A Passion for Desserts [Hardcover]

Emily Luchetti (Author), Ngoc Minh (Photographer), Julian Wass (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2003

Beloved pastry chef and best-selling author Emily Luchetti lives by the simplest truth: There's always room for dessert. Why try to resist creamy chocolate cheesecake, fresh berries layered with honey cream, or homemade sorbet? Besides, with Emily's insider secrets, whipping up delicious treats for family and friends is fun! A longtime dessert lover, Luchetti shares an impressive - yet deceptively easy - array of recipes that regale the fruits and pure flavors of each season. From frequently used basics like melt-in-the-mouth tart shells, luxe crme frache, and chocolate sauce, to creative twists on old favorites such as Raspberry Ice Cream Sandwiches and Espresso Cupcakes, each of these pleasures will leave home cooks wanting to try the next. With just one bite of Lemon Raspberry Bread Pudding, one sip of a soothing Bourbon Milkshake, and one whiff of a Chocolate Mocha Truffle, anyone with a sweet tooth will understand why this book is an irresistible must-have.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Emily Luchetti is the executive pastry chef at Farallon and spent seven years as pastry chef at Stars restaurant. She has authored two books, Stars Desserts and Four Star Desserts. She lives in the Bay Area. Paul Moore is a San Francisco based photographer whose work has been published worldwide.

Minh + Wass (Ngoc Minh and Julian Wass) is a husband-and-wife photography team who specialize in food and lifestyle shots for books and magazines. After 10 years in New York, they recently relocated to Paris.

Minh + Wass (Ngoc Minh and Julian Wass) is a husband-and-wife photography team who specialize in food and lifestyle shots for books and magazines. After 10 years in New York, they recently relocated to Paris.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 192 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; First Edition edition (October 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811831787
• ISBN-13: 978-0811831789
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 10 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #540,126 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

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

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some great recipes, but some disappointments, December 17, 2005

By 

Cookbook Gal "Cookbook Gal" - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: A Passion for Desserts (Hardcover)

Some wonderful, innovative and challenging recipes. Problems: who needs a recipe for a milkshake? And a real lack of pictures of the dishes. I don't need a picture of a whisk, but I sure could use one of the finished dessert!

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent choice, March 8, 2004

By 

Liz - See all my reviews

This review is from: A Passion for Desserts (Hardcover)

This is my favorite dessert cookbook. I've never been disappointed by a recipe (that's quite a feat), and her instructions are remarkably accurate and clear: it always turns out just like she says. I especially recommend the Citrus Cake (if you have three hours to make it!) or the Chocolate Mousse Cake.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Passion For Desserts, November 3, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: A Passion for Desserts (Hardcover)

Passion for Desserts is a great new cookbook for dessert lovers. The receipts are a refreshing change from the same old receipts you see in most dessert cookbooks. I really like the way it is laid out by season. It is a quick way to find desserts that match ingredients available for the season we are in and the menus I plan for those seasons. I have to say there are a few receipts that would be great in any season.

I am an average cook (not all the creative) and a busy mom working outside the home. I like to entertain occasionally and when I do to prepare home cooked meals and desserts. I prefer receipts that are easy to follow and turn out like the descriptions and pictures. I also prefer things that don't take a half a day to put together as I don't have that kind of time. I would say the receipts in this book are easy to prepare and are not to time consuming. The results are always impressive and delicious.

I HIGHLY RECOMMED A PASSION FOR DESSERTS EVEN FOR THE AMATURE COOK SUCH AS ME!!