Pana Chocolate, The Recipes: Raw. Organic. Handmade. Vegan.

Here is a very beautiful baking book but with some serious problems. Who was it written for? Only the most sophisticated, most experienced bakers will be able to use Pana Chocolate, The Recipes, and most of the recipes are in the professional pastry chef’s arena. Just looking at the professional photos will discourage any home baker—they are the kind of desserts for which we pay premium prices at a boutique bakery. Author Pana Barbounis owns the Australian company Pana Chocolate and, since 2012, has marketed his products domestically and online to European buyers. He uses exclusively organic, unprocessed ingredients. Instead of processed sugar, his sweeteners are maple syrup, agave, and coconut nectars; for salt, only pink Himalayan salt. An additional problem with this baking book that it feels very much like self-promotion of the company’s products. Most recipes use Pana Chocolate Raw Cocoa that you buy online for a high price. A further problem for American bakers is the use of Australian measurements. U.S. measurements are also given in ounces and cups, but beware, the Australians’ cup is twenty tablespoons, ours is sixteen. To use this book, you need sophisticated kitchen equipment and a calculator for conversions.