Customer Reviews

Maida Heatter's Best Dessert Book Ever

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the first book I bought from Maida Heatter, and the one I keep coming back to. This really is a compilation of her best. Of everything I have made here (almost everything in the book I have tried), I only disliked one or two recipies. Her other books... Cakes and the New Cookie book, have a much worse ratio. If you ever want to have just one dessert book this will be the one to own. Start with the chocolate cake chapter, and you will never want to give this book up.

Let me begin with the fact that many people I know "love" this book. I on the other hand do not. I have tried atleast 4 recipes all of which did not turn out the way they were suppposed to (after so many tries I place the book on a shelf and it can stay there). There are very nice discriptions throughtout the book and a nice dialogue but neither helped me or my frustrations. I am an accomplished baker and have never had the types of problems with recipes that I have had with this book. I would not say don't buy it as others have had great success with it. What I would recommend is to see if your library has it, try a few recipes and then decided if you can't live without it, before you buy it.

Really happy with the book. Arrived in good condition and I like the recipes. Just wish there were pictures. But there isn't always in the older books.

The recipes are, in typical Maida Heatter style, to-die-for delicious; however, I deny the 5th star because there are NO PHOTOGRAPHS. This is just my opinion, but cookbooks, PARTICULARLY DESSERT COOKBOOKS, should include color photographs IN THE BOOK, not merely on the cover. Especially since some of these desserts are really beautiful.
Most of the recipes I've tried have been easy enough, but a couple I found to be a little complicated--not difficult, exactly, just containing a lot of steps, and so require the baker to be organized, and ready to move directly onto the next step. Prep is key--have everything you need measured out and ready to go before you begin. If you are lucky enough to have duplicate beaters for your hand mixer, and a duplicate paddle, whisk and bowl for your stand mixer, you will find the recipes even easier. Also be sure you have room in the fridge--some of the recipes require 8+ hours of refrigeration before serving.
That said, do yourself a favor and make the Ethereal Chocolate Mousse Cake with Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce, and The Banana Rum Terrine. I groan just thinking about them. Totally worth the sinkful of dirty dishes.