When Pierre Hermé calls a recipe “Nutella tart” you can assume it’s a little bit more involved than just scooping Nutella out of a jar and into a tart crust.  His version consists of a layer of Nutella topped with a chocolate ganache and toasted hazelnuts in a rich tart shell. The tart is then [...]

Back in 2006 I was partner in an avant-garde dessert bar called “Room 4 Dessert” in New York. It was a molecular think-tank for people with a sweet tooth and while things didn’t always run smoothly it was a very interesting experience for all of us involved. We didn’t have what it took to turn [...]

I can’t think of a name for this dessert so I need you to imagine a finely broken-up caramelized gaufrette fan wafer sandwiched between a luscious gianduja mousse, a chocolate brownie and cocoa powder. Does it sound delicious enough? Feuilletine are flakes of Brittany lace crepes that are commonly used is chocolate and hazelnut desserts in [...]

Welcome to my post-apocalyptic version of a chocolate dessert. So dramatic. The one that ends it all. Kulfi is an Indian ice cream that’s not quite as romantic as gelato but has its own charms, including a slightly chewy texture and a creamy taste. This Gianduja version is as close to a Nutella frozen treat [...]

I spotted this recipe by Francois Payard a while back in a cookbook and what immediately drew my attention to it is the nougatine part. A nougatine is a confection similar to praline made from a light caramel mixed with crushed almonds or hazelnuts, it’s poured onto a baking sheet and when the mixture cools [...]