Passionate Prose

Chocolate passion is a widespread emotional state. It’s also the title of a book that spurs on chocoholism with sumptuous, to-die-for desserts. And what could be better for Valentine’s Day?

The authors of “Chocolate Passion” (John Wiley; $39.95) are Tish Boyle and Timothy Moriarty, the food editor and features editor respectively of Chocolatier magazine. Certain recipes require the patience and skill of a pastry chef, but it’s possible to break some down into components that are feasible for everyday cooks. One could, for example, extract the recipe for a cocoa-flavored pound cake from an elaborate concoction of cake layered with chocolate ganache, wrapped with filo dough and served with fruit compote and whipped cream. Even if you never use a recipe, though, you can savor chocolate heaven simply by paging through this handsome book.