125. The Art of the Dessert by Ann Amernick and Margie Litman

BOOK REVIEW: The Art of the Dessert by Ann Amernick and Margie Litman

Ahhhhh...the end to a meal can only be something that tickles your palate with its sudden burst of glucose. Wondering what I’m rambling on about? Well, dessert of course! The meal halts to a grind when dessert is served. Creme brulees, slices of devilishly dark chocolate cake, sinfully decadent pannacottas, and the list of desserts just never seem to end. Ever wanted to replicate 5-star hotel desserts in your own home? Then this may just be the book for you.

Named one of the top 10 pastry chefs by both Chocolatier and Pastry Art & Design magazines and nominated 5 times for the James Beard Pastry Chef of the Year award, Ann Amernick is one of the most accomplished dessert makers.

Now, in this deliciously inspiring cookbook, she shares nearly 100 recipes for artfully distinctive desserts – the summation of her long and distinguished career as a baker. Her creations often recall familiar foods and flavours – a cheese Danish, for example, or a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup – but in her hands, the familiar becomes truly extraordinary.

Spanning the whole range of dessert possibilities – cakes and tortes, pies and tarts, cookies and candies, cold desserts, warm desserts, and dessert sandwiches – this book is filled with recipes that are as innovative and sophisticated as they are homey and unfailingly delicious.

For each recipe, the author offers detailed, step-by-step guidance on preparation, as well as sidebars that offer options for embellishing the desserts when serving. 16 striking full-colour photographs accompany the recipes, along with Amernick’s “Trucs of the Trade” and expert advice on pastry making, including basic and advanced techniques, information on equipment and ingredients, and helpful tips on creating all kinds of dessert components and garnishes, from tartlet shells to fruit leather.

If you want to refine your baking skills and add some show-stopping new desserts to your repertoire, let this extraordinary cookbook by a master pastry chef be your guide.