Aleksandra Crapanzano joins the latest episode of Ruthie’s Table 4 podcast to discuss Parisian chocolate desserts and the thinking behind her new cookbook.
The award-winning cookbook author and food writer talks through her new book Chocolate: Parisian Desserts and Other Delights, which celebrates home baking, chocolate culture and the chocolatiers of Paris, alongside hand drawn chocolate maps of the city.
During the conversation, Aleksandra reads a recipe from the book for her simple chocolate silk, also known as crèmeux au chocolat, describing it as an easy and adaptable dessert that can be finished with toppings such as fruit, nuts or ginger.
She also explains why the book features illustrations instead of photographs, saying the decision was intended to make the recipes feel more achievable for readers and remove the sense of performance that often comes with baking desserts at home.
The episode also covers the scale of recipe development behind the book, with Aleksandra describing how she tested around 200 chocolate desserts over an 18-month period while refining the collection.
Alongside the baking process, Aleksandra reflects on her early connection with Paris after moving there at the age of ten, recalling how she explored the city with her dog and discovered food culture through conversations at shop counters and the rhythm of seasonal produce, including the brief appearance of wild strawberries.
