Building Blocks

This chapter is dedicated to the preparations that form the foundations of my cakes and desserts. All inject colour and texture and all have been specifically developed for a particular dish. That doesn’t mean they are exclusive to that dish, though – they can all be enjoyed on their own or matched to your own creations.

The secret of my cooking is to have many small and manageable recipes and combine them to create something spectacular. If the dishes in this book seem daunting, then try just one or two of the components at a time and store them to use later in attempting a complete dish.