Just desserts – an evening with William Curley

With that title I hope all of us who attended William Curley’s excellent Chocolate Dessert Evening deserved the fantastic, if prototype, desserts William cooked up in front of our eyes tonight.

Using only Amedei chocolate, William made up three new recipes intended for the "Dessert Bar" that will feature in his new Mayfair shop, currently being refurbished and converted from the old Chocolate Society shop in Shepherd Market.

We started off with an infused chilled chocolate drink while William prepared a baked Chuao tart.

While this baked we were treated to a chocolate pastry with apple and salt caramel ice cream, which despite our best attempts to resist, most of us finished.

By then the tarts were baked, so next came the chocolate Chuao tart, served with fresh raspberries and sauce and vanilla ice cream, making a great contrast with the still warm tart.

Meanwhile, there was plenty of chocolate related banter going on, with William making us feel at home in his kitchen and contributions from the likes of  Henrietta Green, also in attendance.

Just when it seemed the evening couldn’t get any better, along came a heavenly chocolate souffle, this time served with orange slices and quite amazing green tea ice cream.

All in all an excellent evening and a great insight into the creative process of a top patissier. By the time the new shop opens, these will be even more refined and the presentation polished.

If you can’t get yourself on one of William’s events this week, then make sure you visit the new Mayfair shop when it opens in early November. Just don’t try to eat three desserts in one sitting, it’s not easy!