâteau comes a beautifully illustrated cookbook that celebrates the French love affair with chocolate, featuring over 100 elegant recipes.
In France, chocolate is more than a treat—it’s a daily essential, and in Paris, it’s nothing short of an obsession. At the legendary food market Épicerie Bon Marché, hundreds of square feet are dedicated to everything chocolate, from biscuits and bonbons to baking bars and luxurious tins of drinking chocolate.
At home, chocolate shines in creations like pâte à tartiner (homemade Nutella) and gâteau au chocolat, a rich, nearly flourless cake with a texture that dances between mousse and moist crumb. The recipe for this cake in Chocolat is the little black dress of simple yet irresistible. While desserts like profiteroles, éclairs, or bûches de Noël require some practice, many chocolate desserts are easy to make, thanks to chocolate’s minimal need for additional ingredients.
Alongside the user-friendly recipes are stunning illustrations by Parisian artist Cassandre Montoriol, providing a visual feast that enhances the rich flavors of the desserts described. Whether a dark chocolate mousse served whimsically in an ice cream cone or a lavender chocolate tart to delight your lunch guests, Chocolat celebrates simplicity and endless versatility—a must-have for your cookbook shelf, promising inspiration with every page.
In France, chocolate is more than a treat—it’s a daily essential, and in Paris, it’s nothing short of an obsession. At the legendary food market Épicerie Bon Marché, hundreds of square feet are dedicated to everything chocolate, from biscuits and bonbons to baking bars and luxurious tins of drinking chocolate.
At home, chocolate shines in creations like pâte à tartiner (homemade Nutella) and gâteau au chocolat, a rich, nearly flourless cake with a texture that dances between mousse and moist crumb. The recipe for this cake in Chocolat is the little black dress of simple yet irresistible. While desserts like profiteroles, éclairs, or bûches de Noël require some practice, many chocolate desserts are easy to make, thanks to chocolate’s minimal need for additional ingredients.
Alongside the user-friendly recipes are stunning illustrations by Parisian artist Cassandre Montoriol, providing a visual feast that enhances the rich flavors of the desserts described. Whether a dark chocolate mousse served whimsically in an ice cream cone or a lavender chocolate tart to delight your lunch guests, Chocolat celebrates simplicity and endless versatility—a must-have for your cookbook shelf, promising inspiration with every page.
- GenresCookbooksNonfictionFood
384 pages, Hardcover
Published October 14, 2025
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
June 16, 2025
There are no photos.
That's tough for me on two fronts.
First, the book features some desserts I've never heard of. I'd like to know what they're supposed to look like when I'm cooking - it helps me make sure I'm headed in the right direction.
Second, it's said that we eat with our eyes first. It's true. When you see a picture of a dessert that looks particularly luscious, you can't wait to taste it. You start to crave it before you even measure that first spoonful of sugar to start the recipe.
That being said, the book is certainly full of recipes that you'll want to try.
The style of writing is both easy to read and enticing. I especially loved the bits of history and culture strewn throughout.
I've tried the sable cookies and they were relatively easy to make with great results.
Looking forward to trying more, but I think with photos I'd be more inspired to bake NOW.
* ARC via publisher
That's tough for me on two fronts.
First, the book features some desserts I've never heard of. I'd like to know what they're supposed to look like when I'm cooking - it helps me make sure I'm headed in the right direction.
Second, it's said that we eat with our eyes first. It's true. When you see a picture of a dessert that looks particularly luscious, you can't wait to taste it. You start to crave it before you even measure that first spoonful of sugar to start the recipe.
That being said, the book is certainly full of recipes that you'll want to try.
The style of writing is both easy to read and enticing. I especially loved the bits of history and culture strewn throughout.
I've tried the sable cookies and they were relatively easy to make with great results.
Looking forward to trying more, but I think with photos I'd be more inspired to bake NOW.
* ARC via publisher
October 19, 2025
Thank you Scribner for sending me a free advance copy!
CHOCOLAT: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights by Aleksandra Crapanzano has more than 100 recipes featuring the all important ingredient, chocolate. Cakes, tarts, cookies, mousses, soufflé, hot chocolate, truffles, you name it, there’s a recipe for it. You can even make your own Nutella! Chocolate soup and a chocolate sandwich are two of the recipes on the top of my must make list.
High quality ingredients are key here and the cookbook is full of useful tips to really get the most out of these recipes. The book is more on the fancy and elegant side which makes it perfect if you enjoy throwing dinner parties as these recipes are bound to impress. Would have loved for the book to include color photos of some of the dishes but that’s just a tiny criticism.
Highly recommend picking it up if you are a foodie or chocolate connoisseur.
CHOCOLAT: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights by Aleksandra Crapanzano has more than 100 recipes featuring the all important ingredient, chocolate. Cakes, tarts, cookies, mousses, soufflé, hot chocolate, truffles, you name it, there’s a recipe for it. You can even make your own Nutella! Chocolate soup and a chocolate sandwich are two of the recipes on the top of my must make list.
High quality ingredients are key here and the cookbook is full of useful tips to really get the most out of these recipes. The book is more on the fancy and elegant side which makes it perfect if you enjoy throwing dinner parties as these recipes are bound to impress. Would have loved for the book to include color photos of some of the dishes but that’s just a tiny criticism.
Highly recommend picking it up if you are a foodie or chocolate connoisseur.
January 5, 2026
This is a fun cookbook! There aren't any photos but I didn't mind. There are drawings throughout which are awesome. The recipes seem relatively easy to follow and there is a ton of information presented in a digestable way. I'm excited to try the Chocolate Cornflake Clusters,Chocolate Meringue Cookies and Banana Cake With Milk Chocolate Glaze. I would recommend this! Special Thank You to Aleksandra Crapanzano, Scribner and Netgalley for allowing me to read a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 18, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of
Chocolat.
I love chocolate so I had to request this.
I learned a lot from Chocolat, especially how seriously France takes chocolate.
Iwas in Paris a few years ago but filled up on croissants and pastries, but surprisingly no chocolate.
I did take a trip to Brussels and bought chocolate there.
The recipes cover everything from cookies to cake, anything you can imagine in chocolate form you'll find here.
The instructions are straight forward and require good ingredients.
Don't skimp; you'll be able to taste it.
My biggest caveat and what made Chocolat so disappointing:
Where the heck are the photos?
A cookbook, much less one focused on all things chocolate, doesn't have PHOTOS?
We get only illustrations?
That's an abomination!
After all the hard work to write, organize, and prepare the recipes, we don't even get photos of the finished product?
People eat with their eyes and need photos to know what the dish will look like in the end.
I love chocolate so I had to request this.
I learned a lot from Chocolat, especially how seriously France takes chocolate.
Iwas in Paris a few years ago but filled up on croissants and pastries, but surprisingly no chocolate.
I did take a trip to Brussels and bought chocolate there.
The recipes cover everything from cookies to cake, anything you can imagine in chocolate form you'll find here.
The instructions are straight forward and require good ingredients.
Don't skimp; you'll be able to taste it.
My biggest caveat and what made Chocolat so disappointing:
Where the heck are the photos?
A cookbook, much less one focused on all things chocolate, doesn't have PHOTOS?
We get only illustrations?
That's an abomination!
After all the hard work to write, organize, and prepare the recipes, we don't even get photos of the finished product?
People eat with their eyes and need photos to know what the dish will look like in the end.
October 16, 2025
Aleksandra Crapanzano grew up partly in Paris, and even now she remembers the moments in her childhood where chocolate changed her forever. Now, as a food writer and cookbook author, she goes back to those memories to bring us over 100 recipes of chocolate desserts that came from the patisseries of Paris. Leaning heavily into the hearts and minds of some of the world’s greatest French chocolatiers, she has assembled a collection of chocolate desserts to delight and inspire, from longtime classics to contemporary interpretations.
After a fascinating history of chocolate as a sensual delight and bon to health through the centuries, she offers a cheat sheet on how to get the best results. Her thoughts: use the best chocolate you can afford (she tells her favorites) and reminds cooks that most of these recipes use very few other ingredients. You can experiment with flavors if you want (many recipes come with suggestions), but you can also just make the chocolate recipe without embellishments (besides a good Chantilly cream, of course) and savor the deep chocolate flavor.
Recipes include sables, Madeleines, and macarons. There are Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Alain Ducasse’s Brownies with Pecans, and Chocolate Meringue Cookies. There is a flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake as well as the Moist Chocolate Yogurt Cake that children are taught to bake in school. There are chocolate tarts, chocolate mousses, chocolate crepes, and chocolate flan. There is a traditional Chocolate Souffle and an inventive Speedy Charlotte Tiramisu.
There is an entire chapter on hot chocolates, which the French take very seriously, and another on the Buche de Noel, the rolled cake which is the traditional holiday dessert for many French families. There is a chapter on truffles and caramels, and a chapter on ganache and other sauces, glazes, drizzles, and dollops like raspberry coulis, caramel sauces, candied nuts, buttercream, whipped cream, and even homemade Nutella.
Crapanzano has a way with words and created images in my head of all these places in Europe and the gorgeous desserts. There are illustrations throughout the cookbook that show the desserts. But there are no photos. I would have loved to have seen all these desserts, like I had my face pressed up against a French patisserie or I was sitting in a Parisian restaurant craning my neck as servers bring out desserts and place them on nearby tables. But Crapanzano did such a beautiful job of describing the desserts that I was less upset about no photos than I would be with other cookbooks.
I love Chocolat. I love how many of the recipes use only a handful of ingredients, focusing on the flavor of the chocolate. I love how many of the recipes are traditional French desserts. And I can’t wait to try several of these out on friends and family. The cakes, the cookies, the mousses? I’m going to need a lot of chocolate, and that’s before we get hit with an especially cold winter, perfect for all those hot chocolate recipes. This is perfect for chocolate lovers, especially for those interested in the history and traditions of French chocolate and desserts. At least, it’s perfect for this chocolate lover.
Egalleys for Chocolat were provided by Scribner through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.
After a fascinating history of chocolate as a sensual delight and bon to health through the centuries, she offers a cheat sheet on how to get the best results. Her thoughts: use the best chocolate you can afford (she tells her favorites) and reminds cooks that most of these recipes use very few other ingredients. You can experiment with flavors if you want (many recipes come with suggestions), but you can also just make the chocolate recipe without embellishments (besides a good Chantilly cream, of course) and savor the deep chocolate flavor.
Recipes include sables, Madeleines, and macarons. There are Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Alain Ducasse’s Brownies with Pecans, and Chocolate Meringue Cookies. There is a flourless Chocolate Olive Oil Cake as well as the Moist Chocolate Yogurt Cake that children are taught to bake in school. There are chocolate tarts, chocolate mousses, chocolate crepes, and chocolate flan. There is a traditional Chocolate Souffle and an inventive Speedy Charlotte Tiramisu.
There is an entire chapter on hot chocolates, which the French take very seriously, and another on the Buche de Noel, the rolled cake which is the traditional holiday dessert for many French families. There is a chapter on truffles and caramels, and a chapter on ganache and other sauces, glazes, drizzles, and dollops like raspberry coulis, caramel sauces, candied nuts, buttercream, whipped cream, and even homemade Nutella.
Crapanzano has a way with words and created images in my head of all these places in Europe and the gorgeous desserts. There are illustrations throughout the cookbook that show the desserts. But there are no photos. I would have loved to have seen all these desserts, like I had my face pressed up against a French patisserie or I was sitting in a Parisian restaurant craning my neck as servers bring out desserts and place them on nearby tables. But Crapanzano did such a beautiful job of describing the desserts that I was less upset about no photos than I would be with other cookbooks.
I love Chocolat. I love how many of the recipes use only a handful of ingredients, focusing on the flavor of the chocolate. I love how many of the recipes are traditional French desserts. And I can’t wait to try several of these out on friends and family. The cakes, the cookies, the mousses? I’m going to need a lot of chocolate, and that’s before we get hit with an especially cold winter, perfect for all those hot chocolate recipes. This is perfect for chocolate lovers, especially for those interested in the history and traditions of French chocolate and desserts. At least, it’s perfect for this chocolate lover.
Egalleys for Chocolat were provided by Scribner through NetGalley, with many thanks, but the opinions are mine.
December 1, 2025
Both a love letter and an instructional tour-de-force on all things chocolate, especially French chocolate baking, this is a stunning cookbook for any baker who loves chocolate. I do think this is not a book for a very beginner unless you want to read the sensual and poetic writing about chocolate and then begin a path to mastering the volatile ingredient. The author’s Intro includes both an historical overview, especially French, and her lyrical love letter to eating chocolate and creating these edible wonders. She also includes a useful Primer and gives us her reasons for preferring certain brands and percentages. Her favorite is Valrhona and that 70% Guandja is most used by pastry chefs. I enjoyed reading her Critical Intel, Cheat Sheet with her standards on basic ingredients like eggs, butter, and flour. And her quite novel-like Prologue gives the reader a lovely segue into the recipes. The recipes are titled in French with English translations, and then lists complete ingredients, comprehensive and clear instructions, brief entertaining anecdotes that give us personal and origin stories, and Ideas: variations that can be substituted, etc. I was disappointed that there were no photos (I like to see the preferred result.) but occasional drawings that are beautifully painted works of art. She divides her chapters into Cookies, Cakes, Tarts, Mousse and More (like crepes, flan, sorbet, and souffles), Chic, Delicious & Playful which includes her paean to Hot Chocolate with multiple recipes and also includes the creation of truffles, caramel, and then an entire chapter on Bûches de Noël with the concluding chapter all about various Toppings like cream and ganache. My favorite part of the book is her list of Parisian Chocolateries with an accompanying water color map. The usual heartfelt acknowledgements and an Index complete the experience. Readalikes may be Brian Levy, Sarah Kieffer, and Michele Song.
June 16, 2025
The first thing that I noticed about this book is that there is not a single photo inside. There are a number of watercolor illustrations, more for ambience than to show a final look for any resultant bake. This is not necessarily a problem for me especially as the recipes provide adequate description, but I know there are some that will not bother with a cookbook without pictures of results and even techniques illustrated. Some may see it as targeting more advanced bakers because recipes expect the reader to know basic techniques and do not break them down granularly; and perhaps even for food "snobs" since the chocolates specified are brands like Valrhona, Bonnat, and Callebaut and a clear preference for "European" butter. I would agree that this is not a novice book, though some recipes are not particularly complex if you know the terminology, but I would also defend the specifications on the ingredients because, for example, most European butters have a higher fat to water ratio than American butters and the difference is noticeable in a butter-forward cookie or cake. The recipes themselves are reminiscent of authentic French patisserie or confiserie fare. Beyond the introduction, there is a section for cookies, cakes, tarts, mousses, "chic, delicious, and playful", hot chocolate, truffles and caramels, yule logs, and sauces-toppings-fillings. As the title suggests, all items are chocolate. This is a lovely book for chocolate lovers who are comfortable with baking basics and crave a French-inspired treat.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Scribner) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Scribner) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
Want to Read
October 3, 2025As heard on The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters (835: Fall Cookbooks with Aleksandra Crapanzano, Anna Ansari, and Cassie Yeung)
October 3, 2025 (originally aired)
https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dt...
This week, we’re celebrating new fall cookbooks that belong on your kitchen counter. First, Aleksandra Crapanzano, author of Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights, takes us from Marie Antoinette’s early “truffle” to the French art of baking at home. She leaves us with her Chocolate Ganache Tart with Raspberries. Then, Anna Ansari explores the delicious connections across cuisines in Silk Roads: A Flavor Odyssey, tracing flavors from Baku to Beijing and shares her recipe for Shivit Oshi (Khivan green noodles with beef stew). Finally, creator and Next Level Chef alum Cassie Yeung brings big, weeknight-friendly energy from Bad B*tch in the Kitch, including her 30-minute Beef & Broccoli.
Broadcast dates for this episode:
October 3, 2025 (originally aired)
Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.
https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/mgln.ai/e/5/dt...
June 16, 2025
Thank you Netgalley, Scribner, and Aleksandra Crapanzano for sending me this advanced review copy for free. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This book was amazing. It is full with a stunning amount of chocolate treats in every form you can imagine straight from France. I had to take breaks while flipping through the book, because my mouth wouldn't atop watering. It is divine in every way.
This book would be best for someone with moderate baking experience. While the directions were clear and easy to understand, a beginner might not have enough experience to tackle the more advanced techniques without more explanation. I really love the extra ideas at the end of some of the recipes for fun changes like adding different flavors, nuts, or fruits.
I think most of the ingredients and tools are going to be easy to find, or have good substitutions. I would highly recommend having a stand mixer to help cut down mixing by a ton for a lot of these recipes.
My biggest complaint is that there are NO photos. That is a huge pet peeve for me, because I have no idea what these desserts are supposed to look like when finished.
This book was amazing. It is full with a stunning amount of chocolate treats in every form you can imagine straight from France. I had to take breaks while flipping through the book, because my mouth wouldn't atop watering. It is divine in every way.
This book would be best for someone with moderate baking experience. While the directions were clear and easy to understand, a beginner might not have enough experience to tackle the more advanced techniques without more explanation. I really love the extra ideas at the end of some of the recipes for fun changes like adding different flavors, nuts, or fruits.
I think most of the ingredients and tools are going to be easy to find, or have good substitutions. I would highly recommend having a stand mixer to help cut down mixing by a ton for a lot of these recipes.
My biggest complaint is that there are NO photos. That is a huge pet peeve for me, because I have no idea what these desserts are supposed to look like when finished.
January 26, 2026
What a lovely tribute to chocolate! I fully believe that a piece of chocolate can be a balm for the soul, so I was very excited to dive into CHOCOLAT by Aleksandra Crapanzano. I was very satisfied by what I found.
Truly a love letter to chocolate and all things French, this cookbook is such an excellent guide for anyone wanting to bake with chocolate. It even has a really handy primer for the different types of chocolate that are available for making desserts. I am such a cookie fan, so I started off with the Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies and they were delightful. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.
While the illustrations are gorgeous, I would have liked to see more photos of the recipes. I'm a confident baker, but seeing a photo of what I am baking does help me a little bit to make sure I'm on the right track. I would have also liked to have had the pan needed for the cakes listed in the ingredients instead of only in the instructions. That being said, I appreciate that the recipes are presented in both metric and imperial measurements. It helps anyone who bakes by weight!
Truly a love letter to chocolate and all things French, this cookbook is such an excellent guide for anyone wanting to bake with chocolate. It even has a really handy primer for the different types of chocolate that are available for making desserts. I am such a cookie fan, so I started off with the Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies and they were delightful. It was everything I hoped it would be and more.
While the illustrations are gorgeous, I would have liked to see more photos of the recipes. I'm a confident baker, but seeing a photo of what I am baking does help me a little bit to make sure I'm on the right track. I would have also liked to have had the pan needed for the cakes listed in the ingredients instead of only in the instructions. That being said, I appreciate that the recipes are presented in both metric and imperial measurements. It helps anyone who bakes by weight!
June 16, 2025
It is exceedingly rare for me to rate a cookbook lacking photos very highly at all, usually it's a deal breaker for me. However, I read and thoroughly enjoyed Aleksandra Crapanzano's last book, "Gâteau: the Surprising Simplicity of French Cakes" and it was the same, no photos, but full of charming watercolor illustrations.
I read her books more for the wonderful descriptions of beloved French desserts - the illustrations are adorable. I'm less interested in reading it as a cookbook, it feels more like a lovely book about what makes these desserts so special.
As with her last cookbook, most recipes are mostly given in super precise measurements, except when small amounts are given in teaspoons and tablespoons. A bit funny, but it is designed to introduce American cooks to French recipes and in the US we tend to use the less precise tsp/Tbsp measurements. Even as a very-allergic-to-chocolate person, I just loved reading this book, it fills my France loving heart with so much joy!
Thank you Aleksandra Crapanzano, Scribner, and NetGalley for this ARC, it was truly wonderful.
I read her books more for the wonderful descriptions of beloved French desserts - the illustrations are adorable. I'm less interested in reading it as a cookbook, it feels more like a lovely book about what makes these desserts so special.
As with her last cookbook, most recipes are mostly given in super precise measurements, except when small amounts are given in teaspoons and tablespoons. A bit funny, but it is designed to introduce American cooks to French recipes and in the US we tend to use the less precise tsp/Tbsp measurements. Even as a very-allergic-to-chocolate person, I just loved reading this book, it fills my France loving heart with so much joy!
Thank you Aleksandra Crapanzano, Scribner, and NetGalley for this ARC, it was truly wonderful.
July 14, 2025
Chocolate is life. If you do not believe that, then Chocolat may be the book to convince you. Beautiful illustrations and helpful information on all facets of the buying, preparation and application of chocolate. Never again will you find me deliberating on 50% cacao vs 70% for a particular recipe - Crapanzano has clearly taught me what to choose and how I can work with it.
The recipes are clear and easy to follow. although some may require more skill than others. I still have not attempted a Bûches De Noël. There are so many ways in which you can work with chocolate, you may even be inspired to come up with a few of your own! My daughter is a fan of the homemade Nutella. I will defiantly be making the truffles to give as gifts this holiday season include a copy of the book with it. There truly is something for everyone.
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
The recipes are clear and easy to follow. although some may require more skill than others. I still have not attempted a Bûches De Noël. There are so many ways in which you can work with chocolate, you may even be inspired to come up with a few of your own! My daughter is a fan of the homemade Nutella. I will defiantly be making the truffles to give as gifts this holiday season include a copy of the book with it. There truly is something for everyone.
My thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
Read
August 11, 2025No surprises here: lots of chocolate and lots of winners. The recipes are clearly explained and yield consistently good results, even with some major substitutions (I used vegan butter instead of European butter and ground flaxseed in place of eggs).
I made the Chocolate and Pistachio Sand Cookies, Chocolate Cornflake Clusters, Alain Ducasse’s Brownies with Pecans, Brown Butter Blondies, and Hervé This’s Chocolate Mousse. They all turned out well.
The Kindle version of the cookbook is well-formatted, which is especially helpful with more than 100 recipes to navigate. I also appreciated the many suggested variations throughout.
Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
I made the Chocolate and Pistachio Sand Cookies, Chocolate Cornflake Clusters, Alain Ducasse’s Brownies with Pecans, Brown Butter Blondies, and Hervé This’s Chocolate Mousse. They all turned out well.
The Kindle version of the cookbook is well-formatted, which is especially helpful with more than 100 recipes to navigate. I also appreciated the many suggested variations throughout.
Thanks to Scribner and NetGalley for the advance reading copy.
October 13, 2025
This volume is simply gorgeous in every way. Aleksandra Crapanzo combines nostalgic storytelling and whimsy with technical expertise to create a lovely collection of tales and recipes. The illustrations accompanying the text are beautiful as well. Though some cooks might prefer photographs, I found the illustrations democratizing - there is no pressure to make my final dish look exactly like a professionally staged photo. Some of the author's language might come off a bit condescending, such as advice for home cooks to not attempt tempering chocolate, but her breadth and depth of knowledge as well as her obvious love for fine food makes these potential barbs fell well-intentioned.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this title.
October 21, 2025
We have so enjoyed making few chocolate deserts from Chocolat Parisian Desserts and Other Delights By Aleksandra Crapanzano. This amazing cookbook is filled with incredibly delicious recipes including detailed recipes for cookies, tarts, cakes, mousse, and truffles and caramels. The book includes an index, beautiful illustrations, and detailed information about chocolate. My son who has been creating from the book recommends it might work better for more advanced bakers and cooks.
This is a wonderful cookbook that will help you create delightful chocolat treats. It would be a wonderful gift for someone who loves to create or in interested in Parisian deserts. I highly recommend
All opinions are my own
This is a wonderful cookbook that will help you create delightful chocolat treats. It would be a wonderful gift for someone who loves to create or in interested in Parisian deserts. I highly recommend
All opinions are my own
September 5, 2025
Netgalley ARC- At first I thought this ran very close to Dorie Greenspan in terms of the choices of recipes, the stories that precede them and the ideas at the end of some of them for variations. However after a few the author seemed to find her own voice that was decidely not Dorie. Two things made it difficult to give it anymore that a three. This first was the font, not sure if that going to be the final one or not, but it was difficult to read. Second there are no pictures, just some hand drawn doodles. For a chocolate cookbook filled will delicious recipes we need photos of the creations. Especially for some of the more complicated one. I did enjoy the section on Hot Chocolate, but I could have done without the Bûche de Noël section.
October 23, 2025
Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights by Aleksandra Crapanzano is a beautifully written and elegant cookbook that captures the heart of French dessert culture. The recipes feel effortlessly chic yet approachable, with plenty of rich chocolate creations that make you want to head straight to the kitchen. Crapanzano’s writing and storytelling makes this a treat to read as much as to bake from. A must-have for anyone who loves French patisserie or simply wants to bring a touch of Paris into their home kitchen. The illustrations were charming, but I would have loved photos of the desserts as well. Thank you to NetGalley and Scribner for the advanced copy.
November 11, 2025
Chocolat: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights is a gorgeous, chocolate-filled trip to Paris without leaving your kitchen. Aleksandra Crapanzano’s recipes are rich, inviting, and sprinkled with fun stories that make you want to grab a whisk right away. I made the Chocolate Olive Oil Cake from the book, and it turned out absolutely delicious. The book is packed with classic French treats that somehow feel fancy but totally doable. I just wish there were photos to drool over instead of only illustrations. Still, it’s a sweet and inspiring read for anyone who loves baking or just really loves chocolate. Thanks to NetGalley and Scribner for this early release in exchange for my review.
June 16, 2025
This is a foodie cookbook of gourmet (but generally simple) French chocolate recipes of all kinds. There are generally no photos and there is no nutritional information, but there are lots of recipes for making all kinds of chocolate dishes with high end ingredients. Paragraphs above every recipe tell stories and give lots of additional information.
I read an ARC of this book via netgalley.
I read an ARC of this book via netgalley.
October 20, 2025
I can see why this author and the French have a love affair with chocolate. But then again, so many of us do. This book is absolutely wonderful and the recipes are phenomenal. I think I gained 10 pounds just reading it. And it was worth every page!
March 19, 2026
A love song to Chocolat, and how seriously the French take chocolat! Very pretty illustrations, a nice array of recipes that weren't too complicated, and fun stories sprinkled in.
Thank you Netgalley and Scribner for the ARC!
Thank you Netgalley and Scribner for the ARC!
June 18, 2025
Honestly, this one looks intense, but delicious. Parisian pastries are not my strong suit, but they are a real addiction.
November 1, 2025
Chocolat is a rich and indulgent cookbook that offers a delightful journey through the world of French chocolate desserts. From cookies and cakes to tarts, mousse, and more, it’s packed with recipes that will tempt any chocolate lover.
The book opens with a fascinating look at the history of chocolate in France, followed by a helpful primer on cooking with chocolate—perfect for both novices and experienced bakers. Many of the cookie recipes are creative takes on the classic sablé, while the cakes lean heavily toward loaf styles. One standout for me is the Tarte aux Noix et au Chocolat, a walnut tart generously drizzled with chocolate that instantly transported me back to the Dordogne region, where walnut desserts are legendary.
The recipe introductions are a pleasure to read, particularly the amusing aside about Saint-Émilion’s reputation for chocolate rivaling its wine. And in true holiday spirit, the book offers not one, but eight versions of Bûche de Noël—a festive and slightly overwhelming surprise!
The one letdown is the illustration style. While some recipes are accompanied by drawings, they’re in black and white and lack the charm and warmth of, say, Jacques Pépin’s colorful cookbook illustrations.
Despite that, Chocolat is a truly enjoyable addition to any dessert lover’s collection—both informative and mouthwatering.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at
www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
The book opens with a fascinating look at the history of chocolate in France, followed by a helpful primer on cooking with chocolate—perfect for both novices and experienced bakers. Many of the cookie recipes are creative takes on the classic sablé, while the cakes lean heavily toward loaf styles. One standout for me is the Tarte aux Noix et au Chocolat, a walnut tart generously drizzled with chocolate that instantly transported me back to the Dordogne region, where walnut desserts are legendary.
The recipe introductions are a pleasure to read, particularly the amusing aside about Saint-Émilion’s reputation for chocolate rivaling its wine. And in true holiday spirit, the book offers not one, but eight versions of Bûche de Noël—a festive and slightly overwhelming surprise!
The one letdown is the illustration style. While some recipes are accompanied by drawings, they’re in black and white and lack the charm and warmth of, say, Jacques Pépin’s colorful cookbook illustrations.
Despite that, Chocolat is a truly enjoyable addition to any dessert lover’s collection—both informative and mouthwatering.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at
www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews