Product Description
Award-winning author and acclaimed baking expert Flo Braker knows the best things come in small packages. Now this acclaimed author is back with a revised and expanded edition of her beloved Sweet Miniatures. Winner of the IACP Single-Subject Cookbook Award, Sweet Miniatures offers rich, all-new color photography, a whimsically appealing design, and step-by-step instructions for making all kinds of delectable desserts scaled down to an irresistible one-bite size. Miniature chewy Panforte di Siena, crispy Florentine Squares, and tangy Shreveshire Tarts will whisk family and friends away on an exciting mouthwatering journey. Little sweet somethings-Candied Almond Clusters, Golden Caramels, and Toffee Butter Crunch-make a thoughtful gift during the holidays. From cheerful Chocolate Hedgehogs to a set of Midas Cups for adding that golden touch to a festive soiree, Sweet Miniatures has all the right ingredients for creating the perfect bite-size morsel to suit any occasion.Amazon.com Review
In Sweet Miniatures Flo Braker proves that it is a small world after all. But don't think of this IACP Award-winning cookbook as tiny. Rather, it's a comprehensive introduction to creating fabulous and impressive miniaturedesserts. Braker, a contributor to the San Francisco Chronicle andauthor of the much-loved Simple Art of Perfect Baking, offersstep-by-step recipe directions, a complete list of baking needs, andhelpful recommendations based on her own bakery and catering experience. Careful consideration is given to the basic art and science ofbaking, including sage advice on how to stock a kitchen with the necessary toolsand ingredients. Novice and advanced bakers alike will find educational tips such as how to temper chocolate, how to use a pastry bag with tips and a coronet, and how to make simple yet elegant decorations. Braker's focus here,however, is the miniature presentation, and she brings together more than 125recipes of sought-after minicakes, pastries, cookies, candies, andtarts. Popular favorites include Individual Lemon Meringue Tarts as well as traditional European favorites such as Shortbread Cameos, Viennese Triangles, Krumkake, Pistachio Petit Fours, Neapolitan Wedges, and the holiday favorite, Lebkuchen. Full-color illustrations complement the recipes.Braker even suggests storage ideas to protect the most fragile pastries and to maintain their even more delicate flavor. With such an inclusive, smart, andinstructional book Flo Braker lends credibility to the phrase "bite-size." Andit's a mouthful. --Teresa Simanton ... Read more

Customer Reviews (24)

A Hit at Every Gathering
I bought this book just so I could make a dessert for an annual Thanksgiving potluck.There were always so many desserts, and you couldn't possibly try them all!Miniatures were the perfect answer, especially because I could do most of the work ahead of time.

The little pies were such a hit that I have been making them ever since.In addition, I've done many variations on the fillings.Her lemon miniatures were delightful, but I've done all kinds.(In a rush?Grab a jar of Nutella and put a scant tablespoon in each shell.Garnish with whipped cream, chocolate shavings or meringue.)

I admit that I haven't used the cookie recipes -- I prefer the pies for most gatherings because it is easy to do a variety of fillings.I also find that it is easy to make the shells gluten-free; the texture is a little different but the quality is still excellent.

I have given several copies of this book as gifts, and they have always been appreciated!

opinion
This book is comprehensive and clearly written. My granddaughter and I will use it. There is an inconsistency in the measurements as not all are converted to metric even in the same recipe. I know it keeps down the costs but more photos would've been exciting.

Photos please
Like other reviewers, I was so looking forward to getting this book. I was disappointed not to find photos of the final products. How are you supposed to know what it's suppoed to look like without a photo? I'll be reluctant to try some of these recipes because I don't want to waste my time on a disaster!

Baking in Thailand
I already had this book but gave it to my family in Thailand. They opened a bakery in Chiang Mai and when I visited last yearI brought my copy which they use.I bought this as a replacement because I think so highly of this book and all of Flo Braker's works.

More pictures
More pictures would have made this book great.Reading the recipes are one thing, but seeing how they are supposed to look as a final result would have been so helpful.I will be more reluctant to try many of the recipes because there were no pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
350 top dessert recipes for anyone who's ever wanted to have the last course first
* Dessert Basics
* Cakes and Frostings
* Pies and Tarts
* Baked Desserts
* Cheesecakes
* Refrigerated Desserts
* Frozen Desserts
* Bake-Off? Desserts
* Cookies, Bars and Brownies
* Dessert Sauces ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great Buy!!!
This book was a great buy and had it faster than they said. The book was in a great condition. ... Read more

Product Description
Scrumptious, easy-to-make breads, pastries, and confections from a chef who is revolutionizing carb-smart cooking and eating

"Ursula has worked tirelessly to develop scores of recipes for breads, biscuits, pastries, cookies, pies, cakes, candy, and confections that are not merely low-carb, they're delicious to boot! Her culinary alchemy gives us all a leg up on the learning curve to make luscious . . . treats that, if we use them wisely, will make it that much easier to stick to the . . . plan for life."
--From the Foreword by Dr. Mary Dan Eades, M.D. coauthor of The Low-Carb CookwoRx Cookbook and Staying Power

Do you dream of the warm, satisfying taste of hearty brown bread or the flaky goodness of hot buttermilk biscuits? Do you long for fresh-baked muffins, the sweet chilled delights of peach ice cream, or the yumminess of blueberry pie? Now, thanks to extraordinary chef Ursula Solom, you can once again experience the full, rich flavor and satisfaction of these and all your favorite high-carb treats without compromising on your commitment to carb-conscious eating.

From Sourdough Bread, Cheese Bread Sticks, Banana Coconut Muffins, and Vanilla Cookies to Devil's Food Cake, Butterscotch Cream Pie, Peanut Butter Swirl Ice Cream, and White Walnut Fudge, The Low-Carb Baking and Dessert Cookbook is filled with more than 200 all-new, easy-to-prepare recipes for savory treats and scrumptious sweets that will satisfy your cravings while helping you slim down, shape up, and realize all the benefits of carb-controlled living--including keeping the pounds off. Each recipe features step-by-step instructions and complete nutrition information. Your whole family will love these recipes--and you'll enjoy eating all the delicious baked goods, desserts, and confections you thought you had to sacrifice for a healthy lifestyle. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

If you are desperate for baked goods....
In no way would any of these things be confused with high-carb counterparts!

BUT having said that, if you are truly desperate for bread and pasta, and it's going to make the difference for you whether you stay on this way of eating or not, it's worth a try to make some items from this book.

I found them to be mostly acceptable. I used to do a lot of baking so I'm not a baking novice; it's just that these carb-substitute items are just NOT the real thing. If you've been low carbing for awhile and are used to the typical texture and appearance of low carb baked goods, you'll do fine with this book.
If you are trying to relive your high-carb past with these items, you'll be deeply disappointed. A few things might even make you spit them out.

Overall it has some good ideas if you are stuck in the breadless rut and want SOMETHING to help you.

Mixed reaction
I come from a family that loves to bake, and homemade breads and cookies have been a staple in my life. I was so excited to find a cookbook devoted to low-carb baking, but I have to say that many of these recipes have not met my need for delicious baked goods. The cheesecakes are fabulous. The muffins are dry, but they pass muster for my morning breakfast. The breads and cookies, however, were so disappointing that my husband and I couldn't eat them. I discovered that I didn't like the taste of vital wheat gluten (a key ingredient in the bread recipe I tried) and the cookies didn't have near the texture I was looking for. I'm still glad I bought the book, but it wasn't quite what I was hoping for.

"real" baked goods
This cookbook is the best I've found for "real" taste and texture in low carb baked goods.Equipping your pantry with the right ingredientshelps to make the recipes simple. Most of the quantities are too large to eat all at once but freeze well individually wrapped. This allows you to mix up your treats by making a few recipes.

If you are diabetic or low-carb'g - buy this book.
I live in a rural area so it's hard to find a lot of the ingredients here. However, I found all of the products at a health food store in a large suburban area so the products are readily available for most people. The web site doesn't exist anymore that is referenced in the book. I made one recipe: the carrot cake. The cake was moist and surprisingly very similar to regular carrot cake. I was introduced to Xylitol with this book and I am very pleased with that product.
She has recipes for breads and pastries - like cinnamon rolls, yummmmm. The carrot cake was very good and did not taste low sugar or low carb at all. I believe that we should all get away from white flour and sugar anyway - the ingredients include almond meal, xylitol, oat flour, splenda, stevia, and there is a lot of fiber in each recipe. I am surprised the web site is not up. I'm also surprised more people are not talking about this book.

THERE IS A GOD...I SWEAR I'D DIE WITHOUT THIS BOOK!
THIS BOOK IS MY SAVING GRACE...IT'S SO HARD TO FIND ANY SATISFYING SCRUPTIOUS ALTERNATIVES TO OUR FAVORITE HIGH CARB COUNTERPARTS ANYWHERE, AND URSULA SOLOM CHANGES EVERYTHING WITH THIS BOOK.I ACTUALLY FEEL LIKE I AM CHEATING IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD.THESE RECIPES ARE DELICIOUS AND I ACTUALLY DO PREFER THEM TO THE "OLD BAD STUFF" AS SHE ALLUDED TO IN HER BOOK! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS AUTHOR AND HAVE BOUGHT THIS FOR MANY FRIENDS AND FAMILY. ... Read more

Product Description
For this collection, unmatched in the field of dessert cookbooks, Richard Sax devoted more than a decade to searching out and perfecting 350 of the world's best and most beloved home desserts. Everything the cook longs for is here: cobblers and crisps, cakes and cookies, puddings and souffls, pies and pastries, ice creams and sauces. Extensive sidebars - profiles of cooks, engaging recollections of favorite desserts, quotations from hundreds of literary works, and excerpts from fascinating old recipes - make this an indispensable, lively volume. Winner of a James Beard Award and a Julia Child Award.Amazon.com Review
Richard Sax has it right: the most accomplished pastry-chef creations don'tprovide the direct pleasures of good-old homemade desserts. Sax's ClassicHome Desserts, first published in 1994, more than makes the point. Aclassic itself, the book offers more than 350 clear, accessible recipes for theworld's home desserts--everything from cobblers and crisps topuddings, pies, and sauces to ice creams, simple pastries, and cakes of all kinds--while providing tips for success, a trulyuseful glossary of baking equipment, plus 48 color photos depicting theconfections in their simple glory. It's hard to imagine acook--would-be, amateur, or professional--who wouldn't want thiscomprehensive collection.

In chapters covering every conceivable homemade dessert type, which,besides those listed above, includes sweet pancakes and dumplings, cookies,creams, fools, jellies, tarts, and more, Sax offers a repertoire that'sboth old-fashioned, and, where desirable, innovative. (But discreetly so:he likes to add a little fresh ginger to his plum crisp, for example.) Therecipe titles tell all: Southern-Style Peach and Raspberry Cobbler, PeanutButter Pie with Fudge Topping, The World's Best Lemon Tart, DoubleChocolate Pudding, and Split-Level Lime Chiffon Pie are representative Americanofferings. Old World specialties include Sephardic Walnut Cake withHoney-Lemon Syrup, Ricotta Strudel from Trieste, and Custardy Prune Puddingor Far Breton, one of Brittany's best-loved sweets, among others. A fullrepertoire of cookies, from New Mexican Anise Christmas Cookies to 1950sPecan Puffs, makes the book a great holiday baking resource. Withinformation on techniques, historical and anecdotal notes, and reprints ofoldrecipes, the book is a trove of good information as well as greatdessert-making direction. --Arthur Boehm ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Sweet
Terrific recipes and the notes and comments Sax includes are just as delicious.

A must for anyone who likes to cook - and eat!

Historical research and background Information is well researched
This book in more of a contribution for its historical interest than its recipes. I found it very interesting. It is a interesting reference.

unsurpassed for home desserts
I am perplexed with the less than 5 star reviews for this superlative dessert book . I have owned this book since its initialpublication by Chapters Books. The pumpkin pie is the classic in its field, the lemon tart is stunning and the puddings are unsurpassed. I have not found a single problem with any recipe in over 10 years of use with this great,comprehensive book.

Unsure
I was very excited to get this book seeing that it got 2 awards.But I've now completed 2 recipes with less than stellar results.The first was, "All-time-best summer fruit torte".Now here is my odd experience.The batter before cooking tasted amazing which was very exciting.The torte looked beautifully decorative coming out of the oven.I had followed each instruction carefully.I served this for a party of 12 and not a single person said a positive word (my own disappointment was apparent when I took a bite myself - not even as good as a store bought cake!).Ok, so I gave him a second chance with Greek Custard-Filled Phyllo Pastry (Galaktaboureko).Thank heaven I didn't make the mistake of serving that one to guests!!!The recipe calls for possibly 4x the actual amount needed for the custard (I believe this to be a mistake, just look at the photo inside the book as proof!).It was a horrible wiggly mess (not a flaky syrupy dream similar to Baklava).I am almost out of hope, please tell me which recipes are sure to be true and a pride to serve!?

Superb dessert cookbook
Richard Sax has distilled the essence of quality desserts into this superb cookbook.The recipes use quality ingredients, and the resulting products are equally high-quality.There is no lack of butter, eggs or cream (read fat or calories) in most of the recipes, so they would not be appropriate for some.However, if you are looking for the kinds of desserts you might buy in a fine bakery, this is the book for you.I made the cheesecake and the coconut cream pie for Thanksgiving.Both were immediate hits. ... Read more

Product Description

Sumptuous dessert recipes that anyone managing diabetes can enjoy.

Everyone needs a sweet treat from time to time, and those living with diabetes are certainly no exception. Desserts can occasionally be enjoyed as part of a sensible diabetes meal plan.

150 Best Diabetes Desserts delivers a rich array of satisfying desserts that will appeal to everyone -- not just those managing diabetes. The full range of recipes includes muffins, loaves, scones, biscotti, cookies, bars, squares, brownies, cakes, pies, tarts, crisps, fruit desserts, and chilled and frozen desserts.

Some of the delicious desserts included are:

• Sunrise zucchini muffins; streusel apple muffins; sweet potato muffins
• Maple walnut biscotti; chocolate chip orange biscotti; oatmeal pecan shortbread
• Cranberry pecan oatmeal cookies; double chocolate raisin cookies; peanut butter fudge cookies
• Apple cinnamon bars; toffee bars; lemon poppy seed squares; chocolate chunk banana brownies
• Chocolate espresso cake; angel food cake; cinnamon date coffee cake
• Fruit gazpacho; sour cream apple pie; mango blueberry strudel; baked granola apples
• Lemon blueberry panna cotta; maple flan with walnuts; mocha ice cream; sunshine lemon mousse.

Each recipe features complete nutritional information as well as information in Exchange Lists for Meal Planning©. The first section of the book provides general information on diabetes and expert advice on its management.

150 Best Diabetes Desserts will be a cherished cookbook for anyone concerned about diabetes.

Customer Reviews (3)

Very Disappointed
Don't buy this book if you are expecting low carb alternative recipes.They all contain sugar and most of them contain lots of sugar.Often a very small portion will have well over 20 carbs.I could never use these recipes without significantly elevating my blood sugar.I tried substituting artificial sugar but then why bother buying the book?There are much better selections on the net - better tasting too.Grab you wallet and save your money.

Excellent Book!
I'm not diabetic, but I liked the idea of healthier desserts.None of the recipes are sugar free, but they do use less sugar and there are a lot of substitutions of yogurt, applesauce, or sour cream for oil or butter.I've only tried a couple of recipes so far, but I must say, they are delicious!!!I don't generally like lemon flavored desserts, but my family of three, including me, devoured all 20 servings of the lemon poppyseed cake in just a couple of days!The lemon lime cookies are quite similar to sugar cookies, but don't quite taste as sugary as sugar cookies.I didn't care for them as well as the lemon poppyseed cake, but they weren't bad, by any means.And the sour cream brownies, well, is it possible to say anything bad about anything made with chocolate???:)

Being diagnosed with diabetes does not mean having to go without dessert!
Being diagnosed with diabetes does not mean having to go without dessert! Compiled and edited by Barbara Selley, "150 Best Diabetes Desserts" is a compendium of kitchen cook friendly dessert recipes that include muffins, loaves, scones, biscotti, shortbread, cookies, bars, squares, brownies, cakes, cheesecakes, coffee cakes, pies, tarts, crips, fruit desserts, and even frozen or chilled desserts. Along with an ingredients list and cooking instructions, each individual recipe is also provided with estimated serving amounts, a nutrient description, and both American and Canadian exchanges information. Of special value are the 'Tips', 'Variation', and 'Make Ahead' tips scattered throughout the recipes. Enhanced with a section of full colored photos of finished dishes, the recipes range from Sunrise Zucchini Muffins; Oatmeal Orange Coconut Cookies; and Mixed Fruit Bran Bars; to Chocolate Angel Food Cake; Sour Cream Apple Pie; and Frozen Jamoca Mousse. Simply stated, Barbara Selley's "150 Best Diabetes Desserts" is an essential addition to any and all diabetic cookbook shelf collections. ... Read more

Product Description
Old-Time Brand-Name Desserts is a comprehensive, nostalgia-rich collection of recipes, advice, and illustrations derived from the author's extensive collection of recipe pamphlet books that were published between 1875 and 1945.Organized around desserts and updated for today, the recipes and accompanying tips and advice are culled from sources as diverse as Hershey's, Davis Baking Powder, Sealtest, Sunkist, and Maxwell House Coffee, and other seminal American cookery corporations.Gorgeous authentic artwork complements the recipes and vintage "Facts Worth Knowing."

Here is a unique celebration of comfort foods from the heyday of the brand-name recipe pamphlets so popular in America's early kitchens. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Good Recipes, But Not Enough Of 'Em
I picked up "Old Time Brand Name Desserts" on a remainder table and found the old-style recipes, aptly updated by author Bunny Crumpacker, interesting. The "Sour Cream Frosting" has been added to my repertoire as a great, all-purpose dessert topper and the truly unusual "Lemon Pie Unique," adapted from an old Sunkist recipe, is a show stopper of a dinner party dessert--looks great; a real "guest impresser." (My advice: add an extra half cup of sugar to cut the tartness. It's also great served with whipped heavy cream.)

My only complaint with this slim volume, which also features a wealth of "old-time cooking" trivia and lots of great artwork, is its brevity. At only 92 pages, including the introduction and index, this book only boasts about 40 recipes. And, if you figure that most people only find about a quarter of the recipes in any cookbooks appealing, well, that's not a great value.

As with any cookbook, I suggest a "try before you buy" philosophy. Most libraries boast an extensive cookbook collection. You can check out the book's value for free by taking it home and trying it out. If you're a real penny pincher you can simply photocopy any recipes you think you'll want to use again.

Cool cookbook with great vintage graphics and yummy recipes
As a fan of old cooking pamphlets, I love Bunny Crumpacker's secondcookbook. The recipes I've tried have yielded delicious results, and theentire book is fun to browse through just for its cool, vintage pictures ofrecipe pamphlets. The text is interesting and fun to read, too. It's agreat dessert cookbook for collectors (of cookbooks or recipe pamphlets),and for anyone who enjoys cooking and eating -- in a vintage mode orotherwise.

Lively, fun presentation & a "must" for dessert enthusiasts.
Recipes, illustrations and culinary advice from the recipe pamphlets of America's food makers from 1875-1950 make for a collection of dessert recipes which includes a rare glimpse of American food history. Addcolorful ad examples from different eras and you have Old-Time Brand-NameDesserts, a lively, fun presentation which will appeal to any dessertenthusiast. ... Read more

Product Description
Lindsey Shere, pastry chef at Chez Panisse since 1971, shares recipes for basic pastries, cookies, cakes, and creams grouped around their dominant ingredient--from apples and berries to dried fruits, chocolate, wine, and spirits. The subtle, surprising results complement seasonal menus. Color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

chez panisse desserts
Purchased this just before holidays so I have only briefly perused. I am anxious to try the recipes from this restaurant extraordinaire!

Fantastic Real Desserts
I bought this book for my culinary school educated baker girlfriend, and she loves it. The book is thick with hundreds of recipes and variations on them. Many of the recipes are classics or variations on classic desserts. Also, all of the ingredients called for are traditional, real ingredients. I looked through the whole book and found 1 mention of shortening and none of vegetable oil. The ice cream recipes call for the standard cream, milk, sugar, egg yolk, etc. Nothing in Chez Panisse Desserts is faked or shortcut. It's an outstanding book and one every dessert cook can learn something from.

Delighted!
I 'loaned' this book to my daughter five years ago, moved out of Berkeley, and waaaah! Couldn't find another copy in local bookstores, so tried Amazon. Terrific service by this provider.I am so glad to have it again - the recipes are wonderful!Thanks!

My favorite dessert book
This book has the best chocolate mousse recipe, far superior to anything else I tried. I have made a few ice cream recipes, tangerine mousse, various cobblers and crisps, and the taste was always superb, while preparation was usually easy. I have at least twenty other dessert cookbooks, but I use them for recipes not found in this one (tiramisu, for example). This is an outstanding book, a must for all who love fruit desserts.

Fantastic!!!!!
Get this book.I love it.Mainly fruit based desserts, a bit of chocolate and spirits-based recipes.Loaded with good ideas. ... Read more

Product Description

SWEET TREATS YOU'RE ALLOWED TO EAT!

Here are over one hundred delicious, nutritionally sound sweet treats everyone can enjoy. Specially created for diabetics and those with other sugar-related problems by nutrition consultant Coleen Howard, the candies and desserts featured will satisfy your craving for something sweet while staying within the limits of a diabetic diet. Some recipes are sugar-free, some contain a low amount of fructose. All comply with the guidelines established by the American Diabetic Association and each recipe includes a complete list of nutritional values per piece.

WHAT'S FOR DESSERT?

Get ready for all the goodies you've been craving-

CANDY TREATS, including sweet and delicious butter crunch, truffles, fudge, English toffee, citrus candy, and bonbons

SWEET SNACKS to satisfy "anytime cravings," including a tempting trail mix, peanut butter cookies, fruit and nut treats and pretzels

DESSERTS that are a cornucopia of sinfully delicious delights, including cherry cheesecake, orange pound cake, chocolate cake, peach upside down cake, carrot cake, cranberry banana loaf cake, fruit crepes, chocolate souffli, custard tarts, bread pudding, banana cookies, lemon squares, apple pie,

AND MUCH. MUCH MORE!

... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Diabetic Dessert Cookbook
Disappointing book.Recipes called for carob an ingredient not readily available at stores in my area.The recipes seemed too complicated.

Diabetic cookbook
Good book and delivered timely at a fair price.However, I purchsed it as a gift for someone, so purposely chose one that had the condition listed as indicative of no markings, etc.When I received it, I opened it randomly and the very first pages I opened to both had bright highlighter marks on them, as did a couple of other pages - so I could not give as a gift, which was the entire purpose of getting it, and had to go out at the last minute to a regular bookstore and pay full price for something similar.Now I'm out both the extra money spoent on the new gift AND the money spent on this that I now have no use for.Entire purpose of purchase was defeated because of overly-positive statement condition of item listed.Very disapointing. But delivered very promtly and was a reasonable price.

Disappointing
The Diabetic Dessert Cookbook -- Bad directions and serving size directions.Impossible results and conflicting information.Very disappointing.

no go
I was disappointed in this book. The recipes are not easy to follow and they have ingredients that are not easy to fine. I would not recommend it.

Good diabetic cookbook
This is an excellent diabetic dessert cookbook. The recipes use easy to find ingredients, and are easy to follow. It also gives exhcanges. ... Read more

Product Description
With recipes of glamorous by-gone desserts, and packed with history and anecdotes of famous classic restaurants and the people who frequented them, Lost Desserts features delicious and sometimes exotic favorites from the new world and the old.Conjuring up the heyday of Hollywood are such American classics as the Brown Derby’s Orange Chiffon Cake, Trader Vic’s Flaming Tahitian Ice Cream, and Chasen’s Banana Shortcake with Banana Sauce, while the old-world elegance of Paris and London is evoked with delightful concoctions like Escoffier’s Mont Blanc and Lady Jekyll’s Orange Jelly with Compote.The seventy recipes included here, adapted for the home cook and updated for the modern palate to taste as good as they look and are remembered, are organized by type of dessert, which run the gamut from Bavarians, Cremes, Charlottes, Mousses, Puddings, Fools, Jellies, to Frozen Desserts, and Souffles, Crepes, and Custards, as well as, of course, Cakes and Pies, Tarts, and Tortes.A lavish volume, Lost Desserts is illustrated with thirty stunning still lifes of visually spectacular confections, capturing the flavor and essence of the dessert cart era. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

What a find!
This is a fabulous addition to any cook's shelf! Wonderful recipes- many will remind you of desserts you had long ago and have since forgotten. Beautifully illistrated as well - and easy to follow - the wine jelly on the cover I made recently for a dinner party and it was spectacular!

yummy, yummy, yummy
From shoes, to beautiful women, to sweets, it is obvious that Eric Boman is a delight that is well worth savoring. Here, as in his other offerings, his talent is tastefully presented, both great to look at and a pleasure to read. His work warrents a coffee table of its own and a place in the living room of all who appreciate beauty.

I Found Heaven in Lost Desserts
This is the most beautiful cookbook I've ever seen. But that's not the reason to by it. Inside you'll find an array of wonderful recipes clearly laid out that will delight any guest lucky enough to have you make one of these creations for them. I have made the "Fane" several times and my friends were in heaven! I highly recommend Lost Desserts to anyone who longs to end a meal with something truly special. Buy one for you and send another to your best friend!

pleasure read!
Very pretty book with historical information, more of a cocktail table book than daily guide/reference.Great ideal and presented well.

Not as good as I thought it would be
After purchasing this book sight unseen, I felt compelled to write a review. My copy arrived today. It was a big let down, the rest of the photos in the book (except for 1) are not where near the quality of the cover photo. Lost desserts, suggests desserts from the past, the food stylist has obviously mixed up their history periods, as the photos are a clash of different styles. The line drawings of ancient jelly moulds between sections, are at odds with the rest of the book, as this type of thing doesn't even feature in there. If the book was attempting to say we can modernise these lost desserts, they fell flat in doing so, as again the food styling in photos don't pull it off. I almost thought at times, I was looking at photos from the mid 1980s. The recipes may be good, I didn't get that far. After a brief flick through, I gave up in despair.
It gets the thumbs down from me. ... Read more

Product Description
Award-winning pastry chef Karen Barker draws on memories of her Brooklyn, New York childhood and years of professional baking experience to present a collection of more than 160 recipes for classic American desserts for the home cook, from fruit pies and fritters to cookies and ice creams. Includes Barker•s signature (and favorite) recipes: My Cousin Steve•s Cheesecake, Cocoa Fudge Sauce, Blueberry-Blackberry Pie, Cornmeal Vanilla Bean Shortbreads, Blackout Cake, Key Lime Coconut Pie with Rum Cream, and Chocolate Chestnut Roll. Color photos. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Fun, delicious & entertaining cookbook!
I love it! I used my Mom's and now have my own copy to share with my 2 little girls as we bake up a storm! This cookbook is very eary to follow with simple, yet tasty recipes. Thank you, Karen Barker, for sharing such wonderful recipes and your personal touch to each of them!

What A Great Home Dessert Guide!
I've been a cookbook fan and user of Karen and her husband having enjoyed cooking from their cookbook, but now to have one devoted to Karen's outstanding talents and love for desserts is neat.

She has a philosophy here that should comfort and inspire: to get us back cooking our own desserts using great recipes.That's how she and previous generations learned, at the side of someone who had a great recipe.Her styling of this collection of desserts is with the home chef in mind.So, ingredients, techniques and equipment are with us in mind, and she tells us her preferences and what she used to make these.Also, she provides info as one proceeds with the recipe on what to expect, adjust, etc.

Most of the recipes are not complex, nor simple, but all delicious and most very unique and creative.But none of them are of that category of being "over the top" that would scare most of us home dessert makers to ignore trying them, except in those unique times when we would torture ourselves and our patience to take days to make a special one.None of that here!Just great desserts!

I've tried several of the following with great results and look forward to more of the same: Lime Meringue Tart; Blackberry Slump with Sweet Potato Dumplings; Bourbon Creme Caramel with Bruleed Bananas; Summer Cherry Berry Pudding; Dark Chocolate Peppermint Pattie Cake; Banana Upside Down Cakes; Pumpkin Cognac Cheesecake Brulee; Ruby Port Ice Cream; Purple Plum Rum Sorbet; Cornmeal Vanilla Bean Shortbreads; Raised Cocoa Waffles a la Mode.

There is much useful sections as well: Baker's Bookshelf; Sources; Equivalent Pan Sizes (this I find extremely useful);

All in all a most delightful and substantial dessert guide for just us home bakers.And great color photos of so many!

Well-rounded desserts for all levels of experience
Award-winning pastry chef Barker admonishes the reader (gently) not to skip the opening primer on techniques, tools and ingredients, and, along with the usual baking do's and don'ts, you will find useful information on the equipment and ingredients used in these American dessert recipes.

Her Basics chapter offers various pastry doughs as well as dessert sauces of all kinds, from classic chocolate to Concord Grape Syrup and Marshmallow Fluff.

All the classics are here, many with a twist (Apple Rhubarb Cardamom Crumb Pie, Goat Cheese Cheesecake in a Hazelnut Crust) and Barker offers homey tips as well as variations and serving suggestions. Notes throughout explain how to choose or handle specific ingredients, and recipes are very clearly organized and written.

Not just for bakers, there are ice creams; custards and puddings; pancakes, waffles and fritters; and numerous fruit desserts, baked and not.

With gorgeous photographs, lots of variety and clear, thorough instructions for success, this is a well-rounded book for beginners as well as experienced cooks.

Excellent Dessert Book If You Can Pick Only One
`sweet stuff' is subtitled `Karen Barker's American Desserts', that is, probably coincidentally, almost exactly the title of Wayne Harley Brachman's new book published a few months ago. In summary, both books are great treatments of American desserts, covering very much the same territory. Brachman's book is funnier and it may explain some basic techniques a bit more thoroughly. Ms. Barker's book is a bit longer, covers some topics in somewhat greater depth. Karen's recipesare centered in Southern desserts while Wayne's center of gravity is somewhere between Brooklyn, New York and Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I suggest you get both if you are a big dessert maker. Brachman covers doughnuts and does a better job on teaching piecrusts. Brachman's volume may be better for the novice. Barker's book has more recipes overall.

I recently reviewed Gale Gand's new book `short + sweet' on fast desserts and it is quite a good book for working with kids. Karen has definitely done desserts for grown-up tastes, in spite of the large number of peanut and peanut butter recipes. The presence of rum, bourbon, and Jack Daniels as ingredients is just one indication of how this book is aimed at adult tastes.

The reciped chapters in this book are named:

The Basics: A Baker's Building Blocks
A Pie Primer
Fruit Somethings
Custards & Puddings: Low and Slow is the Way to Go
Let Them Eat Cake
We All Scream for Ice Cream
The Joy of Cookies
Pancakes, Waffles, Fritters, and other Breakfast-Like Desserts

As cheesecake is actually a type of custard pie, you may be puzzled to find it discussed in the chapter on cakes. That aside, I found the Ms. Brown's recipe, techniques, and explanations for how and why a cheesecake can go wrong is quite the best I have seen. It agreed with and went far beyond Alton Brown's `Good Eats' cheesecake episode in achieving a primo cheesecake.

As with Brachman's book, the true subject of this volume is not as centered on historical American recipes as it is on recipes which are currently popular in the United States, whether they originated on these shores or are imports from England, France, or Italy. The book gives you a fair share of Crème Broulee, Panna Cotta, and Sabayon. It balances that with lots of true American classics like apple pie, `Sally Lunn' brioche like bread, Sumps, Crumbles, Cobblers, and Shortcakes.

The most distinctive strength of the book is it's very concentration on reusable techniques and preparations. It can very much be seen as an application of Ming Tsai's `Master Recipe' technique in the book `Simply Ming'. The approach starts in the chapter entitled `The Basics', but it permeates the book. The chapter `Fruit Somethings' in particular has several techniques for compotes, shortcakes, and syrups that may be used together with ice creams, cakes, and other pastries.

Please be careful to note that this book is not a general book on baking and does not cover a lot of baking topics. Conversely, it includes ice creams, sherbets, sorbets, and granitas, which may be a classic province of the pastry chef, but it is not baking. The book contains a great little bibliography with references to important modern works on baking.

My only disappointment was that the author chose to present only `New York' style ice cream, which is a frozen custard. A truer `American' dessert may be the `Philadelphia' style, which includes cream, but no eggs.

Highly recommended if you need only one book on desserts. Not easy, but the results are more than worth the effort. ... Read more

Product Description
A fresh twist on dessert. Vegetable Desserts shows you how to turn ordinary vegetables into extraordinary desserts. Twenty-four different vegetables add unique flavors and rich textures to this collection of 125 delicious recipes—while adding fiber, vitamins, and minerals. With reduced fat and calories, you can indulge in simple and sumptuous treats like:

• Sliced Green Tomato Pie
• Potato Fudge
• Honey Garlic Ice Cream
• Celery Doodles
• Cocoa Zucchini Cake
• Sweet Pea Bars

Customer Reviews (4)

Fun, yummy desserts even teens & my husband liked!
The zucchini brownie recipe is quick and yummy! I've made several other recipes in this book, too. They're fun and real conversation starters - just don't tell 'em what's in it until after they start eating! Here's whyI like the book: Great ideas, easy recipes, easy-to-ingredients. I recentlymade the brownies and the kids ate them up!

What a fun new way to serve vegetables
I enjoy cooking and trying new things.It is simply hard to believe the wonderous recipes that are presented in this book.We have all heard about the importance of vegetables, and this book gives a new way to "begood to yourself" while enjoying something that tastes wonderful. These desserts taste "too good to be true."

Vegetables like you've never had them (but always wanted to)
The experts are constantly telling us that we need more vegetables in our diet, but when the time comes to tell us *how* to increase our vegetable intake, they always seem short on appealing ideas. No longer! These authorssaw the problem and came up with a solution... or, rather, more than ahundred solutions: vegetable desserts! This is creative cooking at itsbest. The recipes range from the standard use of vegetables in desserts(like Rhubarb Crunch and Maple Sweet Potato Pie) to the downright unusual(like the Kraut Crisps or the beet-based Mystery Pie).The recipes are allfully analyzed for nutritiional content, and many of them are surprisinglyhealthy, like the Pumpkin Tofu Pie (which, believe it or not, is the bestpumpkin pie I've ever had!). There is also a lot of information aboutcooking and vegetables in general. This book is great for parents,vegetable fans, and anyone else who has a sweet tooth but cares about whatthey eat.

How to feed your family the vegetables they wouldn't eat
I have yet to try out the Danish Carrot Pudding but it will be on the table at Christmas. If you're a pumpkin lover - which is why I bought this book - there are 20 pages of recipes for pumpkin desserts. I'm working myway through them now. If anyone has any ideas on adapting the squashrecipes for Asian-type squashes, I'd be most grateful for some hints. ... Read more

Product Description
Delectable Low-Carb Desserts That Will Satisfy Your All Cravings

Have you been yearning for a rich slice of cake, a luscious piece of pie, or some chewy cookies but have yet to find a low-carb version that both tastes great and fits into your meal plan? Look no further than Everyday Low-Carb Desserts, where dietitian Kitty Broihier shows you how to make your own fantastic-tasting low-carb treats and add the fun, satisfaction, and sweet taste of dessert back into your life. Broihier has created innovative low-carb versions of all the traditional favorites without sacrificing any of the great flavors, and offers dozens more recipes that are sure to wow even the choosiest dessert lover. Everyday Low-Carb Desserts’ 120 recipes cover the full spectrum of sweets, from cakes, cookies, and fruit concoctions to pies, tarts, and puddings, and features a special section with fabulous holiday creations that will impress even those not eating low carb. Mouth-watering recipes include: Mocha Cream Torte * New York–Style Cheesecake * Chocolate Chunk Cookies * Lemon Meringue Pie * Pumpkin Bars * Cherry-Berry Cobbler * Root Beer Float * Butterscotch Crème Brûlée * Tiramisu * Rum-Raisin Bread Pudding * Pavlova * Key Lime Tartlettes * Chocolate Cream Pie * Favorite Peanut Butter Cookies * Chocolate-Glazed Raspberry Brownies * Kahlúa Panna Cotta * Caramel Ice Cream

Filled with helpful baking and preparation tips, delicious recipe variations, and nutritional breakdowns for each recipe, no low-carb cook’s kitchen is complete without Everyday Low-Carb Desserts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

needed expensive storebought mix
I wish I had been warned that I would need to buy things like Atkins bake mix and other prepackaged additives to make most of these recipes. I don't have the money or the access to Atkins bake mix; and if I'm going to buy that I may as well just buy premade low-carb desserts.

Sugar and prepared mixes in recipes
As an MS/RD author Kitty Broihier knows that sugar is a highly processed, high carb type of food.Just one tablespoon has almost 12 grams of carbs.Yet she includes this ingredient in many of her low-carb recipes.Broihier also relies heavily on prepared mixes to make her recipes work.Even more, sugar and highly processed flours are triggers for binge-eaters and out-of-control eaters, which may be a problem for up to 40% of the overweight population.I recommend George Stella's excellent book, Livin Low Carb, instead of this.

A Waste of Money
This shouldn't even be called a cookbook. It is completely useless. Almost every single so-called recipe called for Atkins Bake Mix. For those of you who don't know, Atkins stopped manufacturing this product years ago.

The few recipes that don't call for Atkins Mixes call for Sweet N Low cake mixes, a product which has as its first ingredient "bleached flour" and has 36g of carbohydrates per serving. HOW IS THAT LOW CARB?

Perhaps someone should have educated this author on the difference between low sugar and low carb.

Apparently, anyone can now add chocolate chips or coconut to pre-made bake mixes and publish that as a cookbook.

Not quite what I expected
Instead of original recipes, many of Ms. Broihier's call for using ready made mixes, ready made cookies and ready made chocolate bars...Notmyidea of a cookbook... what do I need the cookbook for? I could just bake the cake mix, eat the cookies and enjoy the chocolate as is.... the rest are pretty common.... take some heavy cream and whip it with some flavoring or other.....when she does offer some original recipes, many include non low carb items like real flour etc. Even small amounts, are not part of my ingredients any more....

I'm no dessert maker but this was easy
I purchased both low carbs cookbooks by Kitty Broihier.I am a vegetarian but still cook meat for my family, I get very bored with the same old stuff so these cookbooks have really helped me, I made the herbed top round roast and my husband and mother in law loved it.I also discovered the salads and veggie dishes in the back, I made the corn beef hash using a deli meat substitute- it was very tasty and I didn't feel like I missed the potatoes at all. As for the low carb dessert cook book I made 3 desserts for Easter (there were 21 people at my home)- pumpkin pudding, ice cream sandwich cookies, and the black forest cupcakes- trust me I am no dessert cook but these recipes were easy and yummy, I was completed in preparing and cleaning up ect... w/in @ 45 minutes, everyone tried them and loved them, there were no leftovers. ... Read more

Product Description
Amaze your friends and family with healthy, raw food dessert recipes. You can enjoy rich, delicious desserts made of the healthiest foods on Earth. When you see how easy Rawmazing desserts are to prepare-even a beginner home cook can whip together a gourmet dessert in minutes. You'll be hooked, and on your way to living a Rawmazing life! Every recipe is made from nutrient rich ingredients, and has beautiful color photos to accompany it. Rawmazing Desserts are healthy, raw, vegan, gluten free and dairy free. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Fabulous!
This one of my favorite raw dessert books. The recipes are truly delicious and easy to prepare.

LOVE THIS COOK BOOK!
I love this book. I am a raw foodist, but I make these recipes all the time for my friends and family that are not. I have NEVER had a bad dessert from this cookbook. My guests ALWAYS ask for seconds.... So good, so healthy and so easy. Susan Powers is a genius when it comes to making healthy, easy, gorgeous desserts! This cookbook is a must for anyone who loves dessert and wants to eat healthy.

These desserts amazed me - so easy, so good
Okay, full disclosure: I know the author, Susan Powers, and I helped her with this book. That aside, I would be writing this review even if I hadn't. Here's why: These desserts really are incredible. Delicious, easy-to-prepare, and there is not one 'bad' ingredient in the book. In the past, when I'd eat a dessert, I'd get a heavy, 'ick' feeling. When I eat these, unbelievably, I actually gain energy - without gaining weight. In fact, I was losing the stubborn 'menopause' pounds I'd been wrestling with for years. How could that be?

This book is a great gateway to the raw food lifestyle because people who think raw is too extreme are willing to try a chocolate nut brownie; a coconut macaroon... I'm bringing a raw torte to a family party this weekend - and I know that even our picky-eaters will take a sample - which I suspect they'll love!

Finally, the book is absolutely beautiful. Susan's a professional food photographer (is there anything this super-chef doesn't do?)

The best raw dessert book out there!
Wow!This book is not only full of fantastic recipes, but so gorgeous it could be a coffee table showpiece!Susan Powers is a master at food design and recipe creation.She is an expert in the field of healthy mealsand brings this knowledge to the table with these raw desserts.You owe it to yourself to get this book!

A treasure

This truly is an amazing recipe book! Every recipe has a full color photo and clear instructions.The ones I have tried so far are delicious and easy to make.Who knew that healthy desserts could be so easy, gourmet and also favorites of my family and friends!I never knew that raw food recipes could be like this. ... Read more

Product Description
Over the past 10 years, Elizabeth Falkner has transformed her bakery from a tiny space in San Francisco's Mission district to the country's ultimate dessert destination. In DEMOLITION DESSERTS, she presents her favorite creations, from the cookies, brownies, and cupcakes beloved by Citizen Cake regulars to the plated desserts that have made her one of the most dynamic culinary talents of her generation. Beginning with a chapter devoted entirely to chocolate chip cookies, Elizabeth breaks down classic desserts and reconstructs them flavor by flavor, with stunning results. Even her most elaborate desserts have been adapted for the home kitchen, and each recipe is equipped with a detailed make-ahead timeline and a minimalist version for those pressed for time. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Disapointing
I'm a professional cook and I bought this book knowing a bit about Elizabeth Falkner's work, but it didn't fill my expectations at all! No pictures of the plates, just few recipes not very interesting, You can find more recipes, ideas and pictures from her web-site. Wouldn't reccomend it. If you're looking for great ideas, fantastic recipes and pictures(wich is very important for a cook that wants to have an idea of plating or how this recipe is going to look like)..."Wild Sweets: Exotic Dessert and Wine Pairings" by Dominique Duby, Cindy Duby and Charlie Trotter is the book!

High art as baking
Elizabeth Falkner comes to her cookbook writing as an artist.Demolition Deserts refers to her efforts to deconstruct some classic recipes and put them back together in ways we may not expect. There are lots of high concept multi stage recipes to try as well as some simple but very yummy cookies.If you are looking for inspiration to jazz up a jaded desert plate this may be the book for you.I do think that this book is pegged at more experienced cooks with good basic skills.

Well worth a read
I find some of the other reviews on this book odd - this is a book review site, if you want to review her restaurants you are in the wrong place!Similarly, the author's television personality, whether genuine or created for that medium, are not relevant to whether this is or is not a good recipe book and worth buying.

Anyway the book itself.The positives: the humour of the cartoon illustrations, the introduction of more obscure ingredients and the imagination of the presentation.Finally, the best aspect of this book is the way that more detailed recipes are set out.This includes a timetable of how far in advance you can prep some of the components - this is a gerat help if you want a wow looking dessert for a party and don't want to have to do the work at the last minute.One negative is the disagreement between the weights and the volumes for some of the ingredients.As someone bought up on weights, and only recently started to use recipes with volumes, it's confusing if the two measures are not even close.Another issue is one of sizing, one recipe gave rise to portions about twice an appropriate size whereas another was about 2/3 the size of a regular portion, but each recipe that I have tried has worked.

Overall this is a good book for anyone looking for some imaginative dessert recipes as well as standard cookie/ cup cake recipes.

Like Wit for Chocolate
Elizabeth Falkner is a revolutionary pastry chef. She opened her Citizen Cake in San Francisco recently,bringing her unique desserts to the Bay Area and a wider audience. Falkner deconstructs basic recipes, giving them a new form. Creativity is her strength.

In "Demolition Desserts",the desserts are not only delicious to look at--but she has amusing manga-like illustrations from her brother of her punk rock alter ego Caremi Keiki. She throws in different ingredients-like blue cheese, goat cheese,cayenne, and pomegranate. Her chocolate espresso cookies are the easiest recipes in the book. The rest are elaborate, time-consuming,and have advanced equipment. She also brings in fun anecdotes. When giving the recipe for her lemon tart muffins-Lemania-she mentions how Inge,the mother of her partner Sabrina,is a fan of lemon tarts. She gives Tennessee Williams-inspired recipe names like Chocolate Tart named Desire and Suddenly Last Summer. There's the Love-lova,a variation on the Pavlova.

Falkner writes a delicious read! It's sweet!

YUMMMMY Cookbook, Beautifully done
I really don't like to cook nor bake, but I like to study cookbook recipes. And I love to partake in the mouthwatering delicacies that fill pages in good cookbooks-and if it is only desserts, all the better!

Elizabeth Falkner's Demolition Desserts is fierce and a work of art. Falkner divulges her secrets for creating the most mouth-watering, unique desserts, and you are treated to stunning photographs (not to mention helpful) of the finished product. The only way it could be better is if she delivered the desserts themselves with each copy of the cookbook.

Falkner begins with a section that focuses on ingredients, tools and equipment. It is truly fascinating to read about what ingredients she uses and why. Who knew there were so many different sugars, and the value of good spices. It never occurred to me that the fewer the ingredients, the greater part the flavors play in a dessert.

I love all things sweet, but if it is brown (chocolate), I am in heaven. I love the Chocolate Chip Cookies Straight Up or With Nuts (page 23). And I loved the information on how long the cookies should be cooked if you want soft when cooked, flatter but chewy or flatter and crisp. My husband gravitated immediately to the Tiramisushi. This is one I will make often. My son's favorite is The Real McCoy Ice Cream Sandwich.

Some other stars are: A Chocolate Tart Named Desire (sound sinful? Oh, my!) Karrot Keiki is to die for and I am still swooning over Lovelova (Persian Strawberry and Saffron Pavlova). The Citizen Shortcake is a winner and the Spanish Quincition will make your mouth water. I could go on and on, but won't.

This cookbook is so good you MUST buy it. While you're reading it, feast on the delectable Bananas Foster Cane Split. You'll have a smile on your face.

This cookbook is on my coffee table because it is not only beautiful, but educational and so interesting. Oh, the illustrations by Falkner's brother are quirky and so much fun. The directions are concise and easily understandable. It should be in every cook's kitchen.

Armchair Interviews: Don't lend this cookbook to anyone! It won't be returned. ... Read more

Product Description

With One Cake, One Hundred Desserts master just one basic cake recipe and you'll be able to turn out one hundred other desserts simply by adding a pinch of this or a dash of that.

Customer Reviews (6)

One Cake 100 Desserts
This book is very well conceived , well written and easy to follow. I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in baking cakes. This book supplies you with the information you will need to satisfy your sweet tooth, impress guest or simply enjoy the success of baking a beautiful cake, Enjoy!

Dessertlover
I am already familiar with Greg Case's delectable pastry desserts in the Boston area. His new cake recipe book gives a vast range of ways to take a familiar pound cake and make it into something that can satisfy nearly everyone's dessert tastes and need for something special.My wife and I will be trying out these recipes for years to come. This dessert book is definitely different and a welcome addition to our kitchen.

Good concept.
This book is great for a home baker.The concept is really great.It is truly, one recipe with many variations.

Destined to be my dessert cookbook cornerstone.
Who knew I was famous? But there I am, right there in the introduction. I'm the one always bringing the same dessert when I go out because that's the recipe I know by heart. But no more! I feel like I'm learning how to bake like a pro. This cookbook gives me the tools to be creative and infinitely adaptable just by mastering one simple but elegant recipe.

The directions are simple and straightforward, accompanied by warm stories and good bit of humor. Each new recipe flows naturally from the last, and I'm already coming up with creative new twists.

I highly recommend this cookbook for anyone who wants to increase his or her dessert repertoire painlessly.

Concept
Like the simplicity of the concept and the layout from the publisher. Same formula but 100 different tastes. I think this is great gift book for the Holidays. ... Read more

Product Description

In Retro Dessets, Wayne Brachman, executive pastry chef at New York's Mesa Grill and Bolo, presents the desserts you loved as a kid--only better. It's time for a trip down to memory-lane bakery, where the old fashioned desserts of yesterday have been revamped for today's kitchen. Imagine homemade cream-filled chocolate cupcakes (you know, the ones with white squiggles on top) or big, fluffy coconut layer cake that Mrs. Cleaver would be proud of. Or impress your guests with a totally hot and cool baked Alaska. They're all here in all their retro glory.

These desserts may be fun, but they have been created with a professional's eye and palate--they taste as good as they look and vice versa. Instead of the little packaged boxes of instant ingredients that were the start of many midcentury desserts, in Retro Desserts you'll find homemade gelatin salads (come on, admit you love them) made with real fruit juice and fresh fruit, comforting puddings, and marshmallows. Now you can fill your cookie jar with homemade versions of Chocolate Sandwich Cookies with Vanilla-Cream Filling, Vanilla Wafers, and Animal Cookies. Wayne gives the best-ever recipes for classics such as Strawberry Chiffon Pie, Banana Pudding (made with your fresh-baked Vanilla Wafers), Chow Mein-Noodle Haystacks, and Diner-Style Strawberry Shortcake.

Retro Desserts is as much a cultural history of the American sweet tooth as it is an indispensable cookbook. It's a blast to read and jammed with outasight recipes.

Showcased by retro-style full-color photography and artwork, headlines and excerpts taken from vintage magazines and cookbooks, these are well-tested, seriously fun desserts that really work in your home kitchen, making Retro Desserts a valuable addition to every home baker's cookbook collection.Amazon.com Review
Tired of tiramisu? Good. Wayne Brachman to the rescue. He's the pastry cheffor Bobby Flay at Mesa Grill and Bolo in New York City. For RetroDesserts Brachman has culled food magazines, newspapers, cookbooks,leaflets, and the like from the 1940s to the early 1970s for the classics ofAmerican dessert kitsch, turning up one horrid treasure after another. Themost frightening aspect of this book is the urge that comes with eachturning page to get into the kitchen and start baking, stirring, cooking,and re-creating. Why would anyone want to bake a Crazy Craters of the MoonCake with Moonrock Topping? (Miniature marshmallows--that's the secret ofthe topping.) But then Brachman shows you how to make your own marshmallow,reconstructing this entire processed dessert from scratch. "If you must,"he writes, "go out and get store-bought cookies or crumbs [for pie crusts].OK, it's extra work, but homemade cookie crumbs make a remarkably bigdifference in flavor." There are recipes for the home-baked equivalent ofthe Oreo and Cream-Filled Devil's Food Cupcakes, as well as StrawberryChiffon Pie, Banana Pudding, Bananas Foster, Strawberries Romanoff, LemonBars, and Cornflake Macaroons--all illustrated with the kitsch of the time.Fun as they all sound, the recipes bear the integrity of a fine pastry chefwho obviously likes a good time but is also serious about what he brings tothe table. Those may look like Ding Dongs you are serving at your nextdinner party, but wait until the flavor kicks in. --Schuyler Ingle ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

For entertainment purposes only.
I really wanted to like this book. I am an accomplished home cook and a lover of all things retro. I have several cookbooks from the 60s and 70s that I use when I want a retro flavor like fondue, chiffon pies, thum print cookies etc. This book has "updated" recipies and produce results that are unremarkable at best, downright awful at worst. My significant other loves boston cream pie. I became suspicious when the recipie for the cake part of the pie was the same as for the strawberry shortcake. It turned out like a shortcake (dry) with instant pudding tasting "cream" in the middle. We threw it out. I looked through the other recipies and compared them to original vintage cookbooks that I own and they are not the same. I remember Key Lime pie as a kid in the 70s. It was light and fluffy..and always green. Retro desserts does not call for anything to make it fluffy...no whipped cream or egg whites...no retro green food coloring. Its basically a non retro key lime pie. This book was aimed at making money using the "retro" theme that so many of us love because we like what we had when we were kids. Don't waste your money on this unless you want a book with pretty pictures but no substance. If you want the real thing, peruse antique shops and used book stores to find authentic retro cookbooks from the middle of the last century.

Three strikes and you're out, Brachman!
This book is a major disappointment.First I tried making the fried spaghetti cookies, which were totally inedible.Even though I'm an experienced baker and cook, I thought maybe it was my fault, but then I tried the recipe for vanilla wafers.They were NOTHING like any vanilla wafer I've ever had, and that's not intended as a compliment.They were basically just a crunchy little sugar cookie, and not even a very good one.Finally I tried the animal crackers- I really wanted these to be good so I could make them for my 1-year-old.They bore no resemblance to animal crackers/ cookies at all, and the flavor of the corn flour in the recipe was very distracting.They actually tasted a little like Wheat Thins, so I "salvaged" the rest of the dough by rolling it very thin, pricking with a fork, sprinkling with sea salt, and making into crackers.

I fear that Wayne Harley Brachman has taken a turn for the worse as one of Bobby Flay's pastry chefs.When are Flay and his ilk going to learn that you can't just throw together some random ingredients, flambe it with a blowtorch, and declare it a masterpiece?Taste matters!!!

Retro Desserts
Such a fun cookbook! The recipes sounds great. My only complaint is there aren't more pictures of these great blasts-from-the-past.

While amusing to read, not meant for cooking
Maybe like you I love to check out different cookbooks.This one seemed to be original in that it presented recipes that you may have not seen, or ones that you grew up with.Seeing nostaglic recipes always brings back memories.While I found this book a good read, the recipes aren't the best for the particular dish.

In the books favor it does a great deal to set the theme of "Retro" recipes.Their are funny little blurbs in the text that relate you to the time in which the recipes were written.Pictures are taken that definately bring you back to your Mom's or Grandmother's cookbook.Actually the pictures are one of the best parts of this book, the pictures are quite good, and leave your mouth watering.

Complaints that I have about the recipes steam from using cornstarch in banana pudding, while it works, flour is used more traditionally, and seems to give a better flavor than cornstarch.The recipe for Banana's Foster suggests bourbon, Banana's Foster is never made with Bourbon. I also have yet to see an old recipe for Chow Mein Hay Stacks that uses coconut.

While I think the book was beautifully made.The pictures are delightful, and will take you back in time.The book has many little blurbs that are fascinating to read.The recipes aren't the best thought out, and honestly do not always seem to be the ideal representations of the dish that is represented.

good book with great food
I've had the book for a couple of years and have made many things out of it.I especailly like the key lime pie.I've only had one problem with one cake falling and it was because I was living at a very high elevation.Otherwise its been a great book.I don't understand why so many people seem to have so much trouble with it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

The ultimate collection of mini desserts from a master baker.

Now you can enjoy all of the flavor of full-size portions without any of the guilt. Bite-size desserts make everybody happy. Renowned pastry chef Carole Bloom shows you how to create unforgettable mini desserts—the ideal sweet treats for people who always ask for "just a teeny tiny slice" as well as partygoers who want to splurge on two or even three different bite-size delights.

Treat yourself to a wide assortment of small sweets—including cakes, cupcakes, scones, shortcakes, muffins, pastries, tartlets, turnovers, galettes, cobblers, crips, custards, mousses, puddings, cookies, ice creams, and sorbets. You'll get detailed, easy-to-follow recipe instructions as well as tips on serving mini desserts for parties. Bite-Size Desserts is packed with tiny treasures guaranteed to delight your family and friends.

Recipe Excerpts from Bite-Size Desserts

Creamy Caramel Mousse

Bittersweet Chocolate-Mint Truffle Squares

Nectarine and Walnut Galettes

Customer Reviews (13)

Very Pretty, an Idea Book for Looking as Much as Cooking
Newly widowed, I bought this book to give myself ideas for smaller or single-servings of stuff I'd like to cook.Yes, I can always divide a cheesecake recipe into 16 parts and make small portions, but this is a pretty book to flip through for ideas that need no adjusting.I was surprised that many of the desserts are intended for cute individual guest servings (i.e., impress those folks with the daintiness of offerings, or let them chose more than one thing if they want).I bought it for single-person servings.Some recipes still need to be split into more than one eating session, but, hey, who's to know if I have left-over slightly-fallen chocolate souffle for breakfast.

Bite Size is the Right Size
This book is one of the best cookbooks I've ever owned. When we are all focused on healthy eating and weight management, it is refreshing to discover bite-sized desserts. Yeah! I can indulge my sweet tooth without eating huge portions of cake, pie and custards. When we make desserts bite-sized, we can indulge and still meet our goals for healthy living. I tested the lemon meringue tartlet recipe and loved it.Snall is beautiful! Can't wait to try some of the other sweet treeats! Just reading about them seems to satisfy the appetite.

Excellent
Cute.Easy to follow recipes.Fun to read and bake.Good book for beginners.

A good mini-desserts guide
Not long ago I purchased the book "Bite-size desserts".When I was recently asked to make desserts for a fundraiser for a non-profit organization (I do the baking for free and only get reimbursed for the ingredients) I decided to use recipes from this book because I needed to make small desserts.I planned 7 desserts for about 100 people (a 2 day baking marathon in my small home kitchen) and selected 5 of the recipes from Carole's book: Sour Cream Cupcakes, Lemon Tartlets, Madeleines, Filo Triangles, and Cardamom Butter Cookies.I made few adjustments to some of the recipes (for example the filo triangles I filled only with a tiny scoop of Nutella, in the cupcakes I replaced the cinnamon with vanilla, Madeleines I made with finally chopped crystallized ginger and in the lemon tartlets I replaced the meringue with fresh blueberries because of transporting logistics), but in general I followed all the instructions in the recipes.

The desserts were a huge hit and I want to complement Carole on her book.I found the sections on "'keeping" and "making a change" very useful too. I liked the overall selection of the recipes in the book and will certainly try to make many more.

There was only a slight issue for me with listing all the ingredients in one list and not separating them into a list for a dough or batter and for a topping or frosting.Couple times I put the whole amount (of sugar for instance) in the batter or dough and later as I was following the steps did I realize my mistake.Luckily I tested the recipes in small batches before I made a bigger amount.Once I figured the organization of the ingredients I carefully read each recipe before making it (which should always be done anyway) and noted on the margins the correct amounts. But this issue still did not detract from the overall value of the book.

Carole's book will be on my Christmas shopping list for all my friends who share my passion of baking.


Thanks for a great book.

veronika krejci
Denver

Bite-Size Desserts: Creating Mini Sweet Treats, from Cupcakes and Cobblers to Custards and Cookies

Offers tips on attractively making and downsizing desserts
Pastry chef Carole Bloom shows how to create memorable mini-desserts with a cookbook for any who want to downsize desserts into bite-sized pieces. From small cakes and scones to muffins, turnovers, cobblers and puddings, this offers tips on attractively making and downsizing desserts, with color sidebars of detail and attractive color photos throughout. Any general interest collection will find this appealing. ... Read more

Product Description
Learn how to indulge a dog's sweet tooth in a safe and healthy way with more than 100 canine-tested recipes for cookies, bars, cakes, muffins, and frozen treats. A perfect resource for dog parties, special occasions, and everyday treats, Doggy Desserts also provides helpful advice on ingredient selection, food preparation, and cooking techniques. "Bone" appetite! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Sweet Read!
I am very pleased to have acquired this book. We are wholefood junkies across the board here, and many of these recipes I would eat myself.

Unlike other canine cooking collections which I have perused, this book does not use a lot of specialty ingredients or those that are difficult to obtain. Many if not all of these ingredients are easily obtainable from reputable grocery stores, or health food shops.

There are no difficult techniques, there are no unusual inclusions. This is just plain, wholefood cooking, the way I feed my family, the way my daddy taught me to cook. I have no hesitation in recommending this to any wholefood enthusiast who wishes to include their four-legged kids in the food festivities.

The BESTdog treat cookbook!
I highly recommend this book to every dog owner.I have made a few recipes and my dog Millie loves them.I have even given some away to co-workers who have dogs.One of them has a dog that will not eat dog treats.She gave him one of the peanut butter carob cookies I baked and he ate them.There are many different types of yummy treats.I have purchased other dog treat cookbooks and this one is by far the best and my favorite!

A real winner!
Bought this book after looking at it for several months at the pet store!What a great investment...my two girls love every recipe that I've tried and I'm still working my way through the book.The favorites are the biscotti recipes; work so well that the vet thought I was a fanatic about brushing their teeth.I've made notes on each of the recipes as to adaptations to the recipe (doesn't everyone change a recipe, anyway?) I've recommended this book to every dog-owner that I know and have shared samples to get them hooked as well.Wish I had bought it sooner.So much more fulfilling to know what's going into their treats as well as satisfying my urge to bake.

best, best & best
this is the best cookbook i have ever owned, all the recipes are perfect and my 6 dogs loves them!

Not great
I tried numerous recipes from this book and most of them were not appealing to me or the dogs. The carob balls were messy and difficult to work with and the dogs wouldn't eat them.Some of the other doughs were dry and/or hard to work with.The peanut butter oatmeal cookies were good.And the walnut biscotti was good.It just wasn't worth buying the whole book for two recipes.I wouldn't recommend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com Review

Fast, simple, and really great meals for real people-from Sam the Cooking Guy

On his popular television show, Sam Zien shows regular people how to make great meals that are long on taste and short on effort. Sam might not be Michelin rated, but his refreshing approach to cooking with basic ingredients, simple techniques, and equipment almost everyone has at hand makes cooking simple, fun, and satisfying. There's no foie gras, truffle oil, or papillote involved and it doesn't matter if you can't spell "hors d'oeuvre." There are no fancy techniques or rare ingredients here, just great tasting food that anyone can make.

Awesome Recipes and Kitchen Shortcuts makes it even easier with simple tricks for preparing great meals on the fly. Turn a roast chicken from the corner deli into a fake pulled pork sandwich. Keep pre-cooked pasta in the freezer and bust out a tub of pre-made pesto for an instant Italian meal.

• Packed with simple cooking shortcuts that make great-tasting food simple-turn leftover roast beef into Shepherd's Pie or last night's French fries into this morning's Breakfast Burrito
• Includes shockingly good recipes like Cap'n Crunch Seared Tuna, Sam's Mexican Meatloaf, Blue Cheese Gnocchi with Bacon, and Pi?a Colada Pancakes!
• Based on simple ways to use easy-to-find ingredients, leftovers, and stuff that's in almost everyone's pantry
• Written by Sam Zien, host of the popular cooking show "Sam the Cooking Guy" and author of Sam the Cooking Guy: Just a Bunch of Recipes

Keep it real and real simple with Sam's Awesome Recipes and Kitchen Shortcuts.

Recipe Excerpts from Sam the Cooking Guy: Awesome Recipes and Kitchen Shortcuts

Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Pea Soup

Red Pepper & Blue Cheese Bruschetta

Customer Reviews (15)

This IS the best teacher of cooking you'll ever find!
Sam the Cooking Guy is THE BEST teacher there is. His recipes are excellent and his technics are down right simple. He is a no nonsense person that gives you recipes that you will love and cook them over and over again. Sam is the kind of guy you'd want as a friend. He is personable and has fun guiding you through any of his recipes. You will NOT be sorry you purchased his book and you will want them all!
Sam, I LOVE you!
Peace to you and yours.....

Easy Peasy
I have bought both of the "Sam the Cooking Guy" books and a big fan of the show. What I like is the recipes are simple and very good. His web site has some recipes and a few videos you can check out to get a idea of the style. Every recipe is easy to follow and emphasizes simplicity and easily obtainable ingredients.

Cooking shouldn't be friggin' rocket science!
If you love shows like 30-Minute Meals, you will love //Sam the Cooking Guy: Awesome Recipes & Kitchen Shortcuts//. Gourmet meals are not always feasible especially if you are living a fast-paced lifestyle; I kid you not, 20 minutes or less was all the time I needed to prepare most of the dishes in this book. The multiple, recipes for appetizers, quick chows, and beverages are also super handy especially if you have friends who like dropping by unannounced. And I have a confession to make: I do have frozen dinners in my fridge most of the time, but I appreciate Sam's take on making your own prepared BFF (Best Frozen Friend) because, as Sam says, "If I can keep something in my freezer that makes my food life easier, I will. And I don't care what the food snobs think." //Sam the Cooking Guy// is the perfect kitchen companion for those who want to keep it simple and use easy-to-find ingredients. If you're a parent sending your child off to college, this would be the perfect gift for them as well, because the effortless techniques will serve as a survival guide and keep you from worrying that they've starved to death!

Reviewed by Kaye Cloutman

Sorry Sam, but Im returning...
This book would be good for people who like the "semi-homemade" style of cooking. Lots of pre-made ingredients. I thought this book would be promising because of the good reviews, but this is just not my type of cooking.

Sammy boy you let me down...
I love Sam but this book is a let down. The first book ROCKS. I've bought several copies as gifts and would give it 10 stars if possible. This book is lack luster. Some of the recipes are like put peanut butter on the bread, then the jelly, then eat. Just basic common sense stuff. Not worth the money for this book. ... Read more