Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes »

David Lebovitz is a pastry chef, author, and creator of the award-winning food blog www.davidlebovitz.com. Trained as a baker in France and Belgium, he worked for twelve years in the pastry department at the famed Chez Panisse restaurant in Berkeley, California. Room for Dessert, his first book, was an International Association of Culinary Professionals award nominee. He is also the author of The Sweet Life in Paris and The Perfect Scoop. David writes, blogs, and leads culinary tours from his home in Paris, France.

Pastry chef David Lebovitz is known for creating desserts with bold and high-impact flavor, not fussy, complicated presentations. Lucky for us, this translates into showstopping sweets that bakers of all skill levels can master. In Ready for Dessert, elegant finales such as Gâteau Victoire, Black Currant Tea Crème Brûlée, and Anise-Orange Ice Cream Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce are as easy to prepare as comfort foods such as Plum-Blueberry Upside-Down Cake, Creamy Rice Pudding, and Cheesecake Brownies.
 
With his unique brand of humor—and a fondness for desserts with “screaming chocolate intensity”—David serves up a tantalizing array of more than 170 recipes for cakes, pies, tarts, crisps, cobblers, custards, soufflés, puddings, ice creams, sherbets, sorbets, cookies, candies, dessert sauces, fruit preserves, and even homemade liqueurs. David reveals his three favorites: a deeply spiced Fresh Ginger Cake; the bracing and beautiful Champagne Gelée with Kumquats, Grapefruits, and Blood Oranges; and his chunky and chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. His trademark friendly guidance, as well as suggestions, storage advice, flavor variations, and tips will help ensure success every time.
 
Accompanied with stunning photos by award-winning photographer Maren Caruso, this new compilation of David’s best recipes to date will inspire you to pull out your sugar bin and get baking or churn up a batch of homemade ice cream. So if you’re ready for dessert (and who isn’t?), you’ll be happy to have this collection of sweet indulgences on your kitchen shelf—and your guests will be overjoyed, too.

Publishers Weekly

Starred Review.

An elegantly-composed collection of classics and contemporary riffs, former Chez Panisse pastry chef David Lebovitz's (The Perfect Scoop) latest effort hits the sweet spot. Artfully balancing accessible recipes for novices (the simple four-ingredient Chocolate Orbit Cake, the three-ingredient Peaches in Red Wine and Pistachio, Almond and Dried Cherry Bark) with ambitious-but -worth-it desserts like Banana Cake with Mocha Frosting and Salted Candied Peanuts and White Nectarine Sorbet with Blackberries in Five-Spice Cookie Cups, Lebovitz truly has something for everyone. Can't-miss combinations like Guinness-Gingerbread Cupcakes, Cherry-Almond Cobbler, and Orange-Almond Bread Pudding are sure to inspire a trip to the market, and riffs on classics like a French apple galette (updated here with frangipane, a rich almond pastry cream) and a lush Fresh Ginger Cake will appeal to bakers whose bookshelves are already groaning with cookbooks. The inclusion of Coconut Layer Cake, Vanilla Ice Cream, Meyer Lemon Sorbet, Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies, and Gingersnaps (including a fat-free variety) shows that Lebovitz also knows when not to mess with a good thing. Given its breadth, depth, and accessibility, readers with a passion for baking will be hard pressed to find a better guide to desserts this year. Photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Contents
 
Introduction, 1
Ingredients, 4
Equipment, 15
 
Cakes, 23
 
Chocolate Pavé, 25
Chocolate Orbit Cake, 26
Marjolaine, 28
Racines Cake, 30
Gâteau Victoire, 32
Chocolate-Cherry Fruitcake, 33
Maple-Walnut Pear Cake, 35
Guinness-Gingerbread Cupcakes, 36
Irish Coffee Cupcakes, 38
Persimmon Cake with Cream Cheese Icing, 39
Plum-Blueberry Upside-Down Cake, 40
Nectarine-Raspberry Upside-Down Gingerbread, 41
Fresh Ginger Cake, 42
Buckwheat Cake with Cider-Poached Apples, 44
Spiced Plum Streusel Cake with Toffee Glaze, 46
Cherry Gâteau Basque, 48
Kumquat Sticky Toffee Puddings, 51
Pumpkin Cheesecake with Pecan Crust and Whiskey-Caramel Topping, 53
Ricotta Cheesecake with Orange and Aniseed, 55
Date-Nut Torte, 56
Pistachio-Cardamom Cake, 57
Polenta Cake with Olive Oil and Rosemary, 58
Coconut Layer Cake, 59
Passion Fruit Pound Cake, 61
Banana Cake with Mocha Frosting and Salted Candied Peanuts, 62
Lemon Semifreddo, 65
Peach-Mascarpone Semifreddo, 67
Bahamian Rum Cake, 68
Coconut and Tropical Fruit Trifle, 70
 
Pies, Tarts, and Fruit Desserts, 73
 
Banana Butterscotch Cream Pie, 75
Lime-Marshmallow Pie, 77
Butternut Squash Pie, 79
Mixed Berry Pie, 80
Concord Grape Pie, 82
Peanut, Butter, and Jelly Linzertorte, 83
Apple Tart with Whole Wheat Puff Pastry and Maple-Walnut Sauce, 84
Apple-Quince Tarte Tatin, 86
Apple-Frangipane Galette, 89
Apple–Red Wine Tart, 90
Pear Tart with Brown Butter, Rum, and Pecans, 91
Brazil Nut, Date, and Fresh Ginger Tart, 92
Easy Marmalade Tart, 93
Freestyle Lemon Tartlets with White Chocolate Sauce, 94
Fresh Fig and Raspberry Tart with Honey, 96
Apricot-Marzipan Tart, 98
Cherry-Almond Cobbler, 99
Apple-Pear Crisp with Grappa-Soaked Raisins and Polenta Topping, 101
Peach-Amaretti Crisp, 102
Pineapple, Rhubarb, and Raspberry Cobbler, 103
Nectarine-Berry Cobbler with Fluffy Biscuits, 104
Baked Apples with Ginger, Dates, and Walnuts, 106
Very Spicy Baked Pears with Caramel, 107
Blackberry–Brown Butter Financiers, 108
Peaches in Red Wine, 109
Pavlova, 110
Summer Pudding, 111
Tropical Fruit Soup with Coconut Sherbet and Meringue, 112
Champagne Gelée with Kumquats, Grapefruits, and Blood Oranges, 114
 
Custards, Soufflés, and Puddings, 117
 
Coffee-Caramel Custards, 119
Chocolate Pots de Crème, 120
Bittersweet Chocolate Mousse with Pear and Fig Chutney, 122
Chocolate Ganache Custard Tart, 123
Orange-Cardamom Flan, 124
Butterscotch Flan, 126
Lemon-Ginger Crème Brûlée, 128
Black Currant Tea Crème Brûlée, 129
Super-Lemony Soufflés, 130
Apricot Soufflés, 131
Chocolate-Caramel Soufflés, 132
Banana Soufflés, 134
Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Blueberry Compote, 135
Orange-Almond Bread Pudding, 136
Creamy Rice Pudding, 138
Coconut Tapioca Pudding, 139
 
Frozen Desserts, 141
 
Vanilla Ice Cream, 143
Caramel Ice Cream, 144
Chocolate Gelato, 146
No-Machine Chocolate-Banana Ice Cream, 147
Mexican Chocolate Ice Cream, 148
White Chocolate–Ginger Ice Cream with Chocolate Covered Peanuts, 149
Butterscotch-Pecan Ice Cream, 150
Toasted Coconut Sherbet, 152
Chocolate-Coconut Sherbet, 153
Fresh Mint Sherbet with Figs Roasted in Chartreuse and Honey, 154
Wine Grape Sorbet, 156
Blood Orange Sorbet Surprise, 157
Sangria Sorbet, 158
Chocolate-Tangerine Sorbet, 158
Passion Fruit–Tangerine Sorbet, 159
Meyer Lemon Sorbet, 160
Margarita Sorbet with Salted Peanut Crisps, 161
Pink Grapefruit–Champagne Sorbet Cocktail, 162
Watermelon-Sake Sorbet, 164
Simple Cherry Sorbet, 165
Strawberry-Mango Sorbet, 166
Blackberry Sorbet, 167
Red Wine–Raspberry Sorbet, 168
White Nectarine Sorbet with Blackberries in Five-Spice Cookie Cups, 170
Anise-Orange Ice Cream Profiteroles with Chocolate Sauce, 172
Berries Romanoff with Frozen Sour Cream, 173
Tangy Lemon Frozen Yogurt, 174
Blanco y Negro, 176
Frozen Nougat, 177
Frozen Caramel Mousse with Sherry-Glazed Pears, Chocolate, and Salted Almonds, 178
Frozen Sabayon with Blood Orange Soup, 180
Kiwifruit, Pineapple, and Toasted Coconut Baked Alaska, 182
 
Cookies and Candies, 185
 
Chocolate Chocolate-Chip Cookies, 187
Chocolate Chip Cookies, 188
Chocolate Crack Cookies, 190
Flo’s Chocolate Snaps, 191
Black and White Cookies, 192
Peanut Butter Cookies, 194
Cheesecake Brownies, 195
Robert’s Absolute Best Brownies, 196
Brown Sugar–Pecan Shortbread, 198
Gingersnaps, 199
Nonfat Gingersnaps, 200
Zimtsterne, 202
Cranzac Cookies, 203
Orange–Poppy Seed Sandwich Cookies, 204
Rosemary Cookies with Tomato Jam, 205
Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons, 206
Green Tea Financiers, 208
Mexican Wedding Cookies, 210
Croquants, 211
Sesame-Orange Almond Tuiles, 212
Pecan-Butterscotch Tuiles, 214
Amaretti, 215
Almond and Chocolate Chunk Biscotti, 216
Peppery Chocolate-Cherry Biscotti, 218
Lemon Quaresimali Cookies, 219
Chocolate-Port Truffles, 220
Almond Ding, 222
Pistachio, Almond, and Dried Cherry Bark, 223
Spiced Candied Pecans, 224
Quince Paste, 225
 
 
Basics, Sauces, and Preserves, 227
 
Prebaked Tart Shell, 229
Pie Dough, 230
Galette Dough, 231
Pâte à Choux Puffs, 232
Sponge Cake, 233
Frangipane, 234
Pastry Cream, 236
Crème Anglaise, 237
Champagne Sabayon, 238
Whipped Cream, 239
Cognac Caramel Sauce, 240
Rich Caramel Sauce, 241
Orange Caramel Sauce, 242
Tangerine Butterscotch Sauce, 242
Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce, 243
Rich Chocolate Sauce, 244
White Chocolate Sauce, 244
Blueberry Compote, 245
Raspberry Sauce, 246
Mango Sauce, 246
Strawberry Sauce, 248
Blackberry Sauce, 248
Apricot Sauce, 249
Orange-Rhubarb Sauce, 249
Candied Cherries, 250
Candied Ginger, 252
Soft-Candied Citrus Peel, 253
Candied Orange Peel, 254
Pineapple-Ginger Marmalade, 256
Seville Orange Marmalade, 257
Plum-Strawberry Jam, 258
Fig Jam, 259
Quince Marmalade, 260
Tomato Jam, 261
Vin d’Orange, 262
Nocino, 263
 
Appendix, 265
 
Acknowledgments, 269
 
Resources, 270
 
Index, 272