Product Description
This gift cookbook is a collection of favorite delights from world-renowned New Orleans restaurants and chefs. The 45 recipes compiled include examples of signature New Orleans dishes invented or raised to their highest level in this city. Legends, lore, and musings accompany each recipe, topped off with delicious photographs.

Selections include bread pudding from Bon Ton Café, bananas Foster from Brennan's, cherries jubilee from Broussard's, sweet potato pie from Dooky Chase, crème caramel from Galatoire's, pecan pie from Camelia Grill, crème brulée from Arnaud's, turtle cookies from the once-ubiquitous McKenzie's bakeries, pralines from the Poor Clares, and banana cream pie from Emeril's. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Errors make me cautious of other recipes.
The pictures are beautiful, and upon first glance, it looks like a really wonderful cookbook. I went to make the Doberge cake, and as others have stated, the recipe does not include sugar or salt in the ingredients, but obviously it calls for them in the recipe. That such a glaring error could be made, makes me very suspicious of the other recipes. Also, I really hate the layout of the ingredients--they aren't listed in the order you use them in and they just seem like a random jumble before you get to the recipe. Also, I just don't like the way she writes. I like recipes that give an intro and any background material or even have side notes, but make the instructions for the recipe actual instructions, not dialog. It reads more like a blog entry, and for me just not up to snuff for a cookbook. Whoever the editor was for this book, shame, shame, shame on you!

Beautiful book, but another error found
I received this cookbook as a gift from my cousin who lives in New Orleans. After admiring it for weeks I decided to make the Strawberry Shortcake on page 30. Fortunately I did not add all the half and half at once. The recipe calls for two pints, but it should be two cups. With all these errors I would hope the publisher would issue some corrections and recall the book and replace the ones that contain the defective recipes. Besides the obvious frustration over the errors, these can be very costly mistakes when you have to throw out the entire recipe. With that said I cannot give the book a high number of stars because I am hesitant to trust any of the recipes.

Sweet, sweet New Orleans
What a remarkable collection of local favorites and the kind of desserts visitors to New Orleans never forget. Whenever I get a hankering to return to New Orleans, I open my copy and drool over the spectacular photographs. The bread pudding recipes are right on, love the Cafe Brulot Pudding Cake and can't get enough of the Pecan Pie. I've given it as gifts for almost every occasion and it never fails to receive applause. That New Orleans chefs would offer their recipes to the world is just another indication of their warmth and generosity.

The behind-the-scenes side stories and history behind the city and the desserts make me long to return. It is as much a book to read with relish and delight as it is a cookbook.

Delicious Memories
New Orleans is one of my favorite cities and the restaurants are remarkable. This book brought back so many good times in good places that I almost cried. The stories that accompany the recipes bring me back every time. I've made most of the desserts in the book and each have been outstanding recreations of the desserts I've enjoyed in the restaurants. Best of all was Cafe Brulot Pudding Cake, and then perhaps the Bread Pudding, or maybe it was the Bananas Foster. The photographs send me straight to the kitchen in a frenzy.

Absolutely Amazing!
What an amazing dessert book! The recipes are well-written and easy to follow.The photography is stunning.Really brings out my sweet-tooth and makes me want to start cooking right away.Chef Robert Barker's Cafe Brulot Pudding Cake will knock your socks off!This dessert book is a must have, and given its reasonable price, is perfect for gift giving. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

To Soon To Tell!
Cook book looks good with interesting recipes, however I have not had it long enough to actually review it (which Amazon has asked me to do at this time). ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The simple version of "Classic Home Desserts"
This 84 page book has was published as part of the "Great American Cooking Schools" series and is a precursor to Sax's magnum opus, "Classic Home Desserts"With many fewer recipes, this book can be easier to use.The recipes are great!No pictures of the food but nice country illustrations.I especially like the fruit recipes - grunts, cobblers, pandowdies, clafoutis and more. ... Read more

Product Description
This delightful cookbook from the author of Luscious Lemon Desserts and Luscious Chocolate Desserts is for anyone who has ever snuck just the plumpest, ripest strawberry straight from the basket; believed raspberries should have their own special food group; and never met a blueberry they didn't like. Each recipe is bursting with ideas for buying and trying every wonderful variety, be it sticky-sweet heart-shaped strawberries, deep purple boysenberries, or juicy ripe blackberries. Whether it's creamy layers of brightly colored raspberry curd that transform a classic lemon cake into a visual masterpiece almost too gorgeous to eat (almost), a simple spoonful of cool and custardy blueberry pudding (with the added bonus of those healthy antioxidants), or a traditional and irresistible strawberry shortcake topped with a scoop of strawberry-orange sorbet, this is the ultimate ode to the berry. Tips, tricks, and other techniques of the trade, such as pureeing berries and cutting out biscuits, ensure that the pound cake, tart, sauce, or ice cream comes out perfectly every time. For desserts at the berry top of their game, look no further than Luscious Berry Desserts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

BerryLuscious!
I love the anticipation of berry season in Arkansas.As I flip through the pages of cook books and magazines for ideas, Luscious Berry is like visiting an old friend.The book automatically opens Double-Crust Blueberry pie I can't count the number of times I have made it the pages are stained with berry juice and sugar.I do admit I have used store bought crust more times than not, in an effort to whip up something in a pinch, but making your own crust definitely makes it that much more delicious.I'm such a fan of Lori's work, because she is passionate about developingconsistent recipes that highlight quality ingredients, that are easily executed by the experienced home cooks.

Great book
I bought this book along with Luscious Lemon Desserts and couldn't be happier. Both have a nice range of ideas, and those ideas don't tend to call for exotic ingredients. Everything I've made so far has come out perfect.

Berry Berry Good
Luscious Berry Desserts, as the title suggests, is full of tempting berry desserts. Most of the desserts feature strawberries, raspberries, or blueberries. A few feature blackberries or other more unusual berries, that even I have not heard of before this book.

There is a rather lenghthy introduction that goes over different types of berries and other ingredients, tips on how to buy, store, and use berries in cooking, as well as equipment information and tips for other cooking methods used.

The rest of the book is devoted to recipes, most with photos. The recipes are divided into seven chapters.

In the first chapter, Cakes, there are only four recipes. Three of them are quite innovative, including a rosemary, rose, and blackberry cake.

In the second chapter, Pies, Tarts, and A Cheesecake, there are seven recipes, four for tarts, two for pies, and as the title suggests, one for a cheesecake. These recipes are more traditional then the ones from the Cakes chapter, but just as yummy. Included are a innovative raspberry truffle tart and a more classical blueberry pie.

Despite their being only four cake recipes, Ms. Longbothom has managed to devote an entire chapter to Shortcakes with eight recipes. Recipes include such temptations as hazelnut shortcake with caramel berries, which is photographed on the cover, blueberry ginger shortcake, and strawberry and basil shortcakes.

The next chapter, entitled; A Crisp, Flummery, Cobbler, Grunt, Buckle, and Betty, has six recipes, once of each mentioned dish, including a strawberry-hazelnut crisp.

The next chapter, which is one of my favorites, is Puddings and a Souffle. Nine recipes are included and include recipes such as English summer pudding and strawberry creme fraiche panna cotta.

There is then Frozen Berry Desserts, which features five recepies, including two for ice cream, and a recipe for a blackberry and raspberry semifreddo.

The final chapter is Sauces, Toppings, Creams and a Truffle. There are ninteen recipes for sauces, whipped creams, and other recipes neeeded throughout the book.

The only reason I gave this book four stars is due to its size, which makes it difficult to use, and on a lesser scale,the script font used for each recipe name, which is difficult to read. Otherwise this is a fantastic cookbook.

Umm Umm Good!
This book covers a wide variety of recipes using berries.The directions are simple and easy to follow and the three recipes I've tried so far all turned out very well.Whether you want to make berry ice cream, sauce or a crisp, you'll find what you want here.

A great gift
I've given all Lori Longbotham's Luscious books to my sister in North Carolina, who really likes to bake (and she's mad about lemons, so that's how our tradition got started).She made the blueberry cheescake first, and her whole family loves it. The berry title really appealed to me too because I love fruit, and berries seem to be the only kind of fruit I can really depend on anymore to be consistently tasty. I was glad to see this book includes recipes for frozen berries, too, which I have found to be quite good, easy to come by, and inexpensive.I tried the Strawberry crumble first, which uses fresh strawberries and hazelnuts--it was so easy to make and so good.Anybody, of any age, would love it.Next time I'm going to try adding the crystallized ginger Lori suggests. That's a great idea.The book is full of great ideas.(The banana whipped cream IS great on fresh strawberries.) This Luscious Berries book and the Luscious Chocolate book pair very well--MY two favorite dessert choices. ... Read more

Product Description
The possibilities of chocolate as an ingredient are endless. Not just for dessert, it can be used to season meat and poultry, as well as sweetened and served in decadent cakes, sweet confectionaries, creamy ice cream, or hot and cold drinks. It can be melted, baked, whipped, and frothed, and it can be combined with a variety of other ingredients to create a multitude of different tastes. COOKING WITH CHOCOLATE offers more than seventy recipes for mouthwatering entrees, desserts, and drinks featuring chocolate. Easy step-by-step instructions and enticing photographs throughout add to the joy of cooking with one of the most versatile and beloved foods in the world.

Make delicious dishes including:
• Steak in Chili and Chocolate Sauce
• Roast Pork Ribs in Chocolate Rum Sauce
• Banana Chocolate Cake
• Chocolate Rugelach
• Chocolate Creme Brulee
• Coconut Chocolate Milkshake
• Cioccolata (Italian Hot Chocolate)
• Bittersweet Chocolate and Espresso Truffles

This cookbook is a chocolate-lover's dream come true. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Cooking with Chocolate..
I only received this cook book shortly before Christmas so my review is brief..but I was able to try some of the recipes and they came out very good..
also I would like to mention that as I use pure organic chocolate [cacao] you cannot believe how wonderful all the chocolate recipes taste in general..
I just wanted some additional chocolate cook books so that I could expand..
[ and the chocolate powder replaces cocoa powder]
Give the organic pure chocolate powder a try. .
I order from Amazon... and it lasts for the longest time.. ..
you will never want to use cocoa powder again..
[ I also use organic dark chocolate to cook with too ] !!!
for a special treat this is more than special !!!
... Read more

Product Description
Growing up in a large African-American family in a small town in Michigan, Patty Pinner spent her childhood helping the women of the house--the Queens of Soul Food--whip up the sweet treats that crowned family dinners, neighborhood gatherings, and church socials. In SWEETS, Patty shares her family's stories, maxims, and magical desserts, many named after family members like Cud'n Daisy, Aint Sug, and My My, her beloved grandmother. Part recipe book, part family history, this sweet-as-can-be cookbook is a heartfelt tribute to women who ruled the home and the kitchen with their wisdom, hearts, and cooking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Absolutely Charming!
This cookbook has taken the #1 spot in my cookbook collection.The selection of recipes is superb.I am a huge dessert person and this cookbook has a recipe for every sweet tooth in my mouth!The family photos and shared memories are the "icing on the cake."Great gift for loved ones!!

Great cookbook
Shipped really really fast,the book was in good shape,very pleased with the book very informative,can not wait to try some of the recipes.

Fantastic Recipes and Entertaining Stories
I absolutely love this book.I have made two of the recipes so far and they are wonderful! I have read the whole book and was enchanted by all of the stories; they add so much and give you a real feeling for the family and the ladies that made these recipes.I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves to bake or just loves to read family stories.

One of my very favorite desserts cookbooks!
This book is my very favorite of all my cookbooks now! In fact, it's even just one of my very favorite books, period. But it's not just a collection of great, old fashioned, nostalgic, honest-to-god soul food dessert recipes; it's a beautiful history of a large Black family written by someone who loved each and every member. By the time I finished my first reading ( and yes, I've read it all the way through again even though I've only had it a short time ) and bookmarked the recipes I wanted to try, I felt like I really knew every single aunt and uncle, every "Cud'n" ( even the "Po" one! )in the author's family. Filled with lovely photographs, not just of delicious home cooked food, but of real people I grew to love as each page turned, as each chapter was finished, like a well written serial one hates to put down and dreads to end. Being of Native American heritage myself, I still began to feel like one of the African American family in the book and the memories seemed like my own!

I've only tried two of the book's recipes so far, one pound style cake and one sweet pie, and both turned out so darned good I couldn't believe I was the one who actually made something so mouth-watering and delectable! I'm excited to try many of the others and have recommended the book to several friends. If you are looking for a nice thick cookbook with some unique, yet old-timey type southern style dessert recipes with plain and easily found ingredients "done up" the right way, than this book is the one to buy! But if you're also interested in the rich history of a loving Black family, beautifully written, lovingly and painstakingly chronicled, then you can't go wrong with this story-book style recipe collection!

Sweets: Soul Food Desserts and Memories
Love the book so much. Was very pleased with the company that sent it to me. ... Read more

Product Description
At last, creme brulee has been demystified. Debbie Puente has taken the complexity out of making this delicious delicacy, and has compiled 70 irresistible recipes that include a wide variety of silken and sinfully rich desserts, as well as some unexpected savory recipes guaranteed to surprise and delight the palate.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (27)

Elegantly Easy Creme Brulee
I purchased this compact cookbook as it has a variety of recipes for creme brulee and other custard desserts.My daughter-in-law has tried a few of the recipes and has really liked them.The book was second hand and was in very good condition.There was a small tear on the book jacket.

Best dessert for entertaining, the book is small but packed with great recipes
I love creme brulee for guests because you can make it ahead of time to save prep time the day of a dinner party, everyone loves it, and it's dramatic to flame up the tops before serving to guests.

I just got 8 creme brulee dishes and wanted to venture outside of the regular creme brulee to some more dramatic variations so I ordered this.

This has a great mix...from the creme brulee you are used to at a 5 star restaurant, to white chocolate macadamia nut creme brulee to liquor variations like amaretto, to an eggnog creme brulee for the holidays, chocolate espresso creme brulee, non-fat creme brulee, and lots more...

there are also great variations of sauces.

I would have given the book 5 stars had it been a tad larger and easier to keep open. It's a small book and bound so that you would have to break the spine in order to open it and keep it open for a recipe. I have a clear cookbook holder so it keeps it open for me, but it's so tightly bound it's actually a little difficult to flip through.The size of the book is just 5.5" X 7".

There are photographs of many of the dishes. There is no nutritional information but that's probably a good thing for a creme brulee cookbook!

These are all easy to prepare with a few ingredients but taste extravagant. I found all the ingredients easily located at a regular grocery store.

You don't need creme brulee dishes to make all these...some have really interesting variations such as a pie, or a box made of chocolate etc.

And the taste? Fabulous.

CREME BRULE' RECIPE BOOK
THIS BOOK IS JUST FULL OF GREAT, EASY TO PREPARE CUSTARD RECIPES. WORTH EVERY PENNY AND THE PRICE WAS GREAT

Not thrilled at all
I was not thrilled with this cookbook at all. The creme brulees all turned out too heavy of a custard. Not creamy like creme brulee is supposed to be. I'm not sure if she ever actually made these recipes in her kitchen. Because, I am an avid baker and attempted these brulees 3x. Each time was awful. Ready to throw this book out. Not worth the shelf space.

Lovely Book
This book is such a lovely little book. If you were going on a trip and wanted to make something from this book, no problem. Tuck it into a little sleeve somewhere and you're on your way. The format of this book is wonderful, the recipes are wonderfully simple and elegant, you will not be dissapointed. There are hardly any pictures, but the similar desserts (i.e. Custard, Brulee) come out almost all the same way so you can be as creative as you want.
Great book. Enjoy. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review
Safe ways to sweeten the day for people with food allergies

Some twelve million Americans suffer serious allergic reactions to nuts, dairy, gluten, and other ingredients typically found in desserts. Finally, here’s a collection of delicious dessert recipes offering a safe option for allergy sufferers who don't want to give up their favorite treats. Even though these recipes are completely free of gluten, dairy, nuts, soy, and eggs, you'll hardly notice the difference.

Allergy-free Desserts includes recipes for all of your favorite baked treats—cakes, cupcakes, pies, quick breads, cookies, and dessert bars. Written by Elizabeth Gordon, herself allergic to eggs and wheat, this indispensable cookbook will finally let you enjoy desserts safely again.

    • Featuring 82 recipes and 44 full-color photos
    • Recipes that taste just like the real thing—but without the gluten, dairy, nuts, soy, or eggs
    • The perfect dessert cookbook for the millions of people who suffer from food allergies or Celiac Disease

Allergies shouldn't hold you back. Allergy-free Desserts finally lets you indulge your sweet tooth.

Recipe Excerpts from Allergy-Free Desserts

Pretend Peanut Butter Cookies

Cool Mint Patties

Crispy Rice Squares

Customer Reviews (21)

Save Room for Dessert
While I was growing up, there was one thing I knew for certain about my grandmother: she couldn't eat anything.Or, at least, that was the way it seemed to me.She could make all kinds of delicious cobblers and pies and cakes and cookies, but I never saw her eat anything more than a bowl of bland rice pudding for dessert.I never really understood why until I got older and learned that my sweet, dessert-baking grandma was allergic to the sweet treats she dutifully made for us every time we visited.

But thanks to Elizabeth Gordon's new cookbook, //Allergy-free Desserts//, I can finally give something sweet back to Grandma.Written, in part, to help Gordon deal with her own allergies to wheat and eggs, //Allergy-free Desserts// contains over 80 scrumptious recipes to entice even those who don't puff up at the mere thought of soy, peanuts, or wheat gluten.Some of the recipes seem a bit labor-intensive and include some unusual substitutes, but they're clearly written and produce delicious results.Personally, I adored the Banana Chocolate Chip Cake and my coworkers loved the Thumbprint Gems.(And I'm sure Grandma will be pleased no matter what I make her.)

Reviewed by: Amanda Mitchell

Wonderful cookbook but recipes are complicated.
This is a great cookbook but just know that the recipes are complicated and time consuming and the ingredients are expensive. That said, if you want delicious allergy free deserts, this is the book for you.

Fantastic Foods we all can eat
These recipes are delicious...though I don't care for the flavor of Garbanzo flour so substitute any gluten-free multi purpose flour (Bella or Fantastic Foods brands) if you prefer. Corn syrup can be used in place of the Lyle's Golden syrup in these recipes as Lyle's is difficult to come by. With these few, minor changes my whole family is enjoying food again!

Outstanding Resource
We have a grandson with severe food allergies and are always looking for targeted cook books.The first recipe prepared from this book tasted great to our grandson and to all those around him who can eat anything.We look forward to preparing more of the recipes.

Great for those struggling with food allergies
I bought this book as a birthday present for one of my very best friends who was recently diagnosed with several food allergies. After watching her struggle with finding things to eat, and hearing the disdain in her voice after trying other "allergy free" recipes, I learned about this book from a magazine I subscribe to. I decided to buy her the book as a gift. She LOVES it. She immediately tried the peach crisp and it was a real hit at a dinner party with other people who -don't- have food allergies! She is excited about being able to bake for others again without having the strange reaction from others without food allergies about, "What's in this, exactly?"

I've tried some of the recipes myself and I definitely recommend it. Worth the buy--plus the photographs are just delicious to look at! ... Read more

Product Description

Spiced with stories of family and friends, sweetened by memories of holidays and celebratory meals, Brown Sugar is a slice of life from African American communities across the country. In this collection of recipes and tales, Joyce White passes along generations of kitchen wisdom and dessert favorites, as well as fresh and creative variations on classic sweets.

From the wedding reception-ready Coconut Peach lake to the simple joy of Gingered Tropical Fruits, these are desserts for any occasion. The flavors are comforting and festive, as are the many poignant stories that White shares. A sublime Sweet Potato Cheesecake is passed along from a hardworking mother in California, while Three Sisters Coconut Pie is White's composite of three good friends' favorite pie recipes, each reflecting their unique backgrounds. The results are at once innovative and familiar.

Whether you are looking to make the perfect Lemon Meringue Pie or to preserve summer fruit, these recipes will satisfy your sweet tooth and add heirloom-quality recipes to your collection. The complex flavors of Star Anise Peach Ice Cream and West Indian Christmas Cake are within reach of any home cook, thanks to White's masterful guidance and the tips and cook's secrets that she provides. White's recipes encourage creativity, offering suggestions for variations as well as a solid foundation for your own soul-inspired sweets.

Brown Sugar is warm, memorable, and universal, and you will be eager to share its recipes and stories, to create your own sweet memories.

Customer Reviews (7)

Wonderful Recipes
This book has some of the most amazing soul food dessert recipes I've ever tried! Being a life-long Southerner, I have many recipes for soul food desserts in my collection, but this book includes them all (and more) in one volume. I highly recommend this. You won't be disappointed

Sweet soul food to warm the heart
In Brown Sugar: Soul Food Desserts from Family and Friends, Joyce White, author of Soul Food: Recipes and Reflections from African-American Churches, turns her attention to sweet endings. Brown Sugar gathers traditional Southern comfort desserts such as lacy wafer cookies, pecan sand tarts, gingersnaps, chocolate spice cake, a fluffy coconut peach cake, pineapple iced cake, cobblers and pies (including sweet potato and spicy molasses pecan), puddings and custards, candies and homemade ice creams. In terms of repertoire, it's similar to Patty Pinner's Sweets: Soul Food Desserts & Memories, but White includes numerous helpful hints for presentation and how-to's.

There are no photographs, but the recipes include introductions that explain the origin of the recipes and handy sidebars. There are also numerous substitutions and variations suggested if you're looking to branch out, or perhaps to experiment with a more adventurous flavor combination (like substituting cardamom for cinnamon in a coffee cake). There's a chapter devoted to fruits, so if you're looking for a lighter finale, you'll find numerous baked fruits and compotes. These foolproof gems are a wonderful way to slow down and reconnect with a simpler time, and the delicious smells that will be coming out of your kitchen are sure to attract friends and neighbors, who might then sit down for a well-deserved chat over a slice of freshly baked cake or pie.

Brown Sugar: Soul Food Desserts from Family and Friends
Wonderful Book.The recipes are unique but not difficult.The book has great tips on the types of pans to use, where to place your pan in the oven and an education on "brown sugar".Who knew there were so many different types of brown sugar!I would recommend this book to anyone that loves to bake and would love to show off something different.

Delightfully delicious
As warm and homey as the smell of freshly baked bread, Brown Sugar welcomes you to enjoy a rich and diverse collection of sweets. Candy, cookies, pies, cakes, ice cream and more are all featured in a collection of recipes featuring a wide variety of classics and favorites.

This is also one of those delectable cookbooks you like to snuggle up with and read cover to cover. Mixing practical advice with a wide range of personal family history, White writes the book in such a way that when you close it, you feel like a member of her family.

But even better than that, the recipes themselves are crafted with simple, everyday utensils, using ingredients that are common and can be found at the local store.

There are no pictures of the food, but that is a small price to pay for such a rich bounty of delicious, easy to make desserts.

Highest possible recommendations!

Emotional Bliss
"Food for the soul" is an excellent way to describe the wonderfully soothing experience a person feels after eating any one of the treats from Joyce White's cookbook "Brown Sugar." Right now, just thinking about the "sweet potatoe pie" brings a smile to my face and that "chocolate cheesecake" makes my mouth water. ummmmmm, "Brown Sugar."
... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (10)

Good cookbook
I've made several recipes from this book so far and they have been quite good.

Perfect!
I love this book because everything I make turns out perfectly.My grandfather is very critical of recipes and declared the apple pie the best he's had.I love it!

Great Book
Wonderful book.Have tried several recipes in this book and they have come out really well.Received many compliments on the desserts.

Great book but lacks pictures
I agree with all the other reviewers: this cookbook is thorough, comprehensive, even fascinating as it goes over and beyond a usual recipe book by providing a bit of history and cultural background, which is great.
However, I cannot understand authors and publishers who offer cookbooks without a picture for each recipe. This is how readers know what to expect: how it should look like in the end, whether they are likely to try preparing and enjoy it. This book has one picture for every 3 to 4 recipes, which is not enough for me. This is why I knocked off one star. And if you are going to be stingy about pictures because they are expensive, may I suggest cramming two or three products in each picture?

The Most Important Attribute of a Cookbook
Sure, the pictures are beautiful and the recipes sound delicious, but the true mark of a cookbook is how the final products taste.

Having made many of these recipes- some several times- I can vouch for the quality of the food. Chocolate chip cookies, blueberry buckle, apple pie. Simply put, everything I have made has been wonderful!

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for anyone who wants to delight a crowd. But you'd better double the recipe. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Baking expert and public television cooking show host Dede Wilson helps you create show-stopping desserts that will make a lasting impression

If you're looking for a little wow factor to liven up the end of a meal, this is the book for you! Dede Wilson gives you a collection of desserts that are exotic, extravagant, and absolutely unforgettable-and you don't have to be a pastry chef to make them.

Many of the recipes are deceptively simple, such as the gorgeous Matcha Tea Leaf Shortbread and the amazing Hot Chocolate Truffle Bombs, made with just three ingredients. Others are more adventurous, such as the Chocolate-Glazed Marzipan Cake with Cognac-Soaked Apricots. Filled with surprises for the eye as well as the palate, the desserts you make from this book will be sure to keep guests talking long after the party is over. An ideal resource for holidays, birthdays, or any special occasion, Unforgettable Desserts

• Features 150 recipes for unforgettable cookies and bars, cakes, pies, tarts, custards, mousses, frozen desserts, candies, confections, and more
• Offers precise, easy-to-follow instructions and valuable tips
• Contains over thirty stunning color photographs of finished desserts
• Includes recipes for all skill levels
• Is written by the host of public television's Seasonings with Dede Wilson and the author of Wedding Cakes You Can Make

If you're looking to take your baking to the next level, Dede Wilson gives you desserts that take the cake-and the cookie, the pie, the pudding, and much more!

Recipe Excerpts from Unforgettable Desserts

Amazon-exclusive: Glazed Fresh Strawberry Tart with Champagne Sabayon

Brown Sugar-Buttermilk Snack Cake with Blackberries and Caramel-Walnut Drizzle

Concord Grape Gelée Panna Cotta Parfait

Customer Reviews (5)

A Must Have !


This is a must have for your recipe "library"....
Wonderful recipes!Fool proof!

Underbaked, bland, like the rest of them
This book has a predictable variety of easy-to-bake cakes, that are smothered in chocolate and decorated with fruit to mask the bland nature of the dessert.The cakes are quickly thrown together, the pictures demonstrate under-baked chiffon cakes and overbeaten egg whites.

If you really are looking for unforgettable desserts that will make your guests eat the plate try this book by Bugat & Healy

http://www.amazon.com/Art-Cake-Modern-French-Decorating/dp/0688141994/ref=ntt_at_ep_dpi_3

unforgettable desserts
I'm a pastry chef meaning I'm always looking for ideas.I've been noticed to sit in the book store staring at the dessert books, writing in my notebook the recipes.When I find a book that has several recipes that I would like to try out, I usually purchase the book, but not until I get home onto Amazon.I liked a few of these recipes.I only had 2 cons.
1) I am a huge picture person for my cookbooks
2) I wish they were in weights not cups, the new thing is to buy a scale and be more accurate.

Unforgettable Cakes, Pies, Cookies, Candies and More
I have cut out quite a few of Dede Wilson's recipes in Bon Appetit magazines so I had hopes for this book. She did not disappoint (except for the lack of photos for each dessert).

Dede provides clear & detailed instructions for "More than 140 Memorable Dessert Recipes for All Year Round."She offers tips throughout the book to help the reader achieve the best results.

The recipes range in difficulty. While a beginning baker should be able to make many of these delights, others seem rather challenging and involve quite a few steps.For instance, the Chocolate-Glazed Marzipan Cake with Cognac-Soaked Apricots involves baking two cakes, coating them in syrup, spreading the apricot spread, applying a marzipan circle, frosting with buttercream, topping it ganache, and then making apricot roses to use as decoration with marzipan roses, leaves and tendrils.This is an example of one of the recipes which really should have been accompanied by a photograph (but was not).

The first chapter, the Basics, includes "building block" recipes which are used throughout the book such as:
* Butter piecrust
* Sugar tart crust
* Blitz pastry crust
* Dark and moist chocolate cake
* Dark chocolate ganache
* Italian meringue buttercream (and vanilla variation)
* Pastry cream (and liqueur variation)
* Lemon cream
* Whipped cream
* Marzipan

The next chapter covers Ingredients, Equipment, and Techniques.Many of the ingredients are likely to be found in the average cook's home kitchen but I have to admit I am missing several (such as cacoa nibs, rose water, and gianduja as well as edible gold luster powder and 22-karat gold leaf).The author unfortunately does not always suggest a source from which to purchase specialty ingredients but there are three pages of resources at the back of the book. The necessary equipment is also likely to be in most home kitchens with a few exceptions (such as a blade-style coffee grinder used to grind poppy seeds as well as a pastry bag and certain tips).

The third chapter, entitled Breakfast, Brunch, and Snack Cakes, includes recipes for:
* Lemon-ginger scones
* Brown sugar-buttermilk snack cake
* Butter and cream sugar crunch cake
* Marble streusel pound cake with pecans, lemon, and orange
* Almond mounds of joy cake
* Poppy seed-honey-apricot pastries
* Passion fruit-citrus pound cake with tropical fruit
* Gianduja banana baby cakes with hazelnut streusel
* Browned butter-almond brunch cake with blueberry sauce
* Fresh red currant scones with currant cream
* French crullers with rose-amaretto glaze

The next chapter, Cookies and Bars, includes recipes for:
* Dark brown sugar-chocolate chunk bars with chocolate-molasses glaze
* Matcha tea leaf shortbreads
* Extreme milk chocolate brownies
* Cacao nib and caramelized almond biscotti
* Florentine bars with candied orange and cherries
* Classic shortbread
* Cranberry gingerbread cookies
* Mallowmores
* Giant meringue pillows with almonds
* Giant ginger chews
* Pistachio macaroons
* Almond macaroons with raspberry-rose filling
* Nutella linzer cookies
* Butterscotch-pecan brownies with boozy raisins
* Almond-apricot brownies with tart cherry ganache
* Pistachio butterballs
* Chocolate chunkochino cookies

The fifth chapter, Fruit Desserts, includes the following recipes:
* Ginger shortcakes with caramelized nectarines and sour cream
* Spiced plum pavlovas
* Mango, banana, and pineapple chocolate crisp
* Summer berry vacherin with crème fraiche
* Mango fool with blackberry-lime crush
* Thousand leaves with blackberry pastry cream
* Strawberry biscuit shortcakes
* Banana-walnut baklava with honey-cinnamon syrup
* Honey-glazed banana fritters with sesame seeds
* Red wine-poached cherries with chocolate-flecked shortcakes
* Six-fruit gazpacho with crystallized mint

The next chapter, Cakes, includes recipes for:
* Chocolate-glazed marzipan cake with cognac-soaked apricots
* Toasted coconut cake with lime cream and mount gay rum
* Rum raisin-chocolate roulade with whipped chocolate ganache
* Fruits and flowers flan
* Ricotta cheesecake with Clementine-cranberry marmalade
* Clementine-chocolate-almond torte
* Chocolate ganache cake with Armagnac-soaked prunes
* 24-karat manjari lemon truffle heart
* Walnut praline torte with espresso buttercream
* Pomegranate-chocolate mousse cake
* Chocolate mango cloud cake
* Cassata with chocolate, cherries, oranges, and almonds
* Chocolate mousse meringue cake with blueberries and cream
* Voluptuous chocolate-covered strawberry ganache cake
* Angelic chocolate-espresso mousse cake with chocolate-dipped strawberries
* Black cocoa blackout cake
* Crème fraiche cheesecake with rhubarb compote

The seventh chapter, Pies and Tarts, includes the following recipes:
* Latticed brown butter-vanilla bean pear pie
* Cheesecake tart with...tropical topping, classic strawberry topping or lemon-blueberry topping
* Berries pie
* Red and purple plum tart with marzipan crumble
* Cranberry-apricot linzer torte
* Pecan-coconut tart with chocolate crust
* Espresso black-bottomed pie in a chocolate chip cookie crust
* Lemon meringue tart
* Bittersweet chocolate-caramel tart with espresso cream and chocolate tangle
* Deep-dish sour cream-apple pie with lemon-cardamom streusel
* Caramelized banana cream tart in pecan crust
* Apple, pear, and quince pie with cheddar crust
* Fresh coconut custard cream pie
* Amaretto-almond crunch pumpkin pie
* Pear frangipane tart with red wine sauce
* Blueberry crème fraiche tart with poppy seed crust
* Double-decker "key" lime pie (two ways)
* White peach and raspberry "blossom" tartlets with pistachio and essensia
* Melon ribbon tartlets
* Glazed strawberry tart with champagne sabayon

The next chapter, Custards, Gelees, Mousses, and Puddings, includes recipes for:
* Peekaboo hazelnut-espresso crème brulee
* Creamy Arborio rice pudding with lemon cream, raspberry sorbet and chocolate
* Spiced pear-white chocolate tiramisu trifle
* Giant cream puff
* Champagne-cassis mousse with raspberries
* Warm chocolate velvet
* Pomegranate panna cotta with pomegranate-chocolate sauce
* Mocha-cointreau zebra éclairs
* Concord grape gelee panna cotta parfait
* Bajan crème brulee

The ninth chapter, Frozen Desserts and Sauces, includes recipes for:
* Browned butter-oatmeal cookie sandwiches with pan-roasted blueberry ice cream
* Frozen milk chocolate-peanut butter pie
* Peach melba profiteroles
* Frozen peanut butter-honey cheesecake with warm chocolate-honey sauce
* Raspberry-peach parfait cake with peach schnapps compote
* Espresso-stracciatella semifreddo with Kahlua-caramel sauce
* Frozen caramel soufflé with bittersweet chocolate whisky sauce
* Frozen apricot parfait with amaretto-poached apricots
* Frozen chocolate-mint parfait with crystallized mint
* Poached nectarines with rose granite' and frozen sabayon
* Boozy raisin-pecan butterscotch sauce

The final chapter, Candies, Confections, Truffles, and Tidbits, includes the following recipes:
* Chocolate raspberry bliss bites
* Hot chocolate truffle bombs
* Chocolate-covered caramelized macadamias
* Matcha chocolate-covered almonds
* Fleur de sel caramels
* Mango pate de fruit
* Ganache squares with blueberry pate de fruit
* Marcona almond-cacao nib praline bark

You may have noticed from the recipe titles that quite a few of these desserts require alcohol.I counted 30 recipes which call for alcohol (wine for poaching cherries, nectarines or pears; Grand Marnier for sauce; Kahlua for chocolate mousse; etc.).

I would have liked to have seen many more photos, especially for less common desserts. I know what a brownie is supposed to look like, but not more exotic treats such as Angelic Chocolate-Espresso Mousse Cake with Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries (with an angel meringue crust).It would be helpful to see what the finished cake should look like.I counted only 28 photos for more than 100 desserts.

Yummy
The title says it all, the desserts int his book are definitely unforgettable. You may have to take an extra run on the treadmill after eating some of these, but they are worth it. These desserts can make any meal more delightful. Perfect for holiday entertaining. i would also recommend this book as a gift for anyone who like to cook - or eat. ... Read more

Product Description
An early fall cobbler with blackberries bubbling in their juice beneath a golden cream biscuit. A crunchy oatmeal crisp made with mid-summer’s nectarines and raspberries. Or a comforting pear bread pudding to soften a harsh winter’s day. Simple, scrumptious, cherished–these heritage desserts featuring local fruit are thankfully experiencing a long-due revival.

In Rustic Fruit Desserts, each season’s bounty inspires unique ways to showcase the distinct flavor combinations that appear fleetingly. James Beard Award—winning chef Cory Schreiber teams up with Julie Richardson, owner of Portland’s Baker & Spice, to showcase the freshest fruit available amidst a repertoire of satisfying old-timey fruit desserts, including crumbles, crisps, buckles, and pies.

Whether you’re searching for the perfect ending to a sit-down dinner party or a delicious sweet to wrap up any night of the week, these broadly appealing and easy-to-prepare classics will become family favorites.


Cory Schreiber is the founder of Wildwood Restaurant and winner of the James Beard Award for Best Chef: Pacific Northwest. Schreiber now works with the Oregon Department of Agriculture as the Farm-to-School Food Coordinator and writes, consults, and teaches cooking classes in Portland, Oregon.

A graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, Julie Richardson grew up enjoying the flavors that defined the changing seasons of her Vermont childhood. Her lively small-batch bakery, Baker & Spice, evolved from her involvement in the Portland and Hillsdale farmers’ markets. She lives in Portland, Oregon.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (25)

Disappointed
Fruit desserts are my favorites. I will take a fruit-based dessert over chocolate or cake any day. I was very excited to get this book, but it has been a let down. I have tried a handful of recipes and overall they have been bland and disappointing. Somehow each recipe's flavors are muted - neither tart nor sweet, and these are the flavors that make my heart sing in a fruit dessert. The recipes are just ok - except for the Cherry Almond Bars. Those were just like eating cardboard.

The recipes are not difficult, but it's clear the authors were writing from (and for) a Northwestern (US) perspective. Some of the ingredients are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to acquire for those living in other areas of the country, especially the berries. I just have to skip recipes calling for tayberries, marionberries, loganberries, or sour cherries. Even if I could find such fruits locally, I suspect they would be expensive, and with the results I've had thus far, I would regret wasting money on mediocre results.

The introduction is great, providing definitions for the various desserts. Similarly, the introduction to each season's desserts contains handy information about the featured seasonal fruits. I also really liked the organization of the book. Grouping the desserts by season was really smart and fun. I just wish the desserts actually tasted good!

Love this book
I made the Cherry Upside Down cake today...all I can say is FANTASTIC! I'm going to look for more books by these authors

Rustic Fruit Desserts
Every receipt I have tried, I LOVE!I really like the way the book is broken up to receipts that use fresh fruit in season. The cherry/rubarb is my favorite so far & I didn't even like rubarb before this receipt.I get hungry just thinking about it.

Delightful!
This was the perfect gift for a young male who was exploring his baking skills, and didn't really care about making a "pretty" dessert!

Great Apple Crisp with Brandy Soaked Currants
Just made my first recipe for a dinner party for 8.......page 138.It was wonderful served with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream.Was not hard to make and everyone at the table and all family members commented on how terrific it tasted.I used Gala apples for mine and only had time to soak the currants for about 6 hours but they were soft and flavorful.Jan from West Chester ... Read more

Product Description
As comforting and appealing as a favorite armchair or a cozy robe, warm-from-the-oven classic desserts make everyone feel good. Here are more than 250 mouth-watering recipes that every home baker will rely on when a homemade dessert is required. Whatever the occasion might be, the perfect treat is described with clear instructions that are easy to follow and guaranteed to yield delicious results.

These are the cakes that children request for their birthdays, the whoopee pies and blondies that are the first things to go at bake sales, the shortcake that celebrates strawberry season, and the pies and cobblers that accompany the apple harvest. When a friend who is sick with the flu needs cheering, a dense, not-too-sweet gingerbread lifts the spirits. Rough week at work? Creamy, raisiny rice pudding soothes jangled nerves. And when a child is going through an I-hate-cake phase, surprise her with a frozen chocolate mint ice cream cake.

With 40 cookie creations, 42 pretty pies, 36 fruity crisps and cobblers, and puddings, meringues, squares, slumps, bombs, and buckles galore, the possibilities for sweet satisfaction are endless. Bakers will also find just-right recipes for the crusts, frostings, toppings, and accompaniments that add so much to dessert classics. Little-known food anecdotes and historical tidbits drawn from three centuries of cookery books round out this addictive dessert collection. It's just the thing for every baker.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A desired and desirable addition to any family cookbook shelf
Nothing tops off a meal like a good desert. That's why "250 Treasured Country Desserts: Mouthwatering, Time-Honored, Tries & True, Soul-Satisfying, Handed-Down Sweet Comforts" is such a desired and desirable addition to any family cookbook shelf. The collaborative project of noted cookbook author Andrea Chesman and culinary arts instructor Fran Raboff (herself the co-author of several successful cookbooks), "250 Treasured Country Desserts" truly lives up to its extended title with such culinary delights as Rich Chocolate Crinkles; Black Walnut Cake; Coconut Cream Pie; Charlotte Russe with Strawberry Sauce; Lime Sorbet; and 245 more 'kitchen cook friendly' traditional desserts. Enhanced with listings on metric conversions, egg information, volume and weight equivalents, "250 Treasured Country Desserts" will prove a welcome and popular addition to any personal, family, or community library cookbook collection! ... Read more

Product Description
From the leading expert in gluten-free cooking, more than two hundred recipes for delicious cakes, cookies, pies, and other desserts
Bette Hagman's four cookbooks have sold more than 220,000 copies and established her as the leading expert in the ever growing market of gluten-free cooking. She is the premier creator of recipes for those intolerant to gluten and for those allergic to wheat.
In the latest addition to the Gluten-free Gourmet series, Hagman turns her hand to that most loved part of the meal, dessert. At the core of this book are more than two hundred easy-to-follow recipes for delicious cakes, pies, cookies, puddings, and other sweets, including Chocolate Peanuty Cupcakes, Raspberry Bars, and Gingersnaps. The nutritional information and dietary exchanges that accompany each recipe will make these desserts fit easily into any diet. Hagman also answers common questions about gluten-free baking and provides a list of sources for gluten-free baking products you can order by mail. With The Gluten-free Gourmet Makes Dessert no meal will have to end without dessert again.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

GREAT COOKBOOK
THIS BOOK IS ESSENTIAL FOR PEOPLE THAT NEED A GLUTEN FREE DIET.IT HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND THE GLUTEN FREE CONCEPTS

helpful information and recipes are great!
I learned a lot from this recipe book about Gluten, how it affects food, and what to do to make something gluten free really turn out and taste good.

Overall good book!
I have this book for a month now and tried only 3 recipes. They were all great, by the way! HOWEVER, IF you are new to cooking Gluten Free such as myself this book is a little overwhelming. If you are an experienced GF cook than you will love it. My toddler is celiac and I suspect my husband and baby are too. So we decided the whole family will be gluten free. I needed cook books and Hangman were recommended to me by another celiac mom. I like the books very much but there are several things I wish were different:

-Updated! They were written at least 7-8 years ago. Several recipes call for things that substitute what we have today such as GF oatmeal. I'm not a pro so I don't know how to change the recipe using the GF oatmeal.
-Easy to go through the recipes. You kind of have to read like a book or you may be a little lost. In my opinion, I wish it was easier to go through it and find recipes.
-No pictures :( ! So it's hard to think of the end product or desire to cook it.
-Most of the food is for adults not for kids. My son is also autistic so cooking is a challenge.
-All recipes ask for several ingredients I never used before. It frustrates me that I need to go shopping before cooking something out of the book. I guess I can't expect to be easy to be GF.

I mostly wanted a simple and easy book to cook for my little kids. I like this book and I know I will cook a lot of her recipes specially as my children gets older and less fussy.

Overall, the only 3 recipes I tried took me a long time since I'm brand new to GF cooking but my family enjoyed them very much!

Wonderful addition to the GF bookshelf
I'm a mom of an 8-year-old boy with wheat allergies, and I'm always on the lookout for recipes to try.I'm a big fan of Bette Hagman and so grateful to her for her legacy of wonderful books.This cookbook is great.It has so many categories of desserts that you can make just about anything you want (Cookies, Puddings, Frostings, Cakes, Cakes from mixes, Pies, Cheesecakes, etc.) and the recipes I've tried are very delicious.

My son loved the sugar cookie recipe we tried yesterday and when his sisters tried one they said they tasted even better than the wheat equivalents.The dough was so lovely, soft, and velvety.I was so surprised, having had many experiences with gluten-free dough, not all of them good.

Bottom line: if you're a celiac or allergic to wheat, this is a great cookbook to have in your kitchen.Check it out at your library first, try some recipes...you won't be sorry.

Finally, a great gluten-free dessert book...
Hey Celiacs, have you waited and waited for a cookbook with great-tasting desserts just for you? Well, this is it! Ah, it's back to the good life for me..... ... Read more

Product Description
Desserts lie at the heart of home cooking, having the ultimate indulgence and comfort factor. But they don't have to be time-consuming or laborious to make. With Annie Bell's reliable and authoritative helping hand you will be whipping up souffles and perfecting your chocolate pots in not time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Truly Gorgeous Desserts!
The desserts in this book are beautiful and look like they take a lot more time than they do! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (9)

Yummy......!
This is a treasure trove.....not your run-of-the-mill dessert recipes. Can't wait to try all of them.....

Print too small
I'm a senior in my seventies who owns many cookbooks.I love a new cookbook and trying recipes, BUT when the type is so tiny I can barely read it, I move on.Won't buy cookbooks with teeny tiny type.I've seen recipes leave half a page empty and yet the recipe is written so small, I can barely make out if they are asking for 1/4 or 3/4 tsp. of anything.

Please, please cookbook authors and publishers, remember that you are presenting instructions.Sad to think I'll be missing out on so many great recipes and cookbooks.

Delicious treats
The title caught my attention and I took a chance. No disappointment here. Great recipes and easy to follow with a bit of history thrown in and by the time I finished reading this I was ready to return to New Orleans and hit the restaurants mentioned. Another good selection and I'm glad the title attracted my attention. Cherie S. Cook

Great Caramel Popcorn Recipe
The caramel corn recipe on page 154 gives you excellent buttery caramel flavored caramel popcorn - not just sweet popcorn. Make SURE you have a proper candy thermometer before starting. And use the RIGHT kind of popcorn.

Use Mushroom Popcorn
Do yourself a favor - don't waste the time you invest making this recipe with microwave popcorn. Regular popcorn pops too small and too breakable (microwave or not). When mixed with the caramel, you end up with a mess of broken bits and clumps. It doesn't look very nice and the mouth feel is awful.You really need to make this (or any caramel corn recipe) with Mushroom Popcorn Kernels, which you can get in home-user quantities at JustPoppin dot com.

Delicious!
Thus far, I've made Nana's Banana Bread, which was excellent.On to the chocolate chip cookie-cake! ... Read more

Product Description
Lemon sweets are the divas of desserts. Assertive and bold, lemons can be flamboyant, tart, and tangy as in the Lemon Granita or sweet, mellow, and velvety like the creamy Lemon Panna Cotta. Over 70 recipes--from the classics to lip-smacking new favorites--are all enticingly presented in Luscious Lemon Desserts. These recipes vary from the simple to the sublime, from the quick and easy to the most elaborate showstoppers. Author Lori Longbotham provides great tips on buying, storing, and using this most popular fruit. Whether it's a fast and fabulous lemon pudding or a Mile-High Lemon Angel Food Cake, the name says it all: Luscious Lemon Desserts. Yum! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (34)

Great book
I was initially not going to get this book, because I thought it was just too narrow being only about lemons.However, I have a cookie cookbook, and a cake cookbook, so why not a lemon cookbook.It works out well, I enjoy making lemony desserts in the summertime, and I just need to go to this book.
I've only made a handful of the recipes, but they have been so spectacular that I make them again and again.My favorite part of the book is that it tells you approximately how many lemons the recipe uses and its chock full of pictures. Also, there are recipes that call for lemon oil and the flavor is fantastic.

I love this book!
I've made quite a few of these recipes, and they're delicious.I was startled to see the madeleine recipe panned in another review, because I think it's the best I've ever encountered.Normally I'm not happy with the texture of my madeleines, but these were very tender (the secret is probably the 10 minutes of creaming).I just made the Victorian Lemon-Coriander [Caraway] Seed Cake, which seemed like the recipe equivalent of your grandmother's lace doilies, and it disappeared quickly.The biscotti are great, too.

Beautiful
This is a gorgeous book.I haven't tried any recipes yet, but the pictures are coffee table book quality.

For true lemon lovers
"Luscious Lemon Desserts" is the must-have cookbook for the true lemon aficionado. Lori Longbotham showcases the clear, piercing flavor of lemon in all of its magnificence, whether you long for the creaminess of rice pudding, the luxuriousness of lemon mousse, or the palate-cleansing clarity of gelatin.

The flavor of lemon can be delivered through several distinct mediums, all of which have different uses and tones: zest, juice, and oil. Most home cooks have used the first two, but the third is an unusual addition. Ms. Longbotham recommends not using lemon extract, comparing the results to furniture polish, and I must agree with her comparison--the warmer, subtler flavor of lemon oil makes a significant difference.

Ms. Longbotham's recipes include standard desserts with a lemon flair, such as pudding, mousse, gelatin, rice pudding, angel food cake, pudding cake, pound cake, lemon meringue pie, lemon tart, three different cheesecakes, souffle, lemon curd, and more. They also, however, include some more unusual takes on dessert. For instance, while I adore pots de creme, I haven't quite been able to get myself to try the version in here that includes coriander seeds, and the same with the creme caramel that includes fennel. Of course you can leave these little additives out easily enough, so I don't think they should put you off of buying the cookbook if they don't sound good to you.

We've made a number of recipes out of this cookbook since we first purchased it. The "ultimate lemon mousse" is still my favorite, and yes, it truly deserves its name! We've made it repeatedly, and it's been a big hit at multiple dinners we've thrown. The lemon rice pudding is mild and not-too-sweet, almost something of a palate-cleanser; it's unexpected and delicious. The lemon curd goes beautifully over biscuits. The only recipe we had any trouble with was "my favorite lemon pudding;" it broke and didn't thicken properly, but I suspect that may well have been due to problems with our old refrigerator rather than the recipe.

For those who find cooking to be a delight and love the flavor of a good lemon, I can't imagine a cookbook library without "Luscious Lemon Desserts!"

Mmmmm!Triple Lemon-Cheesecake...
I think the Triple Lemon Cheesecake and Lemon curd are worth the price of the book.I'm a fan of cheesecake but only make one at a time, and very occasionally.As often as not, my family requests the Triple Lemon Cheesecake over any other cheesecake I make. And the Lemon Curd (which goes on the cheesecake, among other things), Yowza!Fantastic!

I don't cook or bake much, so I don't tend to try out new recipes often, but have been very happy with what I've tried in this book.It's also lovely to look at and enjoyable and friendly to read.Two thumbs up. ... Read more

Product Description

DELECTABLE DESSERTS FROM THE KITCHENS OF TWO MOMS WHO KNOW WHAT FAMILIES LOVE.

There's a dessert for every family, every season, and every occasion in Delectable Desserts, a charming collection of more than 250 classic, sweet, and sugary dessert recipes, organized by month of the year.

Warm up with Apple Bread Pudding in January, welcome spring with Brandied Peach Mousse in April, perfect your pies in August, and get cozy with Ginger Cookies and Carrot-Pumpkin Cake in November. There's a sweet and seasonal delight for every family and every occasion in this charming collection of classic desserts.

Authors Wendy Louise and MaryAnn Koopmann, each with more than 30 years experience in the kitchen, reveal their absolute favorite recipes for cookies, cakes, pies, bars, and much more, along with no-fail presentation tips and bits of time-tested kitchen wisdom.

Customer Reviews (3)

Delectable Desserts
I enjoyed this book. It is sectioned out by month with multiple receipes listed that are holiday and season appropriate.I would recommend this book.

Great Basic and Rich Desserts
Another Reviewer Called this book boring because there is no pictures. True, it would have been better with pictures. Still, it has one of the best recipes for both beginners and experienced bakers. Truly delectable desserts. If you're looking for substance and don't mind the lack of highly glossed pictures and fluff..you will like this book. Borrow it from your local library if you're not sure.

Good recipes but a boring book
This book has really delectable dessert recipes with no doubt but each page presents one different recipe and any single photo! ok, you can say that doesn't say if it is a good or a bad book and you are right about that but after several pages with any clue on how it looks like, I found it boring and with no motivation to make so many recipes without knowing how it looks like in the end!

If you are searching for a recipe in particular, you surely will find it but if you are just searching for an idea you will give up!

... Read more

Product Description
A refreshing change in every respect

When you are working with great ingredients, you want to keep it simple. You don’t want to blur flavor by overcomplicating. This is why Pure Dessert, from the beloved Alice Medrich, offers the simplest of recipes, using the fewest ingredients in the most interesting ways. There are no glazes, fillings, or frostings—just dessert at its purest, most elemental, and most flavorful.

Alice deftly takes us places we haven’t been, using, for example, whole grains, usually reserved for breads, to bring a lovely nutty quality to cookies and strawberry shortcake. Pound cake takes on a new identity with a touch of olive oil and sherry. Unexpected cheeses make divine soufflés. Chestnut flour and walnuts virtually transform meringue. Varietal honeys and raw sugars infuse ice creams and sherbets with delectable new flavor.

Inspired choices of ingredients are at the heart of this collection of entirely new recipes: sesame brittle ice cream, corn-flour tuiles with tangy sea salt and a warming bite of black pepper, honey caramels, strawberries with single-malt sabayon.

To witness Alice’s idea-stream as she describes how she arrived at each combination is to instantly understand why three of her books have won Best Cookbook of the Year. She’s an experimenter, tinkerer, and sleuth, fascinated with trial and error, with the effects of small changes in recipes, exploring combinations tirelessly and making remarkable discoveries. Does cold cream or hot cream do a better job coaxing out the flavor of mint leaves or rose petals? Why is it that dusting a warm brownie with spices gives it an enticing aromatic nose, whereas putting the spice in the batter blurs the chocolate flavor? Do cooked strawberries or raw make for the better sorbet?

Loaded with advice and novel suggestions, with great recipes and eye-catching, full-color photographs that show off these simple, straightforward desserts, Pure Dessert is an education and a revelation. Thank you, Alice! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Goto dessert cookbook
My stepson gave me this cookbook for Christmas.I fell in love with the simplicity of the recipes but yet they are complex at the same time.I agree the quality of ingredients makes the difference in baking.I am the dessert maker for my in-law's family.Asians are not into desserts like the Europeans.I'm slowly converting them :-)Anyway, I made the lemon tart and tuiles for MIL birthday.She went for seconds on the tart.So far I have also made the lemon candied citrus peel, crema ice cream and raspberry chocolate chunk muffins. Yes 1T is correct for them.They came out wonderful. I look forward to trying additional recipes.
If you are new to baking and you do not want to invest in having a plethora of equipment this is for you. I use this book when I feel like baking, short on time but know I will have the ingredients in my pantry.Her introductions for each chapter are informative.

Don't Waste Your Money
The recipes claim to offer purity as interpreted by Ms. Medrich's exaggerated sense of taste.I clearly don't have the palate to appreciate such perfection.This book will become a gift.

Great cookbook
This is a great cookbook!If you enjoy deserts that are more sophisticated in flavor and not over-sweetened, this is the book for you.The book itself is a great gift book, the pictures are fabulous (although more pictures would have been nice), the recipes are great and even the paper and color schemes used are great!The first chapter deals with general instructions for baking and using the book.The later chapters are focused on specific flavors or ingredients.Every recipe I have made from this book has been delicious. I enjoyed the sesame coins (cookies), dried fruit and nut cake (which is more like bars than cake), chocolate almond torte, walnut coffee cookies and the chocolate raspberry muffins.The recipes are relatively simple but still unique and not overly sweet.

one tablespoon of baking powder?
Just received the book today, and tried the raspberry and chocolate chunk muffins they were horrible. I find the recipes pretentious with lots of ingredients i wouldnt be able to find in manhattan, so maybe it is a california cookbook. The recipe required one tablespoon of baking powder which sounded like way too much, but i trusted her based on the reviews, and the whole pan went straight into the garbage. maybe this was a typo? i may give her a second chance but i am seriously considering returning this book. I use a passion for baking regularly and all recipes there are fabulous.

Almost perfect
His is a beautiful and inspirational cookbook. It's only flaw is a lack of photos. There are some beautiful photos, but they aren't labeled and they don't always correspond to the recipe on the facing page making it frustrating to try and figure out which recipe the photo is referencing. Ideally a cookbook should have photos of all the recipes in the book. Then again this may not be important to everyone. ... Read more