CookBook Review,
With a BIG thanks to the lovely Jade and all the Girls at CookAWW on Twitter and Octopus Publishing Group, who recently sent me a copy of The Australian Women’s Weekly cookbook, Chocolate!
Available from:
Octopus Publishing Group
and
Amazon co uk
The overall look of the book is well laid out and with really lovely photos for all the recipes. It is of the same high standard that you would expect from Australian Woman’s Weekly ~ recipes are well written and concise and the glossary at the back of the book is extremely with Australian to English suggestions that might be needed for some recipes and some of the ingredients too. Any measurements that are made in Australian cups are converted into metric, which is also helpful for those of us in Europe.
There are five chapters covering all kinds of chocolate delights ~ Cakes; Biscuits & Slices; Pastries & Tarts; Desserts and ending with After Dinner Treats. Amongst these chapters you will be tempted with recipes such as Chocolate Chip Cake, Mississippi Mud Pie, Chocolate Cheesecakes, Brownies, Rich Chocolate Mousses and some amazingly elegant Chocolate Truffles. The recipes are for all types of chocolate ~ Dark Chocolate, Milk Chocolate and White Chocolate, giving you a really broad choice to suit any occasion.
There are some no-cook recipes that would be perfect for children in the kitchen and also some truly delicious looking tray-bake recipes that would be wonderful for packed lunches and maybe even a cake stall or charity coffee morning. The After Dinner Treats chapter also suggests some delicious chocolates to make as gifts and I have earmarked several recipes that I will be making for Christmas stocking fillers this year.
I was also impressed with the addition of low-fat and gluten-free recipes, which broadens the appeal of this book to an even wider audience. The level of cooking skills is varied, ranging from basic beginner to fairly experienced ~ however, with excellent instructions throughout the book any beginner would be able to attempt more challenging recipes very easily.
There is an impressive array of all sorts of chocolate treats in this book and if you have to buy a Chocolate book now or in the future, I would say that this book is the only one you will need on your bookshelf! This would also make a fabulous gift for anyone with an addiction for the dark stuff and baking with it!
It’s on my bookshelf to STAY and is HIGHLY recommended.
Speechless… and drooling.
LOL! You made me laugh Irma!
I'll think of these luscious bars the next time I get one of my chocolate cravings. I've made a version that doesn't look nearly as good as yours. I wonder if I can find this book in a local bookstore. Don't tell anyone but I would eat several of these for breakfast.
I think you will find the book very easily on Amazon.com Cathy! LOL! I find them very sweet and could only manage one at breakfast!!
Karen look fantastic! Love these bars!gloria
Wow, these must be seriously good judging by your photos. I will be making these myself and eating them ALL!
Karen, what are you doing to me? I so keep trying not to buy any more books and now you are telling me I absolutely have to have this one. Seeing these bars, I suspect you might be right 😉
Those Nanaimo bars look to die for! Your pictures made my mouth water. My life would be utterly meaningless without chocolate, so sounds like this cookbook is for me 😉 Thanks, Karen!
I grew up on Nanaimo bars…they are totally and utterly moorish! I've never had a marbled effect one though…we Canadians tend to stick to a thick layer of chocolate on top…but I love the way they've been jazzed up a bit. My mum also makes them with a dash of mint flavouring and green food colouring to the custard mix sometimes…yum yum….
We all eat nanaimo bars here:) Different versions.. yours look so good..
I applaud your energy:)
oooh my goodness. What a lovely recipe. Those australian cookbooks are superb, I have a batch of the aussie women's weekly ones and the Donna Hay ones. Your photos are superb!
Great review – sounds like a fantastic book and as those incredible bars came out of it then I think it sounds a winner!
Mary x
mmmmm yum!
My stepdaughter bought me for Christmas the Australian Women’s Weekly – Decorating Cakes. It is such a gorgeous book full of beautiful colour photos. Every time she sees it again she sighs and says how much she nearly kept it for herself! I think I’ll have to track down another copy to give to her next Christmas.
Yum…a whole book about chocolate…what’s not to love!!! I particularly like the look of that cover recipe! 🙂
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