Product Description
Here’s new hope for all us sweet freaks—144 pages of delectable treats, to be exact. That’s because the resourceful experts at Cooking Light magazine have proven once again that you can have your dessert and eat it healthfully, too. All it takes is this new volume in the Cooking Light Cook’s Essential Recipe Collection series. You’ll love reading it, you’ll enjoy making the recipes, and you’ll absolutely swoon when tasting the dishes. A must for all who choose to cook sinfully good food that’s seriously healthy for you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Cooking light at its best
If you only have room for one light dessert cookbook, Cooking Light Desserts is a good one to have.As others have alluded to, its small size does not mean that it is lacking in recipes.Rather, its size is more of an indication that it has been well edited to include only the best recipes from Cooking Light's pages.What you'll find is a comprehensive collection of classic recipes as well as some with more unusual flavors.In other words if you need recipes for things like pumpkin pie, lemon squares, oatmeal raisin cookies, banana pudding, strawberry shortcake, and fruit cobbler they are all here.I can't think of a single standard dessert this book doesn't have.

Beyond the comprehensive nature of this book another asset is the abundance of color pictures.You get a picture for each recipe, which isn't common in all cookbooks, but really helps to inspire the imagination and give you an idea of what the end result should look like.I love this because it makes the cookbook enjoyable to browse through.

The only thing that could have made this cookbook better would be increasing the size of the cooking class section which includes tips on stocking your kitchen, tips for measuring, and essentials for making staples like layer cakes and pastry.I would love to see even more tips on how to lower the fat in baking recipes in general for when I am trying to give my fattening recipes a makeover.

That small nit aside this is a fabulous book.I recently lent a co-worker my best baking books and this was one I gave her along with Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook.

Great Cook Book
I love this entire series by Cooking Light!I love the pictures and easy to follow recipes!I often make these desserts when entertaining, and no one knows that they're light!

I definitely recommend this book!
As has already been said in the previous review, this book is definitely a keeper for those who aren't necessary concerned about extreme low-fat/low-calorie recipes but would like to "lighten" the desserts you eat.These are awesome recipes and very tasty!!I haven't tried them all yet but what I have tried has come out really good.I definitely give it a 5-star rating!!

Indulge yourself in these "Essential" desserts that don't taste light.
I can't believe no one has commented on this book yet. It has the creme of the crop from years past, all with beautiful photos of the finished recipe. So far I have made: Double Crust Apple pie, Texas Sheet Cake, Pecan Pie, and the New York Cheesecake. All of them have been absolutely delicious, with easy to understand directions and ingrediants that can be found just about anywhere. There are many more that I have marked to try yet, in fact thumbing through the book I find very few recipes that don't make my mouth water.

Also included throughout the recipes are little tips and suggestions to help the beginner and more advanced cooks alike. Included in the end of the book is some general guidance describing various kitchenware and baking techniques. This would definately be helpful for the beginning cook. I would have liked to see a section that shows you how to take a recipe and lighten it up. However, take any of these recipes and search online for the full calorie version and it's not too hard to see where they make their changes.

What you may not find: Low carb dieters or people with diabetes probably would be best to look elsewhere. Cooking Light doesn't necesarily shy away from sugar, flour, or other carbs. Conversely the recipes frequently aren't low fat either. A lot of the recipes use small amounts of full fat butter and even occasionally shortening. If this scares you, you can pretty easily adapt the recipes to fit your diet (probably sacrificing some taste). This book focuses more on great taste and portion control. All the recipes have reasonable caloric levels, but sometimes there portion sizes are a little small, so if you worry about that "just one more bite" mentality... the recipes in this book could be dangerous. Myself, I portion everything out for the week. If I cheat early in the week, come Friday I am going to regret it because I won't have anything to eat.

On my final note, don't be put off by their "only" being 62 recipes in this cookbook. These are Cooking Lights best dessert recipes, no fillers. I'd much rather have fewer recipes if it means they are fully illustrated and top quality. ... Read more

Product Description
If you're trying to cut down or eliminate refined sugar from your diet, forget about artificial sweeteners—natural is the way to go. The Naturally Sweet Baker is filled with recipes for decadent sweet treats that replace granulated sugar with natural sweeteners such as honey, maple syrup, and molasses. Enjoy breakfast treats, cakes, cookies, ice cream, even crêpes and fritters. And author Carrie Davis doesn't forget about that special touch, with recipes like whipped cream, chocolate sauce, and crème anglaise. So don't deprive yourself, indulge! Become The Naturally Sweet Baker. Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth With: Jelly Doughnuts Peach-Raspberry Cobbler Aunt Josephine's Chocolate Cake Chocolate Brownie Espresso Chip Cookies Grand Marnier-Caramel Gelato Apple Custard Tart Walnut Baklava Pecan Caramel Banana Fritters Dark Chocolate Sauce Visit our website at http://www.mcp.com/mgr/macmillan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

let down
The book is beautiful.But I was looking for recipes that used mostly honey, maple syrup, or molasses.She loves using maple sugar and uses it in tons of recipes.I think maple sugar is too much like sugar and don't want to use it.I haven't made one thing yet because I don't have any of the things on hand to use.

Naturally sweet
This book gives information about alternatives to refined sugar.It is a very good book with excellent recipes (from simple cookies -the chocolate shortbread sounds terrific- to cakes and ice creams.But, something important, be ready to buy or order (there is a page of sources.Fantastic!) "Sucanat" or "maple sugar", "rice syrup" or "maple syrup".Because if you do not have these on hand, you cannot try the recipes.There are also some recipes with honey, an ingredient that is easier to find.

Easy to Enjoy
Most of the cookbooks I own come with the appliances I buy. This book is an exception. I enjoy the flavours of maple syrup and honey and was delighted to find a cookbook that caters to my tastes.I find the recipes easy to follow. I'm not an expert in the kitchen. Beside each recipe is a margin where the author has put some notes and room enough for you to enter any notes you may want to as well. At the end of some recipes are tips that give you a clue as to what to expect if you've never had the experience of, "Carmelizing Maple Syrup", for example. Another tip I really liked was the suggestion of using a variety of apples in my apple pie. That was a tasty surprise.The Pastry recipe, which she credits to Julia Child, is the best I've ever had. If you are a chocolate lover, try Aunt Josephine's Chocolate Cake. It's heavenly. I find the author's approach to the reader to be like a personal tutorial. It's like she's right there watching over and encouraging your every move. I haven't tried all the recipes yet but I'm getting a little braver as I tackle the standards: date squares, brownies, pies, and cookies. Thank you Carrie Davis for the "Naturally Sweet Baker".

Yummmy!
As a professed chocoholic I was prepared only to savour the chocolate recipes in Carrie Davis's The Naturally Sweet Baker. But to be fair, I didn't restrict myself to those, although there is an ample supply. And I have to admit, that Davis's Maple Mousse is just about the nicest dessert I have ever made or eaten! And my guests raved about it too.

Of course, Aunt Josephine's Chocolate Cake was a real winner as well. This cookbook is a great resource for information about alternatives to refined sugar in your baking, and an absolute treasure trove of recipes. Check it out for some fun, adventure and delicious treats! ... Read more

Product Description
For the first time, the chefs and instructors of the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu cooking schools have written a cookbook that will teach anyone, from novices with a sweet tooth to expert bakers, how to prepare beautiful and delicious desserts at home. Hundreds of techniques are explained in step-by-step detail, with more than one thousand color photographs illustrating the experts methods for success.

Even if you've never made a sugar syrup or rolled out a piecrust before, this is the book for you. The simplest of techniques, typically left out of most cookbooks, are covered in the greatest detail. When you've mastered the basics, Le Cordon Bleu Dessert Techniques will challenge you to make increasingly difficult recipes on your way to preparing dazzling desserts. For example, upon mastering the basics of grating, chopping, melting, tempering and piping choclate, you'll want to try your hand at creating choclate ribbons and culs, marbleized chocolate slabs, and lacy chocolate cups for truly spectacular presentation. Once you've reviewed the techniquws for baking perfect cake layers, you'll be reday to creat a Chocolate Chestnut Roulade or the classic and decadent Sachertorte.

After learning from the experts, you'll be piping meringue, whipping up chocolate mousse, and preparing Pots de Creme with ease before you know it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Very informative Book
This book is great, especially if you are an experienced chef. Being new to the chef field I found it a little over my head. As I gain more experince I find it more useful.

I love this book
I can just sit and look at all the pictures and feel just as satisfied as if I had eaten them.

Le Cordon Bleu
This a beautiful book with good pictures and recipes for desserts of all kinds.I enjoy reading and using this book.

?Ripoff photos?? I don't think so
Due to "A Customer"'s review, I tracked down Ultimate Cakes.A few pictures are similar, but are not the same.Bogus reviews don't help!If anyone knows of a better ILLUSTRATED book of techniques, please post.This is inspiring for visual learners.I haven't found a better illustrated dessert techniques book.

Wonderful help
Although this book doesn't have as many recipes as I'd like, it is full of techniques that enable you to utilize all the recipes you have.The full color pictures that go along with every technique were beautiful.I would have given this 5 stars except that there could be a little more explanation for the techniques in the back of the book.Overall, this is fast becoming my go-to book for creating spectacular desserts ... Read more

Product Description
The complete guide to preparing delicious desserts: low-carb and sugar-free!

If you are counting your carbs, diabetic, or just trying to cut back on your sugar intake, you have probably been craving the forbidden foods: cakes, pies, cookies, ice cream, and other desserts. Now, pastry chef Victor Kline has created over 100 delicious recipes to satisfy the sweetest tooth...even yours!

Over 100 Low-Carb Sugar-Free Recipes Including:

* New York Style Cheesecake
* Chocolate Chip Cookies
* Pumpkin Pecan Pie
* Tiramisu
* Fudge
* Chocolate Ice Cream
* Sugar-Free Sugar Cookies
* Pound Cake
* Chocolate Creme Pie
* Brownies

With the introduction of some remarkable sugar substitutes like Splenda, you can indulge in your favorite goodies without the guilt. With easy-to-follow instructions and easy-to-find ingredients, Cooking Well: Low-Carb, Sugar-Free Desserts is an essential cookbook for your kitchen. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

More than one hundred step-by-step, 'kitchen cook friendly' dessert recipes
One of the great culinary dilemmas facing dieters and diabetics is the question of appropriate desserts. Enter pastry chef Victor Kline's "Cooking Well: Low-Carb Sugar-Free Desserts: Over 100 Recipes for Healthy Living, Diabetes, and Weight Management", a 176-page cookbook compendium showcasing more than one hundred step-by-step, 'kitchen cook friendly' dessert recipes specifically appropriate for diabetics and dieters. The delectable dishes range from Almond Delight Spritz Cookies; Blueberry Muffins; Low-Carb Cinnamon Buns; and Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake; to Bake-Free Cherry Cheesecake; Pumpkin Pie Dessert Cups; Vanilla Praline Pecan Torte; and Banana Mousse Supreme. Of special note is an entire chapter devoted to toppings and frostings! From ice cream and other frozen treats, to fudge, chocolate, and candy delights, "Cooking Well: Low-Carb Sugar-Free Desserts: Over 100 Recipes for Healthy Living, Diabetes, and Weight Management" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to the cookbook shelves of anyone having to deal with diabetes and weight management issues.

Great Cook Book!
I received this book as a gift, and it was one of the best presents I ever got!
Love the recipes, and the "easy to put together" cooking.You want to use it, and then "just spin through" to see what else you can find.

PS - No relation to the author!

BOOO on the Negative Review
Since my Mom and Mother-in-Law both own this book I was very concerned over the negative review....until I did my homework. Being apprehensive over the carb count I did an estimate on random recipes in the book like the Raspberry Wafer Cookies (mmm) on [...] and I found my rough est. results to be quite reasonable to the book.I found ONE recipe that features a cup of sliced bananas.And as far as "low-carb"...yup, I'd consider 24g/C Splenda (recipe only calls for ½C) compared to 192g/C of sugar is pretty significantly low-carb in my book.

The author mentions several artificial sweetener conversions...not just Splenda. He also mentions the maltodextrin filler on pg. xiii in his book and, yes, you can buy "straight" Splenda...it's called liquid Splenda.([...])Also, the packets contain less "filler" (maltodextrin) than the bulk as well as Splenda with fiber.If you're counting every mico-gram of carbs there are options to bulk Splenda.I also found that the FDA has approved Splenda for diabetics on [...] in the diabetes section.So that being said, I'm very glad my family has a healthy, as well as a yummy, delicious, alternative to making high fat/high carb desserts.My homework is done!

Great Cook Book!!!
I found this cook book to be very awesome! I am not a diabetic, but I am borderline, therefore, I watch what I eat especially when it comes to sugar. Mr. Kline has done a wonderful job in putting together some wonderful sugar-free desserts that we all can enjoy, not just diabetics, because they are that good!!! I will purchase every book that he publishes because he does such a fabulous job and he really cares about people and their health!!! :-)

Not remotely low-carb
I bought this book because the author had been a pastry chef, and I figured he would know how to make desserts taste good. He may well know that, but he doesn't know ANYTHING about nutrition. Although he includes carb-counts for every recipe, I think he must have pulled them out of thin air, as they bear no relation whatsoever to the actual number of grams of carbohydrate in the recipe in question. Furthermore, to call these recipes "low-carb" is ludicrous: No recipe that features a cup of sliced banana (31 grams of carbs) per serving, plus sweetener, etc., is a good idea for diabetics or dieters or anyone who is trying to limit carbohydrates. Finally, Mr. Kline appears to believe that both Splenda and (astonishingly) the Splenda-sugar mix that is currently on the market, are free of carbohydrates. Sure, Splenda itself is carb-free. But you can't buy straight Splenda; the company markets it mixed with maltodextrin, so that it will measure like sugar, and that gives it a carb count of roughly 24 grams per cup. When a recipe calls for 3/4 of a cup of the stuff -- to serve two -- those babies are going to add up quick. As for the Splenda-sugar combo, hello? What part of "sugar" do you not understand?

This book is useless and a cheat. For Mr. Kline's sake, I hope he's not relying on these recipes (and his own seriously flawed information) to try to improve his health. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Good Little Dessert Book!
This book came right on time, as they usually do. If you like quick little desserts that are easy to put together... this is the book for you. I found that just about anything you want to make in this book will require ingredients that you will probably have hanging around in your pantry any way. Great for entertaining! Good book at a good price. I would say that this is not just for entertaining. If you are a working mom and like the idea of putting dessert on the family dinner table, these are so easy to do, that even the kids can help out and you will all have dessert in a flash!

WOW.. SO helpful
I'm a cookbook writer but I don't write too many dessert recipes. Normally because they take A BUNCH of time. This book proves me so wrong. I am now able to write my own .. It's excited and fun.. and easy and this book is a must if you need to make some quick deserts..

The tips and insights are wonderful for busy cooks
One hundred from-scratch desserts which can be put together in a half hour or less come from a busy mother and former pastry chef and offers a wide range of dishes, from cookies and puddings to ice cream. Shortcuts to extra-swift production range from using frozen pizza dough to make pie crusts to 'baking' cookies in a waffle iron. The tips and insights are wonderful for busy cooks who still wish to cook from scratch and make for an outstanding guide libraries will find a popular pick. ... Read more

Product Description
If you're lactose intolerant, avoiding cholesterol, limiting saturated fat, or simply crave sweets, prepare to indulge. Author Sharon Valencik demystifies the art of vegan baking and expands your culinary repertoire to include delicious dairy-and egg- free desserts for all your celebrations.

Over 130 recipes for decadent cakes, scrumptious cookies, creamy cheesecakes and pies, velvety mousses, puddings, and crèmes and other luscious treats are accompanied by mouth-watering photographs that provide inspiration and are a feast for the eyes. These desserts capture the same delicious flavors and textures of traditional favorites. As a bonus, because they do not contain dairy or eggs, they are cholesterol-free, have little saturated fat, and leave a smaller ecological footprint.

For the inexperienced baker and busy moms, these recipes are ncomplicated to make. Sharon's clear instructions and expert tips blended with everyday ingredients that can be found in a supermarket magically makes egg-less cakes rise, creates rich, creamy fillings without milk or cream, and cookies that have rich flavor and moist texture without the use of butter.

Omnivores of every persuasion will love the sensational tastes and appreciate the discovery of healthier dessert options.

Some of the recipes that will amaze guests and delight families include Midnight Cake with Chocolate Frosting, Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches, Coconut Tiramisu, Mixed Berry Cheesecake, Gingerbread Guys, Chocolate Mousse, Lemon Berry Tart, Fudgy Chip Cookies, Cappuccino Custard, Pudding Parfaits, and Three-layer Cheesecake Bars.

These are just a few of the endless possibilities of alternative desserts that can be made without animal products. Sweet Utopia guarantees sweet success. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Best dessert cookbook period!
I loved this cookbook!It introduced me to a world of flavors thatI had previously been unfamiliar with..With a wife who is a dietician, I am used to eating flavorful healthy food, but this cookbook really takes the cake.I really enjoyed eating the desserts, but the book is really a feast for the senses, incrediblephotographyand easy to understand and educational recipes. A wonderful way to live a kinder and healthier life.Highly recommended!

Genius!
My family has absolutely loved every single thing that I've made from this cookbook.I'm not one to shy away from trying new things in a quest to eat healthier, and I don't give up when I try something that doesn't work.I've made plenty of recipes over the years that were not "keepers" to be sure, but that is not a worry with Sweet Utopia.The author of this cookbook is a total genius, everything comes out stunning and tastes great.I have yet to find a recipe that's a dud in this batch.She must have the chemistry of vegan baking down to a science because it works.No cholesterol, no dairy or eggs.The included photos are brilliant, which is always a big plus for a cookbook.If you don't want to experiment and hope your dessert might work out or might taste alright, don't mess around, get this book and you can't go wrong.

Possibly the BEST DESSERT BOOK AROUND!
I purchased this amazing book several months ago, and kept telling myself that I MUST write a review because every single recipe that I tried was unbelievably amazing! When I buy a cookbook (and believe me, I buy LOTS of cookbooks, especially the ones that don't use any animal products at all) I expect some recipes to be good, but I know that there's always a couple recipes that won't turn out well, or that aren't as good as you think they'd be. These recipes are consistently amazing! I've made several of the items for my friends and people I work with, and they rave about how good they are. When it was a couple friends' birthdays / wedding anniversaries, they specifically asked for this book when I asked them what I could get them! What an awesome request! I'm always happy to buy this book for friends, and I'll keep buying it. If you're trying to decide which cookbook you should get, take my suggestion, BUY THIS ONE! You won't regret it!! ;)

The best dessert book ever!
What's amazing about Sweet Utopia is that the recipes are both easy and delicious! I made the ultimate brownies for a party with plenty of non-vegan friends there, and they were amazed that there was no butter or eggs in them. And the photos are spectacular. It is really a gorgeous book.I recommend it for anyone wishing to make spectacular desserts.

Absolutely Fabulous Book
Recently changing over from Vegeterian to Vegan I worried about what I was going to do about baking for the holidays. I had tasted many Vegan Deserts, from very well known places, only to find them dry and tasteless. Then someone suggested I buy this book and I am so excited that I did. I made the "Tangerine Glazed Zuccinni Cake" the other night and it was utterly amazing. It wasn't overly sweet, had a wonderful taste and was extremely moist. I feel like I hit the Jackpot with this book. Thank You Sharon for taking the time and patience to put together so many fabulous recipes for the vegans of the world who like to eat good food! Every Vegan needs to get this book!!!NOW!! ... Read more

Product Description

Those yearning to create more healthy treats will learn how to bake without the fats and hydrogenated oils found in common dessert recipes with this lavishly illustrated cookbook. Designed specifically for baking with olive oil, the recipes eliminate key ingredients—butter, hydrogenated oils, margarine, and shortening—that are staples in many traditional desserts. In addition to household favorites such as toll cookies, brownies, and apple pie, the cookbook features instructions for making more than 60 mouth-watering treats, among them chocolate chip buttermilk cake, silky cheesecake with strawberries, lemon sugar cookies, pecan coconut bars, and apple cinnamon rolls. Hints such as using egg substitutes and other ingredients to further lower cholesterol intake, substituting lactose-free options for those suffering from milk sensitivities, and a guide to the many varieties of olive oil are also included.

Customer Reviews (28)

Have your cake and eat it too!
If you want to lower your cholesterol but not give up sweets, this book is for you. It's not just sweets, but breads, scones, muffins, pie dough, etc..But beyond that, if you have food allergies or cook for someone who does, this serves double duty.The substitution charts in back allow you to swap out eggs (sev'l choices for sweet or savory substitutions) and dairy (even buttermilk) easily. You also have a conversion chart to use w/your previous recipes by swapping out high-cholesterol butter or margarine with olive oil, thereby making the desserts healthier and even lighter b/c the olive oil to butter ratio is less.I made Lemon Sugar Cookies and swapped out the one egg (b/c my toddler granddaughter is allergic) with 1/4 cup of applesauce. They were cookies we ALL could eat, they looked exactly like the picture, were delish, and received raves...better than a bakery. The book is esthetically beautiful to look out, makes a good gift or coffee table book; but this one will most likely take up permanent residence in my kitchen!

Olive Oil Desserts has some interesting options.
I haven't tried any recipes yet, but what I've seen looks good.
The book is in great shape, and was delvered quickly thru Amazon for a very reasonable price.
I know olive oil baking might sound unusual. I thought so too. However my dad used olive oil in a boxed chocolate cake and it was wonderfully moist.

AWESOME Dessert Book!
I've tried 2 recipes already and I'm in LOVE! Both desserts came out extremely delicious and they were very easy to make. I like how organized this cookbook is. It has substitution charts in the back. The pictures on this book are beautiful. I can't wait to try more recipes. My husband and kids really enjoyed the 2 recipes I made that they can't wait till I make some more.

good desserts
I've only made the "ginger roos" and they were very good!The rest of the desserts look like they will be great too, I can't wait to try them!The only drawback is there is no nutritional information with the desserts.This would have been a bonus for calorie counters.

Finally a way I can eat all the dessert I want!!
This cook book is not only really yummy, the recipes not the paper, but they're healthy (per se) for you ;)
All through-out are funny stories and quotes concerning food.It's also informative about olive oil and other oils: good and bad. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (32)

Helpful informative book
I loved the book, filled with great recipes, and fairly easy to find all the ingredients used :)

The best desserts ever!!!
This book is awesome! Since my wife got the book I have nothing but enjoyed every single dessert she makes based in this book. I absolutely recommend it! No doubt.

Easy, accessible, fun, and delicious!
This book is fantastic. When I first starting getting into raw, it was quite intimidating and it felt like I never had the right ingredients. I love this book because the ingredients are always simple and the recipe is always easy to assemble. I like that she tries to have all her recipes using the fewest appliances as possible and tells you what's optional and what can be substituted for convenience.

As for desserts, all the recipes are great. Lots of ideas for combinations and recipes for simple essentials like different sauces youcan add on anything you want. Everything I've made so far has been delicious and completely satisfies my sweet tooth without me feeling guilty!

Amazing Desserts!!!! Quick, Easy, and HEALTHY!
Have you ever wished that you could eat an entire bag of cookies and it would be the health equivalent of eating a bag of apples? Well now you can! (Well, kinda..) These treats are all so delicious (even to a junk food junkie like me) and they're totally guilt free! I was amazed to find that pure cacao has 30 times more antioxidants than green tea, so when I made the "Chocolate (insert your favorite fruit or nut here) Bark" (I made "Chocolate Almond Bark") I was able to eat as much of it as I wanted without feeling any guilt! The coconut ice cream was great and her liquid chocolate topping is amazing! I can't wait to make the Key Lime Ice Cream for my bf and the Almond Cacao Nib Cookies for myself! (I need to buy a food processor first.. which you need for many/most of the recipes, fyi.)

The most surprising part of these recipes is how EASY and QUICK they are to make! I mean, you have directions like "Combine agave nectar, cacao powder, and coconut oil in a mixing bowl. Add nuts. Pour onto a tray lined with wax paper and chill for 5 - 10 minutes." HOW EASY IS THAT?! Anyway, great book! I'm buying another copy for my mom for Mother's Day.

Ani's RAw Food Desserts
Very clear and doable recipes.Nicely illustrated and worded.I enjoy using it a lot. ... 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 sweet nectarines and raspberries. Or a comforting pear bread pudding made with brioche to soften a harsh winter's day. In RUSTIC FRUIT DESSERTS, James Beard Award-winning chef Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson, owner of Baker & Spice, share their repertoire of classic fruit desserts, including crumbles, crisps, Betty's, buckles, and pies that showcases the freshest in-season fruit available. Simple, scrumptious, and always a cherished favorite, these heritage desserts are (thankfully) experiencing a long-due revival. ... 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
Desserts are celebratory and provide an emotional as well as physical satisfaction. This collection of recipes for sin- sational sweets can be enjoyed without the guilt. They're all rich in wholesome, minimally processed ingredients and free of chemical additives and superflous fat.

Even if you're a novice baker, you'll be able to make rich, moist cakes, delightful cookies, and flaky pie crust--all cholesterol free. Designed as a complete course in dairy- and egg-free baking, readers can still go directly to any recipe; each one is detailed and complete. You'll learn all the tricks of the trade for making and baking : gels, creams, mousses, puddings, and sauces, cookies, bars, little bites, cobblers, crisps, biscuits, muffins, cakes (basic to elaborate), pies and tarts as well as fillings, frostings, glazes, and frozen desserts.

Dessert lovers everywhere will be delighted with these sumptuous treats and now those who are lactose intolerant, watching their cholesterol, or simply health conscious can have their cake and eat it too. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (45)

GREAT taste, amazing know-how, quality & cruelty-free - for the WIN!
To sum up - this book is worth its weight in vegan baking gold. You get an impressive spread of recipes that are not just scrumptious, but reliably sound. You get an education in baking and expert advice on how to work with alternative ingredients. You get a valuable reference book in the kitchen. And you get all this without eggs and dairy. Great taste, know-how, impeccable quality, and cruelty-free - it's a big win all around.

Some details: More Great Good Dairy-Free Desserts Naturally, is a dairy-free and egg-free dessert cookbook written by Fran Costigan. Fran is the author of several books and also teaches at the Natural Gourmet Institute in New York City. The book sports a recipe layout that is straightforward and easy to follow, with simple black text that makes it easy on the eyes, and a selection of glossy colour photography. It is 224 pages long and is divided into the following sections: Getting Started; Gels, Cremes, Puddings, and Sauces; Cookies, Bars, and Little Bites; Cobblers, Crisps, Biscuits, Muffins, and More; Cakes, Fillings, Frostings, and Glazes; Pies and Tarts; Fruit, Beverages, Frozen Desserts, and Confections; Bibliography and Reading List; Resources for Ingredients and Equipment; Organizations and Publications; and Common Weights and Measures.

In the kitchen: For the purpose of writing this review, I chose to bake up the Big Orange Bundt Cake (just like my mum used to make - beautiful crumb, super moist, and buttery without the butter), the Super Fudge Low Fat Brownies (super fudgey, moist and chewy, beyond decadent - the best brownies I've made so far), and the Pumpkin Pie (perfect - so much so, it did not survive long enough to be documented on film). In fact, I am quite familiar with this wonderful book, having previously made the Good Cornbread (I love that it's more savoury than sweet - and the optional slathering of organic maple syrup on top makes for a beautifully balanced contrast of sweet and savoury), the Chocolate Chip Cookies (wonderfully thin, sweet and chewy), the Coconut Cloud Layer Cake (a beautiful, fancy cake - no wonder Fran makes these as wedding cakes for lucky friends), and accompanying Island Coconut Cream Filling and Frosting (so good, you can eat it with a spoon - and I did). I have never been disappointed baking from this book. Fran is truly a master - not only do her sweet inventions taste amazing and brag fabulous texture and appearance, they're also filled with the best ingredients: Fran eschews the highly processed stuff and champions quality, organic, and natural ingredients. I appreciate that.

So we've established that these treats taste incredibly good and bake up reliably. But you get a lot more than just an impressive spread of fine desserts - you're also benefiting from Fran's years of baking expertise. This book boasts page after page of information, including tips and technique tailored to each section of the book, as well as detailed descriptions of ingredients and thorough explanations on how to use them properly. Did you know you can remove the beany-ness of firm tofu by blanching it in boiling water before using? Fran taught me that. Did you know that you can easily get a stubbornly stuck bundt cake to smoothly descend by draping a hot, wet tea towel over the tin? Fran taught me that too. Fran's explanations on how to work with less common ingredients like agar agar and kudzu is priceless.

I find myself coming back to this book time and again for reference on how to work with often tricky ingredients - it's that useful.

own lotsa vegan cookbooks
I haven't actually made any of the recipes yet as none of them initially appear appealing.

Prize-winning coffeecake and much, much more!
I have been enjoying this book for almost two years now. The first chapter provides an excellent overview of the different ingredients and sweeteners that can be used in vegan baking and is a good reference to have on hand, for both beginners and more experienced bakers alike. And the recipes are divine - in particular, I have made the un-coffeecake recipe dozens of times, and people cannot believe that it is vegan. Just this week, I entered a version of this coffeecake in our local county fair, and it took 1st prize. More proof that vegan desserts can 'take the cake' even in rural America. Other stand-outs from this cookbook are the blueberry slump (I've made the cranberry version), the grape tart in the cornmeal-pinenut crust, and the ultimate chocolate sauce. Oh, and the biscotti. And the scones. I could go on. Highly recommend this book. Note: there is a reliance on soy in a fair amount of the recipes. I have subbed alternate milks (almond, hemp, etc.) and the recipes have come out great. For the recipes calling for tofu (primarily puddings/mousses and frostings), I have looked to other recipes as I can't get tofu easily where I live. But these are a small percentage of the recipes in this book, so it is still well worth the investment even if you don't/can't do soy. Happy baking!

Great vegan dessert book
If you're looking for easy-to-make (and somewhat healthy) desserts, this is the book for you, especially if you're interested in vegan baking. I love the recipes and highly recommend this book.

awesome desserts
Haven't made one bad recipe from this book.Best vegan or nonvegan brownies ever! Lemon cake was delicious.I substitute agave nectar for maple syrup and barley flour for whole wheat pastry with no noticeable difference.Always get rave reviews. ... Read more

Product Description
From quick treats to impressive sweets, TEENS COOK DESSERT is a step-by-step guide to making delicious desserts—the kinds teens like to make and eat. Sisters Megan and Jill Carle understand what other teens know and don’t know about baking, and they clearly describe and explain everything their peers need to do to produce fabulous results. With an interactive, colorful design and tons of mouth-watering photos, TEENS COOK DESSERT teaches teens and tweens to be independent in the kitchen and have an awesome time while they’re at it. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent desserts!
My teenage daughters are very excited to try making the desserts in this book.The girls already made the Malted Milk Ball Cookies and the Malt Shop Pie.The recipes were clear and easy to follow and the results were absolutely delicious.

I think all teen cooks will find the recipes in this cookbook appealing.

Love this book, made a great gift
I bought this book (along with Teens Cook) as a gift for my two teenage cousins.Before wrapping the books, though, I spent some time looking through them.If the books had been around when I was a teen, I would have loved to have had them.As it is, I still may buy them for myself!

The book is filled with recipes that teens and young adults would actually want to eat, which is better than a lot of standard cookbooks.The pictures are great because they show every recipe.

I also enjoyed the casual tone of the book, since it is also written by teens, it is not condescending towards them.I look forward to more cookbooks from these two young women.

One of the Best
Teens Cook Dessert is one of the best cook books out there!I'm a teen myself (16 years old) and have read countless recipes and more cook books than I can count on both hands. This cook book is concise in its instructions, accurate in its baking times and pan sizes, has an amazingly wide range of delicious recipes of various difficulty, and includes helpful tips and fun facts scattered throughout. The one and only thing that I would include in this book is preparation times for the recipes (its rather annoying to begin a pudding and later realize halfway through that its going to take 5 hours to finish...).This book is appropriate for both the beginner and the seasoned kitchen veteran.

Teens cook dessert
Gave this book to my 11 year old... great to have fresh baked goodies these past few weeks!
Wonderful book design, my daughter loves the funky "messy kitchen" images.
In one recipe my daughter and her friend did not understand clearly that they should mix the flour AND baking soda together first. They added the flour and after mixing with the wet ingredients added the soda. Some advanced baking knowledge and experience is needed.

Marvelous Desserts
My daughter's friend gave her this book and Teens Cook: How to Cook What You Want to Eat when they were both 14.A year later, they have cooked almost everything in both books--by themselves.The authors provide clear directions and important tips.I've given both books as gifts several times.If only the girls cleaned the kitchen as well as they cook... ... Read more

Product Description
Deborah Madison, author of the bestselling Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, has enlightened millions of Americans about the joys of vegetarian cuisine. Now, after six books for the savory palate, she's finally introducing us to her spectacular fruit desserts—more than 175 easy recipes that are as delicious as they are healthful.
 
Have you ever bitten into a ripe, fragrant strawberry? Or a luscious peach, its juice dripping down your chin? Or a pear that explodes with flavor? Sometimes fruit, all by itself, just seems like the perfect end to a meal. Now, In Seasonal Fruit Desserts: From Orchard, Farm, and Market, Deborah Madison manages to improve on perfection, turning all of your favorite seasonal fruits into a cornucopia of decadent tarts, pies, puddings, and cakes.
 
Most of us find it difficult to incorporate enough fruit into our diets but with more than 175 recipes in this book, you'll find plenty of new, healthy and totally pleasurable ideas. Dessert doesn't need to be a complicated and time-consuming task after you have prepared a whole meal. These simple and flavorful recipes are easy to master and will delight your family and guests.
 
As an expert on local produce, Madison shows us the best fruit pairings for any season and where to find them all over the country. Did you know that the season for mangoes and strawberries overlap in Southern California making them a natural pair? Or that between November and April, there are plenty of citrus varieties—like Dancy mandarins, Fairchilds, Clementines, or honey tangerines—that find their way to shelves and markets? With recipes like Wild Blueberry Tart in a Brown Sugar Crust, Strawberries in Red Wine Syrup, Winter Squash Cake with Dates, Hazelnut-Stuffed Peaches and Apricot Fold-Over Pie, and even simple and beautiful combinations of fruits with the right cheeses, you will be introduced to many varieties of fruit from the exotic to the heirloom and dessert will be your new favorite meal of the day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (7)

fantastic desserts!!
This is a simply excellent book.The seasonal desserts are fresh and exciting!Deborah has a wonderful collection within its pages.

I love this book!
This book has so much information in it and the recipes are not complicated. I love a cookbook with pictures and the pictures are just beautiful. This is my summer read along with a few other cookbooks and I am enjoying reading every last word in the book. This is now one of my favorite books, I highly recommend it if you love to create fruit desserts.

Fruit Desserts
Deborah Madison provides some innovative fruit dessert recipes along with old favorites and variations on those favorites.

Good not great
This book has a scattering of gems - Broken Jellied Wine, Dark Chocolate Pudding to name but two - amidst a lot of good-looking photos (sometimes of the fairly obvious - Chapter 2 with its list of fresh fruit you can eat for instance.)If quality paper is your thing then this weighs upon the fingers too.So all in all I suppose there is just enough here to merit the purchase price (and, to be fair, I ought to re-visit again to be absolutely sure so I'm rushing to judgment somewhat) but I wonder if this will ever be one of those indispensable cookery books?

seasonal berry desserts
This book of seasonal berry desserts is wonderful! I can't wait to start making them! ... Read more

Product Description

Simple scrumptiously delicious desserts that taste like they're made from scratch

• Dozens of helpful hints for perfectly frosted favorites along with glorious goodies and gifts
• More than 125 satisfying shortcut sweets from creative cakes and confections to cookies New "quick-scratch" receipts for so-easy cupcakes, crisps, cobblers, pies, and pastries

Product Description
Transporting readers to three of the most romantic cities in the world, this beautiful book brings to life their old-world charms and architectural gems, and presents 150 impeccable recipes for recreating their legendary cakes and pastries in the home kitchen.

Vienna, Budapest, and Prague have a special hold on our imaginations, conjuring up a sense of timeless elegance, of historical and cultural riches–and of tables laden with the most extraordinary desserts imaginable. Rick Rodgers explores all these treasures in Kaffeehaus, a cook’s tour enhanced with stunning full-color photographs.

Rodgers visits such culinary landmarks as Café Slavia in Prague and Café Sperl in Vienna, sampling apple strudel, the Emperor’s pancakes, hot chocolate, and other classics and gathering the recipes (and secrets) of master bakers. With an attention to detail developed through years of teaching, he explains how to make the perfect accompaniments to a cup of coffee, as well as spectacular endings to elegant meals.

Filled with food facts and lore (from when coffee first came to Vienna to the great Sachertorte controversy), Kaffeehaus is a treat for armchair travelers and cooks alike.Amazon.com Review
Reading Rick Rodgers's Kaffeehaus is like strolling through the streets of three of the world's most romantic cities--Vienna, Budapest, and Prague--where the coffeehouse is the center of the universe and that little something sweet to go with your afternoon cup is considered high art. Eleven chapters on subjects ranging from "Sweet Yeast Breads" to "Strudels" and "Sweet Dumplings and Noodles" cover the gamut of sweets you're likely to find in the classic kaffeehauser. Rodgers provides recipes for such legendary treats as chocolaty Sachertorte, flaky Sour Cherry Strudel, sugar-dusted Banana Gugelhupf, jam-filled Linzertorte, and rustic but soul-satisfying squares of Plum Cake.

A renowned cooking instructor and cookbook author, Rodgers has developed the patient voice and attentiveness the job requires, and these qualities shine through in his inviting recipes. Though the book focuses exclusively on the impressive desserts found in coffeehouses, rather than those that are home-baked, Rodgers has developed recipes accessible enough for recreating such scrumptious treats in any home kitchen. Filled with culinary lore--from the scandalous story of Rigo Jansci, the handsome gypsy violinist who lured an American millionairess to leave her husband for a passionate affair and inspired the sinful chocolate dessert that now bears his name, to the great Sachertorte controversy that gripped Vienna in the 1830s--Kaffeehaus is a treat for armchair travelers and adventurous bakers alike. --Robin Donovan ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

Not Happy, Sorry
I have come to the conclusion that any cookbook in which the recipes origin are from any food service or in this case a Kaffeehaus I will not buy it. No food service business would ever freely give old, traditional or family recipes away. As a pastry chefwe change the recipe so that the customers think that they are getting the original one.I thought that maybe since the book was based on the kauffeehauses in Vienna, so far away, that there could be a chance of some good recipes. Some did work but far to many did not, usually the ones with expensive ingredients. The regular home baker may not know how to spot a bad recipe and some you can not. so "Beware" before you buy it.

Bring Vienna to your kitchen
It's an incredible shame that the publishing company let this book fall out of print because this is a stellar collection of recipes. If you don't own it, check for it at your local library. You won't be disappointed. We were recently on vacation that had us stopping in Budapest, Vienna, and Prague prior to the Christmas holiday and it's such a treat to be able to make some of these pastries and cakes at home. As an added plus, the book is beautifully photographed and is a joy to page through as you decide what to make. Although some of the recipes are complicated, the steps are nicely laid out so it feels perfectly attainable to bring these delightful desserts into your own kitchen.

The recipes can be done at home!
I bought this cook book before it escalated to the present $90 + dollar price, and I must say, to those of you contemplating buying it now - that it is probably still worth it.I have no culinary background, just a fondness for cooking, and I was able to reproduce the Esterhazyschniten that is featured on the cover of this cookbook, and mine turned out looking almost identical.The history, photos and recipes in the book are fantastic - I have made several now and all yield excellent results, including the Poppy seed cake and the Schniten above and a delightful triple layered cake with walnut, apples and poppy seeds.I gave that one to some other "gastronomes" who were delighted with it.The only thing I am lacking for creating more of these authentic desserts is time; the instructions are thorough, the recipes precise, and the history captivating.Buy the best coffee your grocer provides and create one of these almost heavenly delights.Its almost as good as renewing your passport and going there!

I bought one of these for a dear friend in addition to my own copy. I highly recommend this book!I would not hesitate to buy anything from this author, as he is logical and easy to follow.He manages to convey some of the fun that he had in experiencing the coffee hauses for himself.That makes this cookbook diverting.

A Book From Love
If you can find this book, for a reasonable price that is, get it. This book was done with great love. Reading through the list of ingredients and instructions, I came to realize that these recipes are no easy feat. I fell in love with this book, because it has put to use Farmers cheese which I have come to absolutely love. When your family or friends taste these recipes, they will praise you highly. All your love and labor would have been worth it.

As for some of the comments on this book.... There are no pictures in this book, but who cares. You can not eat the picture. You can eat the final product of the mixed and baked ingredients. I don't care for pictures anyhow, as it gives a view from one persons eyes as how it SHOULD come out. As long as you follow the wonderful directions, you will achieve succes in the preperation and the visualization aspect of the dessert. Have patience. Have fun. Experiment.

As for the comment of blandness... everyone is different. Add more sugar the next time, or more chocolate or fruit or whatever it is you like. There is no cookbook that exists that meets the needs or wants of every individuals palate. Even in Vienna. While assembling a dessert I sneak a taste here and there and usually I am able to tell what it needs more, or what it needed less of. Once it's baked, I can not do anything about it... Take notes and try again.

Also, one should always read a cookbook, especially, before attempting. I never take a book into the kitchen whils cooking, I always write the recipe down on a piece of paper for preservation of the books sake. Since this is becoming a hard book to find, I really want to preserve it. (This is for those who comment on the editing - For which I found no fault).

Anyhow, a GREAT book on desserts from exotic lands, to me at least, that I am sure will wow my guests or yours, at the range of our tastes/inspirations.
Thanks Rick Rodgers. Lovely book.

Enjoy.

Blanded down.
This is not a set or recipes from the coffee houses of Vienna, Prague or Budapest. These have been altered to fit American tastes in quite a number of instances. There are descriptions in the recipes where the author states this plainly, but he usually DOES NOT give the original recipe or any other indication of what the changes are.

Some of the changes may be trivial, or they may be large changes. Who knows without the original recipe ? However, the use of high fructose corn syrup in some of the basic preparations is an indication of the problem.

Having tried some of the recipes (I've only had the book for a couple of week so far), the results are quite OK, but I was trying recipes where I knew that they sounded like recipes from some of my other European cookbooks, and not the obviously altered recipes.

The lack of the original recipes makes this merely a nice introduction to these great desserts, but not a book to give you a 'true' taste. If you are in the US and an introduction is all you want, then this would be an excellent book, no question of it. Otherwise, there are better books out there.

(And on a purely personal note, a 'stick of butter' is meaningless outside of the US. Why can't the author use standard measurements ? That's what standard measurements are for. Yes, I can use a certain famous search engine to find out how much a stick of butter is in grams and write that alongside the recipes, but I shouldn't have to do so...) ... Read more

Product Description
Over 120 low-fat and fat-free recipes including breads, cakes, pies and mousses. Also gives a summary of the benefits of low-fat diets.Amazon.com Review
Having a sweet tooth is penalty enough in life. But thatsweets are usually accompanied by enough fat grams to patch HooverDam makes dessert time hazardous to your health. Dietitian Sandra Woodruff ventures where few fat-free cooks have gone before by creating more than 150fat-free and low-fat desserts that are tasty (we do not liveby tofu alone) and easy to make. Granted, these recipes are notsugar free, but the calories listed on many of the goodies are less than150, and on most, under 200 per serving. Full-color pictures accompany several of the more sophisticated presentations. Secrets of Fat-Free Desserts shows you how to have yourcake, eat it, and enjoy it, too! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Secrets to Fat-Free Desserts
Secrets of Fat-free Desserts (Secrets of Fat-free Cooking)

Yet another gift book for young couple building a healthy cookbook library.They love sweets, chocolate, cakes, cookies, etc. and this was a good addition to show there are decent alternatives to Butter, Oil, and more Butter.Not really secrets to experienced low-fat fans, but great for low-fat newbies.

Save your money!
I bought this book because it sounded like it would have good receipes. Once I got the book, I didn't find any of them appetizing.A good rule of thumb is if a recipe calls for oil, substitute apple sauce and you'll be cutting the fat..

Fabulous ideas to cut fat out of your diet
I know that some fat is good in our diets and I don't advocate eliminating all of it; however I know I personally can eat WAY too much in my desserts.This book has given me tremendous insight into how to reduce and/or cutout the fat in my desserts.The recipes are tasty, moist when they'resupposed to be, chewy when they're supposed to be, crisp when they'resupposed to be (you get the idea - these are not gooey, nasty fatreplacements).I especially like the Prune Puree and have used it inother recipes very successfully.I highly recommend this book as asensible addition to your healthy living cookbooks.

I HOPE EVERYONE BUYS HERE BOOKS
Well let's just say that I have been on a whole lot of diets and of course not lot the weight. I have felt bad about eating and used to think the only way to be slim was to starve myself, and I did. Then I was so sick of beinghungry and I went to the library in search of a cookbook on low fat foodsand found this book. I copied down some recipies and went home and triedthem. WELL I was so impressed that I bought the book and read the wholething and found out that I could eat 2000 calories a day and loose weight.I have bought 2 of her books and going out tonight to buy her fat freebaking book. To this day I have lost 35 pounds in 4 monthes with outdepriving myself, wy co-workers are always comenting on my snacking, causeI am always eating,and not just veggies either, I am a chocoholic!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ... Read more

Product Description
Finally, delicious recipes for cookies, cakes, and other baked goods that use no eggs!

Millions of people-- including 5 percent of all American children-- have a food allergy, and eggs are one of the most common culprits. In this easy-to-use collection of recipes, Rosemarie Emro presents more than one hundred crowd-pleasing desserts and other treats that contain no eggs. These are delicious cakes, cookies, breads, muffins, brownies, bars, pies, and cobblers with all the flavor, texture, and delights egg-allergic families have been longing for. Everyone who wants to avoid eggs can now rediscover the joys of baking.
... Read more

Customer Reviews (66)

A Great Cookbook in General!
I've almost never written a review, but I really feel like I should write one for this cookbook to vouch for it.

I've tried at least 6 recipes from this book so far, and I'm almost always pleased with the results.Sometimes the the baked goods don't turn out as exactly as I've expected, but they are nowhere near terrible!If you are an adventurous baker/cook who like to try out new recipes, you'd know what I mean.There may be nothing worse than cooking something that's absolute horrid, even if you follow the recipe exactly, and nobody would help you get rid of the food!The recipes haven't failed me yet.From coworkers, friends, to family members, everybody absolutely loves the end results. So far, most the recipes can be easily converted into vegan recipes as well.

As a lactose vegetarian (no eggs, but yes to other dairy products), this cookbook is wonderful.Whenever I tried to look for vegetarian recipes/cookbooks that is eggless, I was usually left with vegan or allergen-free options.While these recipes can be great, the recipes often need modifications or call for sometimes strange ingredients.The ingredients in this cookbook are all easily accessible in regular grocery stores.

Baked goods in general usually have eggs, so it's difficult for me to buy pastries that the world takes for granted. Whenever I see eggless baked goods, I jump on them.Now, I find myself hunting for buy ready-made baked goods less often, now that I have the bible of eggless baking!It is also relatively easy to modify the recipes for my vegan friends as well.The baked goods are absolutely delicious when I use fresh, organic ingredients.

I can't recommend this cookbook enough.Believe it or not, I actually put it down on my emergency packing list in case of natural disasters.

egg allergy
This book is the most useful cookbook I own. Most receipes are fabulous and I cook these desserts even when I could bake with eggs. My son is allergic to eggs andI floundered looking around for receipes for his birthday cakes.Now he knows that his cakes are just as good or better than cakes with eggs. I salute Rosemarie Emro for providing us with a beautifully simple functional cookbook that REALLY WORKS. I have about six other cookbooks which in all honesty I should just throw out because I never use them anymore. After having tried some receipes out in some books I'm convinced they've probably haven't pretested most of the receipes. Rosemarie Emro's recepies are fabulous and I just wish I could thank her personally for a job well done!

Store-bought cake mix?Why would I need a cookbook for that?
Anyone worth it's baker's beans will be offended by the cookbook advocating the use of store-bought "yellow cake" to bake the items listed. If I wanted to buy a cake mix to bake my cake, I would not need the cookbook in the first place.

Additionally, if you cook for an allergic child, then the last thing that you want to do is to subject your child to boxed mix packed by who-knows-how in some faraway lands.

That said, for a new baker this may prove a priceless treasure trove, but for those of us with a bit of flour behind our ears, this cookbook is a bit too basic and unnecessary.

Good recipes
This book has good ideas for egg free desserts.Our family loves the choc chip cookie recipe.
Glad I made the purchase.

Well worth the money!
I actually bought this cookbook as a gift for a friend's daughter who is allergic to eggs, but we ran out of eggs at home so my teenage daughter, who is learning to bake, decided to try a recipe from this book. The first recipe came out so good that she tried a second recipe today. Well, now, she is begging me to buy her a copy of this book, because even though we can eat eggs, the recipes from this cookbook have come out better than any other recipes that she has tried to make. The recipes in this book are not only good, but extremely easy for a beginner to make! ... Read more

Product Description
As Paula Deen will tell y'all, there's just no satisfying way to finish a delicious meal without a scrumptious, mouthwatering dessert!

In this beautiful hardcover edition of The Lady & Sons Just Desserts, Paula -- author, restaurateur, and Food Network star -- devotes her trademark southern charm to a tempting collection of more than 120 delightful recipes, guaranteed to indulge any sweet tooth. Whether you're baking for the holidays or an after-dinner treat, there are crowd-pleasers here for any occasion.

These are the classic down-home recipes that have made Paula beloved to her fans everywhere, from her signature Gooey Butter Cake and Key Lime Grits Pie to Pecan Shortbread Bars, Hidden Mint Cookies, and Iron Skillet Brownies. Whether you're whipping up an Old South Jelly Roll Cake for a weekday treat or baking the Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie or Christmas Nut Pie for a holiday celebration, these treats are as easy to create as they are to enjoy. The Basic 1-2-3-4 Cake -- in coconut (Jamie's favorite), caramel (Bobby's favorite), or chocolate -- makes a wonderful birthday surprise, and the Tennessee Banana-Black Walnut Cake with Caramel Frosting is a southern favorite sure to become one of yours as well. There is also a wide array of cookies, bars, and candy, including Savannah Cheesecake Cookies, Orange Brownies, Chocolate Brickle, and Creamy Caramels. Even the most time-pressed cook will find it a snap to create these from-scratch recipes, using Paula's tips for reliable convenience ingredients and time-tested shortcuts that will impress and delight family and friends.

Filled with warm baking memories and family stories, The Lady & Sons Just Desserts is already a kitchen classic. There are also helpful baking tips for measuring ingredients, storing leftovers, and even cutting a few calories, as well as tasty flavor variations and unique serving suggestions throughout. So bring the folks together to create your own memorable meals and occasions and remember to save room for dessert!Amazon.com Review
Warmly effusive and dear yet gritty, Paula H. Deen seems mythically Southern. But this cooking luminary, proprietor of Savannah, Georgia'sLady & Sons restaurant, is the real thing. The Lady & Sons Just Desserts, her all-sweets follow-up to The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook and The Lady & Sons, Too!, celebrates the Southern sweet tooth with 120 recipes, including traditional formulas for the likes of Brown Sugar Pound Cake and Lemon Chess Pie as well as best-loved restaurant innovations like Turtle Cake, Lemon Curd Pudding, and Gooey Butter Cake. ("These are very, very rich," Deen advises, "and a little goes a long way--even for piggies like me!") Lovers of the restaurant--which grew to prominence from $200 and lots of determination--as well as those seeking easy-to-fix temptations should put this book to happy use.

Among its wide-ranging recipes, Dessertsoffers Carolyn's Jell-O Cheesecake, Lauren's Chocolate Drizzle Pie, and Hidden Mint Cookies--recipes based on cake mixes and other convenience foods. These creditable sweets are of course work saving, but are perhaps better viewed as solidly characteristic of their time and place. Equally particular are candies like Mamma's Divinity and Uncle Bubba's Benne Candy, and "other sweet things," as Deen dubs them, such as Banana Split Brownie Pizza, Easy Homemade Oreo Ice Cream, and Fresh Apples with Butterscotch Dip. With asides by Deen family members, including son Jamie's "Food Is Love" ("I am right this minute 20 pounds over-loved," he writes), useful tips (Deen provides an "emergency" recipe for sweetened condensed milk), and plenty of piquant anecdote (after Deen had rattled on endlessly to her grandmother about her intention to open a restaurant, the older woman paused and replied, "Paula, have you lost you damned mind?"), the spiral-bound book is not only full of delectable eating, it's lots of fun. --Arthur Boehm ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Just OK, nothing more.
Recipes contained are ok.I've scanned through the book and there just isn't anything with a "WOW" factor.

Great recipes
I enjoyed reading this book and the recipes, some I will use and some I won't. But I thought the book was good. There is one thing I wish Paulas cook books had, and thats more pictures of the finished product. I'm one that needs to see what I'm suspose to end up with. Thanks again for the great reading.

Paula Deen Cookbook
This book was awesome. It was a birthday present and was very well received. It was in great condition and got here before the birthday. Will use them again,

Could be better
I love Paula Deen, and I love to bake.I am also pretty good at it.Most of the recipes are very tempting,but I do not like to use cake mixes and other pre-packaged food in my baking.I expected better from her.

Also, I have made 2 things so far.The orangebrownies, and the pumpkin squares.While the brownies were very tasty, the baking time was way off, and the glaze is very thick - way too thick to pour, as she directs in the recipe.It's a very simple recipe, and I am sure that it was a mistake in the instructions.

The pumpkin cake was very good, but that was because of the icing.The cake itself was bland and tasteless, and crying out for additional spice and butter instead of corn oil.I belive that a cake needs to stand on its own, and the icing just enhances it.

That said, I'll still use the book, but I am aware that I will have to make a lot of adjustments.

It's a cookbook.
So it's a cookbook, along with many others.It does have easily found common ingredients and the recipes are fairly easy to follow.Not a bad buy. ... Read more

Product Description
Four new, exciting titles build upon the vastly popular, collectible Food Made Fast series from Williams-Sonoma (Desserts, Simple Suppers, Small Plates, & Vegetarian). Featuring delicious food that is simply prepared, each book is designed for today's busy but taste-conscious cook. Welcome solutions make it easy to plan ahead and cook healthy, home-cooked meals in as little as 20 to 30 minutes, so your family can enjoy great-tasting dishes every day of the week, and you can enjoy more time with your family.

Food Made Fast Desserts shows you how to treat your family and friends to a simple yet elegant finale to a meal. Discover tempting desserts for any occasion that can be both satisfying and effortless all at once. Elinor Klivans is an award-winning pastry chef. She is the author of several cookbooks and a co-author of Williams-Sonoma Essentials of Baking. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Great!
Love all these books. There are often few ingredient and it is as promised quick to make and incredibly delicious. It made me love cooking again and was able to do with an infant.

Tasty recipes of many favorites, great pictures
I fully admit that I am one of those people that get inspired to bake or cook something based on the pictures, so it's nice to see a beautiful shot of each recipe in this book.
There is a nice variety of baking favorites and I'll be baking my way through this one :)
There are a couple of things that I felt were sort of sloppily done, which is why I didn't rate it a 5* (e.g. some page numbers in the index are incorrect and there is no recipe for the beautiful berry galette on the front cover - I assume it's meant to show an alternate version of the blueberry streusel galette on page 77, it's just not mentioned anywhere...)
I made the lemon tart with rasperries and it was delicious..the crust came out perfect and it was easy to make.The caramelized bananas with coconut are next!

An impressive diversity of recipes
Featuring an impressive diversity of recipes by award-winning pastry chef and cookbook author Elinor Klivans, "Food made Fast: Desserts" is a compilation of fabulous, elegant, sophisticated, but thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' delicacies that would crown any meal, celebrate any occasion, please any palate, and satisfy any appetite. Each of these desserts is beautifully illustrated with the full-color photography of Jeff Tuck and Kevin Hossler. The individual desserts are organized into three main sections: 30 Minutes Start to Finish; 15 Minutes Hands on Time; and Make More to Store. They range from an Italian Affrogato; Pears Poached in White Wine; Chocolate Mocha Mousse; and Plum Sorbet; to a Lemon Pudding Cake; Blueberry Streusel Galette; Hot Fudge Parfaits; and a Chocolate Icebox Cake. Of special note are the occasional 'Cook's Tips' sidebars; 'The Smarter Cook' commentary; and 'The Well-Stocked Kitchen' advisory. Published under the general editorship of Williams-Sonoma founder Chuck Williams, "Food Made Fast: Desserts" is highly recommended for community library cookbook collections in general, and the personal reference collections for time-stressed family chefs in particular!
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Product Description

Everybody loves dessert, but nobody loves the calories. Perfect Light Desserts offers recipes for desserts rich enough to satisfy any sweet tooth -- but with sensible calorie counts.

Customer Reviews (8)

Great book
I think this is a great book.It's perfect for those who enjoy desserts but don't want to over indulge.Nobody can tell that they are lighter recipes, which is great.My only complaint is that the book I received is missing a page, which means I can't make one of the recipes...It makes me not want to order from Amazon again.

High Quality
Like other reviewers, I have only had great success with all attempted recipes from this book.It has earned my trust - I know that the time and ingredients that I put into baking these desserts will be worth it.High quality all around!

I love good cookbooks
It is nice to find a book that is light and uses real ingredients. I do not like using any "fake" stuff when I cook.

Fantastic book!
I have by now made six of the recipes in this book, one of them (the brownies) three times. Most cookbooks that I keep have an eight in ten success record. This book, however, is ten out of ten. The brownie recipe is one of the best I've ever tasted and certainly the best I've ever made. The fruitcake ended up being the highlight of a recent holiday potluck. The coconut poppy seed cake was the perfect birthday cake, and the reason I'm reviewing the book at this moment is that I handed a slice of spice cake to a co-worker who praised it for a good three minutes.

I always knew Malgieri was a great baking book author. I didn't realize how great until just this moment. I haven't had a failure yet from this book, and I can't even say that about classics like "The Joy of Cooking." Bravo, Mr. Malgieri!

p.s. Buy this book if you want to make some scrumptious, lower fat and calorie, desserts.

a simple and easy book for the everyday baker
I am a starter baker, so my husband bought this book for me as a Christmas present.I love the concept presented here by Nick Malgieri - real ingredients (real butter, real sugar, etc), less the amount, and still delicious desserts.I have tried two recipes so far, and both have turned out well (even though the tart crust contains only THREE tablespoons of butter, a minor miracle indeed!).What I also like about this book is that the ingredients and the equipment are simple and common in local supermarkets.None of the recipes requires fancy, exorbitantly priced rarities from the other side of the world.In addition, the recipes cover a range of dessert genres: chocolates (with an entire section devoted to it), cakes, tarts and pastries, ice creams, cookies. Nick also teaches you the basics of ingredients and baking techniques, along with helpful tips - so the book is educational as well (my husband was reading it for fun the other day!).One thing that this book doesn't have, but that I would've appreciated having, is prep time.Otherwise, no complaints from me.I look forward to trying all the recipes in 2007! ... Read more

Product Description
Everybody loves a fool -- especially made fluffy with ripe strawberries or tangy apple. From the author of The New Irish Table comes this celebration of the Emerald Isle's classic desserts. From lemony puddings and marmalade-slathered scones to fruit-filled tarts and berry-laden crumbles, these contemporary renditions of the traditional desserts of Ireland make perfect use of common staples such as oatmeal, fruit, dairy products, and, of course, whiskey. Steel-Cut Oat Pudding is enhanced with orange zest, nutmeg, and plump golden raisins. A chocolate, walnut, and caramel tart becomes a treat for grownups with a splash of the hard stuff. A final chapter offers the most memorable of holiday delectables including mincemeat tarts, Christmas pudding, and a really good fruitcake. A glossary and source list define and locate unusual ingredients. With gorgeous painterly photographs depicting the food and countryside, this wonderful cookbook serves as a sweet reminder of the people and cuisine of Ireland. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Irish Puddings,Tarts,Crumbles and Fools Cookbook Praise
I received this cookbook in satisfactory time. My compliments to all that created this great dessert cookbook. I tried a few of the recipes and they are wonderful! If you like these types of deserts I highly reccomend it. The book has wonderful photos and quite a bit of regional information on the recipes and areas of Ireland that it includes.Irish Puddings, Tarts, Crumbles, and Fools: 80 Glorious Desserts

Great cookbook
A large number of excellent recipes. A must have for those who enjoy culinary adventures.

Very nice collection of Irish baking. Buy It!
`The New Irish Table' and `Irish Puddings, Tarts, Crumbles, and Fools' by Irish-American culinary journalist, Margaret M. Johnson who seems to provide low end books covering Irish culinary practice, beginning with her `The Irish Heritage Cookbook', also from Chronicle Books. The middle ground, being the `Julia Child' for Irish cooking is Darina Allen, along with husband, Tim Allen and mother in law, Myrtle Allen, all of the Cork culinary powerhouse, Ballymaloe House and Cooking School. The high end of modern Irish cooking is held by Irish-American culinary academician and chef, Noel C. Cullen. The ethnographic corner of Irish / Celtic foodways is filled out by `Celtic Folklore Cooking' by culinary writer and folklorist, JoAnne Asala of Chicago. There are many more Irish cookbooks to cover between now and St. Patrick's Day, but this pretty much covers most major points on the culinary compass for Irish cooking.

`The New Irish Table' and Cullen's `Elegant Irish Cooking' complement one another pretty well, as they both present recipes from modern Irish hospitality centers. The difference is that where Johnson is covering pubs and `bed and breakfast' style eateries, Cullen is covering dishes from Michelin one and two star restaurants in Ireland, as well as many of his own creations as a working chef, before he took up teaching at Boston University.

Between these two featured books, Johnson's Desserts book is a much more valuable addition to your cookbook collection, as it includes a lot of fancy and holiday desserts which I have not seen in any other good book on Irish cooking. The best thing about this book and its companion is that like a lot of Chronicle Books, it seems to be on a fast track to the Bargain Book table, both real and on-line. That means that at half price, this book is a real bargain for the cookbook collector with a genuine interest in dessert baking.

On the surface, this book seems to feature four basically different kinds of baking. The six chapters are:

1. Puddings
2. Tarts
3. Crumbles and Crisps
4. Fools and Flummeries
5. Tea Breads and Cakes
6. Christmas Treats

Anyone familiar with English cooking will recognize in the first chapter a wide range of desserts which the Anglo-Irish all lump together under the name of `pudding'. Actually, most puddings remind me a lot of French Toast, more properly called `pain perdu' by the French. They are all different ways of combining day old bread, custard, dried fruits and the like into a treat for the sweet tooth. Puddings and tarts, together, form a collection of dishes very familiar to those who know English sweets.

Crumbles and Crisps and Fools and Flummeries all seem remarkably like a style of dessert which is very popular in the United States and commonly associated with both the Pennsylvania Dutch and southeastern and south central styles of cooking. In Ireland, as in the United States, they are all primarily ways of combining stewed or jellied fruit with oats, milk and perhaps some custard. The thing that distinguishes `fools' from other similar desserts is the fact that they are made with gooseberries. A gooseberry, according to my `Berry Bible' illustration, looks a lot like a current, and just a bit like a blueberry, and seem to be common in the United States only in the northern west coast.

The breads and cakes chapter visits the most widely familiar realm of Irish baking, the world of soda breads and scones. This realm is covered much better in Tim Allen's `The Ballymaloe Bread Book', but the last chapter in this book makes the whole book worth the budget price of admission.

This last chapter is a bonanza for those looking for something interesting to bake for Christmas, especially if you are fond of confections which include a bit of stout or Irish whiskey in the ingredients. This chapter brings the tired old fruitcake into a whole New World of cakes, puddings, ice creams, breads, mince pies, and cider sauces.

The second book, `The New Irish Table' has but 70 recipes, all of which seem to be high end bar food, especially since about 75% of the pages are dedicated to appetizers and side dishes. The five chapters on recipes are:

Small Bites with 9 recipes for crackers, tartlets, pates, crostini, cheese bites, and chutneys.
Starters with 15 recipes for soups, salads, souffles, charlottes, sauces, and sabayon.
Main Courses with 16 recipes for fish, duck, chicken, lots of pork, lamb, venison, rabbit, and pheasant.
Side Dishes with 13 recipes of old standards such as colcannon, champ, boxty, cabbage, turnips, and leeks.
Sweets with 17 recipes for puddings, custards, brulees, cakes, tarts, cobblers, and crumbles.

All in all, if you already have one or two books on Irish savoury dishes and you get Johnson's dessert book, this volume becomes largely redundant. A lot of the sidebars between the two books are the same and the `Irish Table' simply confirms everything I already know about the heavy Irish use of apples, pears, berries, dairy, beer, whiskey, pork, and lamb.

Since you can get this cheap, I will recommend it as a small, inexpensive addition to your Irish cookbook collection. It may, however, be the first in line for regifting if you already own a few Irish cookbooks.

Home, Sweet Home
No, I am not Irish, but sometimes I wish I was, and this is one of those times. Margaret M. Johnson captures the charm andessence of the style and simple beauty of the Irish countryside and traditional Irish desserts without making themsentimental, or, heaven forbid, contemporary and up-town. These are comfort-food recipes that make me want to sit at a simple wooden kitchen table covered with a cheery tablecloth and a well-laundered napkin and be served a plate full of something gooey and rich and warm from the oven by my 'Irish' mother. I plan to make most everything in this book, but I started with the Simnel Cake because I liked Margaret's head-note about it, and, as she states, it is lovely to seve at tea ( and is a keeper ! ) and the Jameson Chocolate-Walnut Caramel Tart because,well, it sounded so.....good ( which it was. ) ... Read more