Desserted: Recipes and Tales from an Island Chocolatier [Hardcover]

Kate Shaffer (Author), Linda Greenlaw (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 16, 2011

If you've ever had a fantasy of living on a Maine island, this book is for you. It,s just icing on the cake it that is also happens to involve chocolate. Kate Shaffer and her husband moved to remote Isle au Haut nearly seven years ago. Once there, they were inspired to open a chocolate company and cafe featuring delicious chocolate and fresh Maine ingredients. Now their products are shipped all over the world ~ and their island cafe is a true Maine destination. This armchair travel log and cookbook all in one describes the fantasies ~ and fantastic realities ~ of island life in Maine while featuring more than forty-five of Shaffer,s delicious recipes for her renowned chocolates and chocolate-inspired recipes from her seasonal cafe.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Kate Shaffer was recently named one of the top ten chocolatiers in North America by Dessert Professional magazine.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 176 pages
• Publisher: Down East Books (November 16, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0892729910
• ISBN-13: 978-0892729913
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 7.2 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #610,099 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars much more than a cookbook October 10, 2011

By kfknight

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this cookbook thinking it would be a nice addition to my forays as a personal chef; but I found it to be much more. The recipes are truly spectacular, and the step-by-step for tempering chocolate made me ready to leap into that mysterious world of shiny truffles.

But what I didn't expect, and what I will cherish this cookbook for, is the beautiful, honest and sweet tales of a life lived on a tiny island ~ with nothing but a curious spirit, love, neighbors and a drive to do what makes you happy.

It's what would happen if you combined Marcella Hazan's early Italian cookbooks (so full of life) and Elizabeth Gilbert's "Eat, Pray Love"... only better.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Shaffer's Desserted is a Rich Oasis December 18, 2011

By emily bateman

Format:Hardcover

Shaffer's DESSERTED is a rich oasis in flavor, photography and narrative. Her Maine-based tales are so inspiring I'm tempted each day to put down the briefcase and pick up a spatula. After trying Shaffer's impeccable Black Dinah chocolates, I had to have this book. Like her chocolates, each piece within DESSERTED transports you to a foreign land. With her masterful recipes, I can share this warmth and feeling with friends and family for the holidays. I know everyone is going to love her Chocolate Gingerbread Pancakes on Christmas morning!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars beautiful! December 10, 2011

By michael Rossney

Format:Hardcover

This book isn't only a great cookbook it's absolutely stunning, from the writing to the photography to the quality of the paper. It is currently my bedside reading.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended: Expert, Accessible, Enjoyable December 6, 2011

By H. Roth

Format:Hardcover

Finding a cookbook with highly-developed instructions written in plain language can be hard to find. Kate Shaffer has created such a jewel in this cookbook. In addition, the printed addition is gorgeous. The author's facile language, interesting story and stunning recipes result in a highly recommended book.

I enjoyed how things started right up at the beginning of the book. Ms. Shaffer goes to Maine to get a chef job with plenty of ability and experience but lacking formal training. Turns out, her potential employers find this a positive and the journey begins.

You'll travel with Ms. Shaffer and eat well along the way. Even a beginner can succeed with chocolate making thanks to this book--everything you need is made available including things that are reasonable such as how and why ot choose a particular type of chocolate for your recipes.

Family and friends tasted a variety of recipes. The Ricotta Doughnut Holes on page 58 truly impressed us. While the dipping sauce is tasty, we could barely let the doughnuts cool enough before eating them straight up plain, hot, and delicious. Please get a copy of the book and try this recipe among many others.

The most amazing recipe, however, is completely unexpected. Everyone who tasted this one wanted to know how it was made. The surprise is that this recipe is effortlessly gluten free. For anyone who needs or wants to avoid flours with gluten, the challenge is finding satisfying recipes. No one is going to miss any kind of flour is this easy-to-make and eat goodies.

Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies

One day, in an effort to come up with a recipe for an energy bar that I could actually
choke down, I accidentally came up with this.... Not exactly what I was going for, but each
day found me more in love with them than the last.
Despite the absence of flour, the bars have a super-tender, cakey texture that seems to
be just barely holding on to each melty bit of chocolate.
And as far as energy? Well, for now, they get me where I want to go.

Makes 16

1 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup raw honey
1 large egg, at room temperature
1/2 cup sweet potato puree, or 1 banana, mashed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup bittersweet chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease and line an 8"x8" square baking pan with parchment paper.

Place the peanut butter, honey, egg, sweet potato puree, baking soda, and salt in a food processor and whir together until smooth.

Remove the blade, stir in the chips, and then scrape the mixture into the prepared pan.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out
almost clean. Allow the blondies to cool completely before cutting into 16 portions.

Yes, letting them cool is tough--they smell fabulous right out of the oven. You need a utensil to eat them warm while cooled your hands are all you need. I made a sling out of aluminum foil when I discovered I was out of parchment paper on baking day. Just line the pan, end to end, and leave long tails to lift out the cooled blondies. Repeat the other direction. Once cooled, the foil easily peels away.

Enjoy! Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Much more than a Cookbook December 6, 2011

By Maine_Margaret

Format:Hardcover

Kate's book is much more than a cookbook for those who love chocolate. It's about building a sustainable life on a tiny Maine island - her dedication to her home is evident on the end papers printed with the same map of Isle Au Haut you'll find in every box of Black Dinah Chocolates. It's full of stories and lessons that apply to life on the mainland and especially for those who love food. And it's not just a dessert book. My favorite recipe is for the crispy phylo cigars filled with blue cheese and chocolate on page 122. Beautifully written and photographed. It's a perfect present for someone who loves chocolate, cooking, islands or Maine.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars I love chocolate and Desserted! November 6, 2011

By C. Cordova

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This book is wonderful. The stories and introductions by Kate add an element to each recipe that makes me want to make them all. I like to read recipes but am not a "cook" by any means. These recipes all sound so delicious and Kate's instructions are so clear that I know I will be trying many of them myself. More importantly, I think I will be successful (well with some practice as also recommended by Kate).
This is a beautifully written book with recipes that gave me a glimpse into a life across the country on a remote island that I now want to visit along with eating in Kate's Cafe.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars More than a cookbook December 15, 2011

By Seattle Now

Format:Hardcover

I received this book as a gift and couldn't put it down! As a matter of fact, I stayed up well past 1:00 AM reading the introduction, vignettes and recipes, foregoing reading the latest editions of two of my favorite magazines, which had just been delivered that day. I felt as though I was sitting across from Kate at a table, enjoying a cup of coffee and a sample of her confectionary, and listening to her talk about her life on Isle au Haut, her passion for chocolate, and her life as a chocolatier. My favorite book as a child was Blueberries for Sal (McClosky) and now I have the "grown-up" version of a taste of life in Maine. I have attempted to temper chocolate - unsuccessfully - but Kate's description of the process and the enthusiasm in her writing encourages me to try again, as well as to attempt some of her wonderfully creative desserts. A great book, a great cookbook, and a great gift to oneself or others. It will often be used in my kitchen but will also have a place among the books that I read for a quick escape from the busy-ness of everyday life!