Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label chocolate. Show all posts

Book Review: Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes: From Simple, Family Treats to Delicious Cakes & Desserts: Official Cookbook by Grégory Cohen

Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes: From Simple, Family Treats to Delicious Cakes & Desserts: Official Cookbook by Grégory Cohen is the Official Nutella® Cookbook.  The  hazelnut cocoa spread that is a staple of the breakfasts and snacks for some is taken to a new level here by Chef Grégory Cohen in 60 recipes. Discover a delicious array of cakes, pastries and desserts made with the classic store cupboard ingredient. Bakes include Nutella® mixed berry muffins, babka and orange cake, alongside delights such as Tarte Tatin, vanilla & praline éclairs and Yule log. With techniques and recipes to suit every level of expertise, this book will appeal to everyone with a shared love of the World-famous spread.
Nutella: 60 Classic Recipes gives readers exactly what the title promises. The recipes vary from things that I would be perfectly comfortable whipping up this weekend, some that I might pull out for my annual holiday treat trays, some I might pull out for special occasions, and some that I find a little to fussy and fancy for my kitchen. All that washes out to, there is something here for every fan of this ingredient. I found the instructions and information to be well organized and written, with photographs that were a great match. I like that imperial and metric measurement where included, so bakers of either preference can jump in without doing additional calculations. I do think that the recipes are geared a bit towards more experienced bakers, as some of the recipes could be challenging and more than a little intimidating to real beginners. However, I think some of these recipes might be doable for more novice bakers, but as someone that has spent a good amount of time baking some of these recipes are well beyond my comfort zone. 

Book Review: Chocolate a la Murder (A Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum Mystery) by Kirsten Weiss

Chocolate a la Murder is the fourth book in the Perfectly Proper Paranormal Museum series by Kirsten Weiss. I highly recommend reading the books in order to fully understand the characters and their relationships.

It’s Wine and Chocolate Days in San Benedetto, and paranormal museum owner Maddie Kosloski has sweet dreams about her new Magic of Chocolate exhibit. Her latest attraction is a haunted Mexican whisk called a molinillo that rattles if someone lies. When Maddie visits the town’s new boutique chocolate shop, she finds one of the owners dead and covered in melted cocoa. Maddie’s determined to catch the killer, and she soon uncovers deadly dealings in the world of artisan chocolate. But the deception surrounding those dealings are enough to make the molinillo rattle all night. Will Maddie have to temper her passion for sleuthing before a killer makes her fate bittersweet?

Chocolate a la Murder is a fun read, with plenty of twists and turns to keep readers on their toes. I could completely relate to Maddie's love of chocolate, and how quickly that could fade after finding her latest dead body. I think the mystery was very well designed and executed- and while I have some suspicions along the way, I had not guessed the full picture until it was revealed. I loved Maddie's curiosity, as always, and could sympathize with her curiosity being at war with not wanting to hurt or lie to the people around her. AS always, the character growth of Maddie and the development of the relationships and characters around her keep the series fresh and realistic. I also found the secondary mystery of the molinillo and the little hints of the paranormal keep readers engaged and guessing about what could happen next. I look forward to seeing just what that is myself. 

Chocolate a la Murder is a entertaining and engaging read, and I think I will continue on with this series as long as I can.