Grace's Sweet Life: Homemade Italian Desserts from Cannoli, Tiramisu, and Panna Cotta to Torte, Pizzelle, and Struffoli [Paperback]

Grace Massa-Langlois (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 12, 2012

LEARN TO MAKE STUNNING ITALIAN DESSERTS AT HOME
No true Italian meal is complete without a perfectly crafted dessert. From traditional favorites to little-known delights, this book shows how to make eye-popping, mouth-watering, authentic Italian sweets, including:

•Amaretti Morbidi
Soft Amaretti Cookies
•Pizzelle-Ferratelle
Italian Waffle Cookies
•Bomboloni alla Crema
Italian Cream-Filled Doughnuts
•Fiadone Dolce di Ricotta
Abruzzo Sweet Cheesecake
•Cannoli Siciliani
Sicilian Cannoli
•Cicerchiata-Struffoli
Italian Honey Balls
•Torta Sette Strati
Seven-Layer Cake
•Torta Caprese
Flourless Chocolate Torte
•Fichi allo Zabaione
Figs with Zabaglione Cream
•Panna Cotta con Gelatina
Panna Cotta with Jelly

Even if you’re a novice baker, Grace’s Sweet Life guides you through the process of creating amazing delights. With illustrative photos and detailed step-by-step instructions for making complex treats in your own kitchen, this easy-to-use book will enable you to enjoy the labor of love that is Italian dessert.

Product Details

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Ulysses Press; 1 edition (June 12, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1612430244
• ISBN-13: 978-1612430249
• Product Dimensions: 7.4 x 0.4 x 9.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #128,345 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Grace Massa Langlois was born in Maasmechelen, Belgium to Italian parents and grew up in London, Canada. Grace lives with her two children, Liana and Matthew.

With an education in Business, Grace began a career in Finance at one of the largest banks in Canada. Grace took her experience and moved to the Automotive Industry where she spent many years as a Financial Services Manager. Much to her dismay, Grace had to retire early because of an injury she sustained in 2003. Unfortunately shortly after her injury, her husband, Maurice suddenly passed. With some encouragement from her children Grace decided to share her love of good food and launched her website, Grace's Sweet Life, in 2010. Graces shares recipes, stories about her Italian heritage, and the joy of growing up in a large, close-knit Italian family.

Grace's recipes show her talent for taking complicated desserts and breaking them down so they're accessible by the every-day cook. She shares the importance of baking with fresh ingredients and strives to share her message that by learning the basics, home cooks can enjoy restaurant-style desserts at home.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 22 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Not just "another cookbook." June 17, 2012

By Matt Antonino

Format:Paperback

I own close to 50 cookbooks so I know cookbooks. This is NOT just another cookbook. Grace's Sweet Life is a collection of desserts and even better: dessert ingredients, that will make your mouth water. It's more than a photo and a way to cook it. The thing that for me sets this book apart is that it builds on itself. Let's show you how to make a ganache - and then as we get through the book, more recipes call for that same ganache. It's a simple way to grow your skills while learning some absolutely magnificent desserts.

Grace's book is a staple in our petit dessert creation now.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful recipes + great pictures = great cookbook! August 20, 2012

By JE

Format:Paperback

I once read a saying that describes me, it said "I exercise because I love dessert". Chocolate, cheesecake, lemon anything, cream filling, I love it all and this book has it all, cakes and cheesecakes, mini desserts, cookies, pies and tarts, pastries and fried desserts, creams, custards, mousses, soufflés, frozen, and fruit desserts and they are better than the ones you will try in most Italian restaurants. Some recipes are relatively easy and some have more than a few steps. Some do require things that I do not usually have in my kitchen, but with access to the internet they are relatively easy to find. Now I just need some ring molds and a pizzelle maker!

The pictures are beautiful (almost every recipe has a picture of the finished product), the instructions are easy to follow, and I love that all the recipes have an introduction which tells you what to expect. Sometimes I wish that there were pictures to go along with some of the instructions but this isn't a big deal.

The pastry cream is heavenly (and it is pretty easy to make), plus the variations are endless (think white chocolate, chocolate, cinnamon, espresso, coconut, etc). Italian meringue (think a light fluffy frosting), croissant dough, puff pastry, tiramisu (one of my favorites but I now wish Grace would make a raspberry tiramisu and include the recipe for ladyfingers), chocolate truffle tart with chocolate glaze, chocolate éclairs with pastry cream, and Nutella soufflé (I'm pretty sure Nutella is one of my favorite things to eat and this soufflé is delicious) . I will slowly work my way to the more complicated recipes as time allows.

I really enjoy this cookbook. I love to cook and these recipes satisfy my family's and my own sweet tooth. Thanks Grace!

I received a complimentary copy of this book to facilitate my review. However this did not affect my opinions. All opinions are my own and my immediate family's.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great cookbook. June 29, 2012

By Philip Van Wulven

Format:Paperback

This cookbook shows you how to make desserts better than those written by professional chefs. How so? Because of the love that shines through every page. Love of food, good food, and love of family. When Grace set out to write this, she also created a bonding experience with her son and daughter, which is what the best home cooking does, even if only at the table.
Everything is laid out in simple steps,and the recipes themselves rely more on high quality ingredients prepared with care, than on a huge array of ingredients. You can substitute vanilla essence for the actual vanilla pods, or another flour for the high quality Italian 'doppio zero'she recommends for some pastries, but, since otherwise the ingredients are pretty straightforwards, I suspect there will be a difference in the finished dessert.
Since my own cooking is generally confined to fry, barbeque, and boil,the only recipe I have tried so far is the vanilla poached pears-much more elegant in Italian-Pere al Vaniglia. Yummy. I shall be cautiously widening my cooking possibilities, now I've dabbled one toe in the water.