Luscious Lemon Desserts [Hardcover]

Lori Longbotham (Author), Alison Miksch (Author), Chronicle Books LLC Staff (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 2001

Lemon sweets are the divas of desserts. Assertive and bold, lemons can be flamboyant, tart, and tangy as in the Lemon Granita or sweet, mellow, and velvety like the creamy Lemon Panna Cotta. Over 70 recipes--from the classics to lip-smacking new favorites--are all enticingly presented in Luscious Lemon Desserts. These recipes vary from the simple to the sublime, from the quick and easy to the most elaborate showstoppers. Author Lori Longbotham provides great tips on buying, storing, and using this most popular fruit. Whether it's a fast and fabulous lemon pudding or a Mile-High Lemon Angel Food Cake, the name says it all: Luscious Lemon Desserts. Yum!

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Lemon" especially when applied to cars is often used as a term of derogation. But Lori Longbotham, former Gourmet magazine editor, has better ideas about this beautiful fruit, and her Luscious Lemon Desserts explores lemon cakes, pies, puddings, custards, cookies, ice creams, shortcakes, crˆpes, truffles, peels, curds, popsicles, confections and sauces with panache and, well, zest. Over 70 recipes for decadent treats Profiteroles, Chilled Lemon Souffle, Chocolate Ganache Tart with Lots of Lemon, Luscious Lemon and Blueberry Tiramisu, Lemon CrŠme Br–l‚e, Lemon Mascarpone-Clementine Gratins and Lemon Sorbet-Filled Lemons accompanied by mesmerizing color photos, convincingly make Longbotham's point that "lemons are the divas of desserts." This book offers some of the same tips on buying and zesting lemons as Lemon Zest, but otherwise there's impressively little overlap between the two. Anyone craving summer desserts will find these recipes mouthwateringly irresistible.

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The former food editor for Gourmet and author of Better by Microwave gives lemon lovers what they have been looking for in this first-ever cookbook dedicated exclusively to lemon desserts. She presents over 70 recipes for cakes, pies, tarts, puddings, custards, cookies, ice cream, and sorbets. Included in this appealing volume are classics such as Lemon Squares and the Ultimate Lemon Pound Cake, as well as new treats like Ethereal Lemon Angel Pie, Lemon Meringue Ice-Cream Cake, and Luscious Lemon and Blueberry Tiramisu. Recipes range from simple to complex and include suggestions for advance preparation and serving. There are also tips on buying, storing, and using lemons and baking tips and techniques. Dozens of vibrant and tempting color photographs illustrate the finished recipes and an attractive design makes this book a pleasure to read and use. Highly recommended. Pauline Baughman, Multnomah Cty. Lib., Portland, OR
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 081182893X
• ISBN-13: 978-0811828932
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 0.8 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (42 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #183,599 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #89 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Fruits

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thought I Could Do Without This One, But... June 30, 2001

By John Avery

Format:Hardcover

This delightful book was sent to me as a gift and at first I thought, "Who needs it?" Thumbing through it I was immediately drawn in by its beauty and excellent good sense. Shortly thereafter I was asked to bring a dessert to a party for five and choose to prepare Ms Longbotham's Lemon Souffle with Raspberry Sauce. Wow. In more than fifty years of cooking I do not recall getting such raves for anything. It would easily have served eight, but the only thing left were the demands for the recipe! This book is high on my gift list. Thank you, Lori Longbotham.

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Sweet Victory June 30, 2001

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

Is it fair for a cookbook author to present too many temptations, to put forth such an enticing array of recipes that a hapless and hungry reader simply does not know where to begin? Apparently, Lori Longbotham was not bothered by such conundrums as she set about writing "Luscious Lemon Desserts." The lemon tart that graces the cover practically commands the user to quickly find the formula for making it. But that means fast-forwarding past other pictures and recipes that are every bit as gorgeous. Lemon meringue ice cream cake. Ethereal lemon angel pie. Lemon upside-down cake. Such sweet indecision eventually will give way to a test run in the kitchen and that is where the real value of this book becomes apparent. Cookbooks ask from their readers a sense of trust in return for the promise of recipes that work. Few have carried through on the pact better or more appealingly than this one. Each recipe I've tried-nine and counting fast-has worked like a dream, the short ingredient lists and straightforward instructions gently leading the way to sugar-coated bliss. The buttery lemon shortbread is phenomenal while the panna cotta is a dream come true. Lemon mousse is simple and sublime and has made me the most in-demand dessert maker among my friends. Long ago, I decided that a cookbook had paid for itself if it yielded one great recipe. In this case, Luscious has paid for itself tenfold and still counting. Anyone who revels in great desserts should put this one in their shopping cart and then into the kitchen.

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Irresistible July 3, 2001

By Jean Galton

Format:Hardcover

Between the terrific recipes, gorgeous photos, and very entertaining prose, this is one of those cookbooks that you read from cover to cover. And then, you run out to buy lemons. I've made the Perfect Lemon Tart, the Old-Fashioned Lemon Sugar Cookies, and the Lemon and Anise Biscotti and they were all perfect. It's a great dessert book to cook from (very clear instructions) and would make a wonderful gift as well.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars my favorite dessert book June 30, 2001

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I love this book and not simply because lemon desserts are heaven to me. The recipes in this book seem to me to have been worked until perfection was achieved. The balance of flavors and textures is superb, and the recipe writing is clear and precise. I love the look of the book too--like lemons, bright and fresh. I have only tried 3 recipes so far (the lemon meringue pie is the best I have ever tasted), but have ordered lemon oil and plan to exhaust this book until I can bake no more.

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Lemonicious! August 7, 2003

By dallas

Format:Hardcover

So far, I have made the Lemon Pound Cake and the Lemon Mousse, and both were absolutely scrumptious! I froze the leftover pound cake in individually wrapped slices, and it is delightful, thawed in the microwave oven, with my morning coffee. I topped each serving of the mousse with a bit of sweetened whipped cream and a fanned-out sliced strawberry, and it looked like an elegant restaurant dessert. My guests were tremendously impressed, as was my husband!

I can't wait to try the Perfect Lemon Tart recipe and the different cookie recipes. Lori has really done her homework; the recipes are not only delicious, but carefully documented and easy to follow. One caveat: In the lemon mousse recipe, the gelatin never becomes completely clear--it stays translucent--so just stir it until it is completely dissolved, and then leave it in the bowl of hot water until you are ready to use it. If you take it out of the hot water bath and set it on the counter, it will jell surprisingly quickly, and you will have to rewarm it in order to liquify it again. (Learn from my mistake--please!!) ;^)

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Lemon Shortbread ever April 26, 2004

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

I am a professional pastry chef and I love this book. I actually use the lemon shortbread for one of my desserts as well as the madeleine recipe. This is a great book for any bakers library.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So many great desserts for LEMON LOVERS!!! May 20, 2002

By A Customer

Format:Hardcover

My father, the ULTIMATE LEMON LOVER, was the inspiration for me to buy this book. I wanted to make him some special treats for his birthday, so I thought this would be perfect. I was NOT disappointed. Every recipe in this book is a lemon lover's dream. I made him the classic lemon bars and the lemon sugar cookies and he was in lemon heaven. I myself love the candied lemon rind and the lemon madelines. I'm still eager to try some more of the recipes when time allows. She gives great instructions and the pictures are nice. I highly reccommend this book!!!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The title of the books says it all! May 24, 2001

By Thomas Twedell

Format:Hardcover

I love this book! As the title of my review would suggest, this book is indeed packed with truly "Luscious" lemon desserts! I sell cookbooks as my occupation (at "The Cook's Library" in Los Angeles), and I just wanted to tell everyone how much I enjoyed this book. It's a must have for both Lemon and Dessert fans alike! Just in time for summer:)