Rating: 
Summary: Marcel is a Cool Dude!
Review: Altho I'm on a Low Carb Lifestyle, I admire Mr.D for the way he
presents his concoctions! I wonder how he can eat all these
desserts & not gain weight! I ALSO wanna know why we can't see
his PBS "Grilling Maestros"in Illinois. He is such a nice man!
They still show the old "Death By Choc."& "Burger Meister" on
Discovery Home & Leisure but those episodes are 10 yrs.old!
MORE MARCEL!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Marcel Desaulniers has done it again!
Review: CELEBRATE WITH CHOCOLATE is the latest addition to his collection of extraordinary, not-to-be-missed cookbooks for chocolate lovers everywhere. Is he a madman or a genius with chocolate? Probably both, but we don't care! 'Over the top' is the only way we want our chocolate! With recipes like Bob's Big-Ass Chocolate Brown Sugar and Bourbon Birthday Cake and Woozy Chocolate Brioche French Toast with Oozy Chocolate Maple Syrup, Marcel's characteristic sense of whimsy, detailed instructions, and decadent chocolate flavor shine through. This book is destined to become every chef's secret weapon when a spectacular Death by Chocolate finish is called for!--ANDREW DORNENBURG AND KAREN PAGE, James Beard Award-winning authors of BECOMING A CHEF, CULINARY ARTISTRY, DINING OUT and CHEF'S NIGHT OUT
Rating:
Summary: Marcel Desaulniers has done it again!
Review: CELEBRATE WITH CHOCOLATE is the latest addition to his collection of extraordinary, not-to-be-missed cookbooks for chocolate lovers everywhere. Is he a madman or a genius with chocolate? Probably both, but we don't care! 'Over the top' is the only way we want our chocolate! With recipes like Bob's Big-Ass Chocolate Brown Sugar and Bourbon Birthday Cake and Woozy Chocolate Brioche French Toast with Oozy Chocolate Maple Syrup, Marcel's characteristic sense of whimsy, detailed instructions, and decadent chocolate flavor shine through. This book is destined to become every chef's secret weapon when a spectacular Death by Chocolate finish is called for! --ANDREW DORNENBURG AND KAREN PAGE, James Beard Award-winning authors of BECOMING A CHEF, CULINARY ARTISTRY, DINING OUT and CHEF'S NIGHT OUT
Rating: 
Summary: Whimsical Desserts
Review: I use the word "whimsical" in the negative sense, as something amusing, unusual, or humorous that most people will not be interested in. So it is with Desaulnier's recent cookbook of "totally over-the-top recipes" (to be fair, though, they are not as outrageous as in some other books). In the end, I suggest that you steer clear of it. One can criticize this book on several grounds, but the most serious involve the recipe instructions. Almost all of them contain at least a few parts that are either incomplete or downright wrong. This is rather disappointing, as the author has a facility dubbed "Ganache Hill" that is devoted to testing recipes for his cookbooks. For example, his instructions for making an Italian meringue ("Honey, I'm on Cloud Nine" Icing) are too vague for this rather tricky procedure. The eggs for Schnappy Chocolate Cake did not whip properly. The cake layers for his version of Black Forest Cake should be soaked with syrup just before you assemble the cake, not just before you store it the refrigerator (they will get soggy and impossible to handle, I think). The author also states that the flour is "pre-sifted", yet he calls for the flour to be sifted after measurement; he also makes the mistake of not giving weight measurements for flour. One of the cookie recipes ends up as batter rather than a dough, and spread too much on the cookie sheet. Another objection involves his use of non-standard baking pans: you will need a bewildering array of them, and it is unlikely that you will have any of the; you will have to purchase them specially for a specific recipe. You will also need 2 ovens to bake off the three half-sheet pans (10 x 15) for "Chocolate Hazelnut Christmas Tree Stump"; all the batter must be baked off right away, and cannot be stored while you bake one or two sheet pans. You will also need a true jelly roll pan, and three 9-inch cake pans, rather than the usual two. You will also need some disposable gloves, as some recipes require you to manipulate doughs that are very sticky. Also note that a large stand mixer is required. There are no alternate instructions for either hand-held mixers or using a plain hand whisk. The times given for the mixer are also rather problematic, as he gives just an amount of time in minutes, which is fine if have the same mixer he has. There are insufficient indications in the recipes as to what to look for when executing a step using the mixer; "until soft" is not an adequate instruction. Another problem I encountered is that some of the recipes are either time consuming or difficult to execute properly, as many of them rely on expert decorative touches. There are no indications in the recipes to alert you to this. The unwary home baker can easily stumble into a recipe that is either beyond his/her scope or available time. On the plus side, there are a couple of recipes that are valuable to have. "She Ain't Heavy" Chocolate Cake is one of the richest and chocolate-laden I have tasted, and plan to keep as part of my repertoire of standard recipes (although it shrinks quite a bit when it cools). You will also find a recipe for a whole-egg butter sponge cake, also known as a genoise, flavored with chocolate: Old-World Cocoa Sponge Cake. While this is a standard professional recipe, it is also a valuable recipe for the home baker. There is also a rare recipe for homemade marshmallows; I found the flavor a little too intense compared to the one I usually use (the one in the old version the Joy of Cooking).
Rating:
Summary: Whimsical Desserts
Review: I use the word "whimsical" in the negative sense, as something amusing, unusual, or humorous that most people will not be interested in. So it is with Desaulnier's recent cookbook of "totally over-the-top recipes" (to be fair, though, they are not as outrageous as in some other books). In the end, I suggest that you steer clear of it. One can criticize this book on several grounds, but the most serious involve the recipe instructions. Almost all of them contain at least a few parts that are either incomplete or downright wrong. This is rather disappointing, as the author has a facility dubbed "Ganache Hill" that is devoted to testing recipes for his cookbooks. For example, his instructions for making an Italian meringue ("Honey, I'm on Cloud Nine" Icing) are too vague for this rather tricky procedure. The eggs for Schnappy Chocolate Cake did not whip properly. The cake layers for his version of Black Forest Cake should be soaked with syrup just before you assemble the cake, not just before you store it the refrigerator (they will get soggy and impossible to handle, I think). The author also states that the flour is "pre-sifted", yet he calls for the flour to be sifted after measurement; he also makes the mistake of not giving weight measurements for flour. One of the cookie recipes ends up as batter rather than a dough, and spread too much on the cookie sheet. Another objection involves his use of non-standard baking pans: you will need a bewildering array of them, and it is unlikely that you will have any of the; you will have to purchase them specially for a specific recipe. You will also need 2 ovens to bake off the three half-sheet pans (10 x 15) for "Chocolate Hazelnut Christmas Tree Stump"; all the batter must be baked off right away, and cannot be stored while you bake one or two sheet pans. You will also need a true jelly roll pan, and three 9-inch cake pans, rather than the usual two. You will also need some disposable gloves, as some recipes require you to manipulate doughs that are very sticky. Also note that a large stand mixer is required. There are no alternate instructions for either hand-held mixers or using a plain hand whisk. The times given for the mixer are also rather problematic, as he gives just an amount of time in minutes, which is fine if have the same mixer he has. There are insufficient indications in the recipes as to what to look for when executing a step using the mixer; "until soft" is not an adequate instruction. Another problem I encountered is that some of the recipes are either time consuming or difficult to execute properly, as many of them rely on expert decorative touches. There are no indications in the recipes to alert you to this. The unwary home baker can easily stumble into a recipe that is either beyond his/her scope or available time. On the plus side, there are a couple of recipes that are valuable to have. "She Ain't Heavy" Chocolate Cake is one of the richest and chocolate-laden I have tasted, and plan to keep as part of my repertoire of standard recipes (although it shrinks quite a bit when it cools). You will also find a recipe for a whole-egg butter sponge cake, also known as a genoise, flavored with chocolate: Old-World Cocoa Sponge Cake. While this is a standard professional recipe, it is also a valuable recipe for the home baker. There is also a rare recipe for homemade marshmallows; I found the flavor a little too intense compared to the one I usually use (the one in the old version the Joy of Cooking).
Rating:
Summary: Five-star cake
Review: I was so excited to see another of Marcel's books come out that I quickly bought it. It's one of those books that you can hardly wait to get into the kitchen and start baking. I just had to try the Pretty in Pink cake, but I discovered that you needed three 6 x 2 cake pans. So I went out and found them at Sur La Table. Then I discovered I needed Wilderberry Schnapps. I finally found that at a large wine store in the area. (It is not at your local grocery.) Everything else I had and was ready to go. Needless to say, even though it took a while for me to gather all these things, it was worth the effort. I followed the instructions exactly, and I tried a piece after waiting the hour it needs in the fridge. It was okay. The next day, I tried another piece, and WOW! It tasted like a cake you would get in an expensive restaurant from a good pastry chef. Letting the cake sit in the fridge overnight gave the cake just the right texture and the frosting looked beautiful and was delicious. I took some to my co-workers and they thought it was restaurant quality, also. If you have a special event or just want to make a fabulous cake that will impress everybody, this is the cake for you. I am just a home cook, no special training, with just a GE electric oven, but I was able to do it and get great results. I was so excited to taste such a masterpiece. I couldn't even get around to putting the strawberries on it, because it didn't last that long. Also, Marcel's instructions are like he's in the kitchen with you. I am looking forward to trying other recipes, but if I don't right away, that's okay, because this recipe alone was worth the price of the book. Way to go, Marcel. Magnifique!!
Rating:
Summary: Marcel does it again...
Review: I'm a sucker for Marcel Desaulniers' cookbooks. Around the holidays I was in a bookstore and saw "Celebrate with Chocolate" (and oh dear, I was having a chocolate craving at the time)--I just had to bring it home. We immediately used a recipe out of it for my birthday cake (err, cakes--it produced a bunch of little cakes that look just like dominoes), and it was as superb as every other Marcel recipe I've ever had! Those little cakes were so densely fudgy that we ended up splitting them and topping them with ice cream so as to avoid falling over dead of a chocolate overdose. Sadly this cookbook lacks the gorgeous photos you'll find throughout Marcel's death by chocolate series. Normally I don't really care one way or the other, but he's so darn artistic with his food that the photos really bring something extra to his cookbooks. At least there is a small section of photos in the middle so you aren't entirely deprived. These are incredibly rich recipes, as evidenced by this note from the ingredients chapter: "My admiration and love for butter has never wavered." Like Marcel's other recipes, these come in pieces. That is to say, instead of having one continuous recipe, a recipe is put together in stages and then assembled. Take Rolf's Old-World Black Forest Cake, for example. It includes a vanilla sugar cookie base, an old-world cocoa sponge cake, glazed cherries, "just a hint of chocolate" buttercream frosting, whipped cream, and chocolate curls. This makes it very easy to mix-and-match recipe components. As usual Marcel's recipes are long, but again this is because he details every step, ensuring a wonderful result. You don't need to be an expert in the kitchen to make his recipes, but you *do* need to be willing to spend real time and effort on a dish--these are show-stoppers, not simple fare. If that isn't enough to convince you, here are a few recipe titles to get your mouth watering: Cocoa cinnamon chocolate chip shortcakes. White chocolate pumpkin cheesecakes with blackberry pixilation. Slammin' citrus squares with white chocolate-lemon balm icing. Champagne fritters with chocolate grape surprise and sparkling cream. Caramel orange-chocolate orange masquerade ice cream terrine...
Rating:
Summary: Marcel does it again...
Review: I'm a sucker for Marcel Desaulniers' cookbooks. Around the holidays I was in a bookstore and saw "Celebrate with Chocolate" (and oh dear, I was having a chocolate craving at the time)--I just had to bring it home. We immediately used a recipe out of it for my birthday cake (err, cakes--it produced a bunch of little cakes that look just like dominoes), and it was as superb as every other Marcel recipe I've ever had! Those little cakes were so densely fudgy that we ended up splitting them and topping them with ice cream so as to avoid falling over dead of a chocolate overdose. Sadly this cookbook lacks the gorgeous photos you'll find throughout Marcel's death by chocolate series. Normally I don't really care one way or the other, but he's so darn artistic with his food that the photos really bring something extra to his cookbooks. At least there is a small section of photos in the middle so you aren't entirely deprived. These are incredibly rich recipes, as evidenced by this note from the ingredients chapter: "My admiration and love for butter has never wavered." Like Marcel's other recipes, these come in pieces. That is to say, instead of having one continuous recipe, a recipe is put together in stages and then assembled. Take Rolf's Old-World Black Forest Cake, for example. It includes a vanilla sugar cookie base, an old-world cocoa sponge cake, glazed cherries, "just a hint of chocolate" buttercream frosting, whipped cream, and chocolate curls. This makes it very easy to mix-and-match recipe components. As usual Marcel's recipes are long, but again this is because he details every step, ensuring a wonderful result. You don't need to be an expert in the kitchen to make his recipes, but you *do* need to be willing to spend real time and effort on a dish--these are show-stoppers, not simple fare. If that isn't enough to convince you, here are a few recipe titles to get your mouth watering: Cocoa cinnamon chocolate chip shortcakes. White chocolate pumpkin cheesecakes with blackberry pixilation. Slammin' citrus squares with white chocolate-lemon balm icing. Champagne fritters with chocolate grape surprise and sparkling cream. Caramel orange-chocolate orange masquerade ice cream terrine...
Rating:
Summary: The Guru of Gnache is At It Again!
Review: Just when you thought it was safe, having experienced the Death By Chocolate and Decadent Desserts with Chocolate, the consummate chocoahlic main man, Marcel Desaulniers does it again, with this celebratory effort with chocolate! It has his accustomed "user friendly" features of helpful primer on ingredients and equipment and techniques and sources, and my favorite: "The Chef's Touch" where he comments on substitutes, background, source help,etc. But the same expected super-creative, super chocolate recipes are over the top in this one! There's cakes and cookies and frozen concoctions, and more! What can one say about this variety of tempting over the top desserts such as: Champagne Fritters with Chocolate Grape Surprise and Sparkling Cream; Chocolate-Chunk Pineapple Rummies; White Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecakes with Blackberry Pixilation; Dancing Gingerbread Men Peppermint Fudge Cake; Chocolate Cookie Crumble Spiked Berry Ice Cream Cake; Chocolate "Just the Two of Us" Birthday Cake; Chocolate Hazelnut Christmas Tree Stump. With this one joining his other outstanding cookbooks, any home chef is loaded with great ammunition and idea starters for terrific dining! His testing out of the recipes on home equipment and ingredients insures in this reviewers experience that we can duplicate his magnificent creations.
Rating:
Summary: What could be better...
Review: The book includes very good recipes and mostly the photos are gorgeous.
But there are a few things that would make it a much easier-to-use book:
First big problem is having to convert ALL measures into metric system. It's simply a pain!
Than I would prefer to have a photo for each recipe and the photo standing next to it - not having to go back and forth in the book.
Also I find it easier to follow recipes when each step is visually apart from the previous and next one - in this book it is easy to get lost in the text.
| 
