I Love Desserts: The Sweet Life

the appetizer:

Chanterelle's pastry chef, Kate Zuckerman, has created an array of exquisite treats in her dessert cookbook, The Sweet Life, including Brioche Pudding with Truffle Honey, Date Cake with Toffee Sauce, Pumpkin Chiffon Pie and Gingersnap Cookies.

The Sweet Life
Desserts from Chanterelle

by Kate Zuckerman

Click to Buy This Book

Kate Zuckerman, first-time author and pastry chef at New York City's four-star restaurant Chanterelle, presents a stunning and accessible collection of more than 100 dessert recipes, including Fresh Apricot and Almond Tart, Whipped Brown Butter and Vanilla Birthday Cake, Double Chocolate and Cherry Cookies, Espresso Creme Caramels, Meyer Lemon Soufflé, Muscat Grape Sorbet, Strawberry-Rhubarb Crisp, Roasted Apple Beignets with Cinnamon Sugar, Almond Honey Caramel Chews, and Thin and Delicate Peanut Brittle.

In addition to delicious recipes from tarts and cakes to custards, soufflés, and frozen desserts, The Sweet Life also offers in-depth explanations of methods and of chemical changes that occur in baking, along with fascinating histories and descriptions of key ingredients.

Zuckerman possesses the remarkable ability to create gourmet desserts that home cooks can actually craft in their own kitchens. Her warm, accessible tone will appeal to both the beginner and the advanced pastry cook. So whether making the Crispy, Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or the Cardamom and Honey Pistachio Nougat Glacé, readers will know they are in good, capable hands.

About the Author

Kate Zuckerman is the pasty chef at Chanterelle in New York City. She is one of the most acclaimed pastry chefs of her generation, having been named one of the ten best in America by Pastry Art & Design in 2005. Zuckerman began her culinary apprenticeship in Boston under Lydia Shire at Biba and Rick Katz at the Bentonwood Bakery and went on to work as pastry chef at Picholine in New York and Firefly in San Francisco.

Zuckerman's flavor-focused desserts, which are described as a "life-changing experience" by the New York Times, have earned her extravagant praise from every major critic in the New York area and have been featured in major publications such as New York Times, New York Daily News, Food & Wine, and Pastry Art & Design. Her website is www.katezuckerman.com.

Buy the Book

The Sweet Life
Desserts from Chanterelle
by Kate Zuckerman
Bulfinch Press
Hardcover; 224 pages; $35.00
ISBN: 0821257447
Information provided by the publisher.