Simple French Desserts [Paperback]

Jill O'Connor (Author), Richard Eskite (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 1, 2000

With Simple French Desserts, making French pastry is as easy as apple pie--but deceptively more impressive. Pastry chef and author Jill O'Connor starts with the easiest recipes and gradually builds skills as she moves on to more challenging treats. Throughout, she demystifies the art of French baking, guiding cooks with step-by-step techniques, and clear and complete explanations. Here are over 50 recipes for delectable treats like Crme Caramel, Lemon-Almond Madeleines, and Chocolate Eclairs. With a whimsically elegant design and mouthwatering full-color photographs, Simple French Desserts is the perfect introduction to the art of the patisserie--sans signing up at the Cordon Bleu.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Forget about counting calories--the title has both "French" and "desserts" in it, for Pete's sake! You won't find any low-fat silliness in Jill O'Connor's latest masterpiece, and you won't care a bit. From extravagant honey madeleines, profiteroles, and almond macaroons to classics like chocolate mousse, meringues, and warm apple crepes, the recipes in this book will produce fantastic results for the novice and expert alike. The detailed, easy-to-follow instructions take you effortlessly through each step of even the most complicated recipes, and O'Connor's technique tips, such as "Fearless Folding" and "Mastering Meringue," offer the extra guidance so many of us need. Entertaining lessons, such as "How the Madeleine Got Its Hump," and first-hand descriptions of an American dessert hound in Paris give Simple French Desserts added charm. Photographs are sparse, but the ones shown are guaranteed to send your imagination soaring. As O'Connor herself puts it, "Let the bacchanal begin!" --Melissa Asher

From Publishers Weekly

In this concise collection, O'Connor (Phyllo and Sweet Nothings) offers an abundant selection of desserts ranging from cookies and pastries to crepes and tarts, ice cream and mousse. There are sables, the slightly sandy French version of shortbread, along with a couple of variations, such as Pistachio-Orange Sables. O'Connor includes French meringues and Almond Macaroons, Chocolate Eclairs and a much-simplified recipe for napoleons based on phyllo dough rather than tricky puff pastry. Lemon Tart is served on a cookie-like crust that's tempting on its own, while Fallen Chocolate-Souffl? Cake provides a more decadent option. Fruit desserts also figure prominently: there are apples in Tarte Tatin, berries in Red Fruit Gratin and cherries in almond-flavored Cherry-Frangipane Tart. O'Connor is equally inventive with her ice cream and sorbet recipes, including toasted walnut-studded Mocha Dauphinois Ice Cream. As with anything worthwhile, the confections here aren't exactly simple, at least in terms of the time they require. Many recipes involve multiple steps; however, clearly written description of techniques are interspersed. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 144 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (February 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811819035
• ISBN-13: 978-0811819039
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,047,023 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I'm a pastry chef, food writer and author of six cook books including Sweet Nothings, Phyllo, Easter Treats, Simple French Desserts, and my two latest books, Sticky, Chewy, Messy Gooey and Sticky, Chewy Messy, Gooey Treats for Kids (Chronicle Books.) Along with writing cook books, I have developed recipes for Bon Appetit, Better Homes and Gardens, House Beautiful and Rodale Press. I am a member of IACP, and the San Diego chapter of Les Dames d'Escoffier International. In 2007 I won the prestigious Greenbrier Award for excellence in food writing from the Greenbrier Symposium for Professional Food Writers. My cook book, Sticky, Chewy, Messy, Gooey: Desserts for the Serious Sweet Tooth, was recently named one of the top 25 cook books of the year by Food & Wine magazine, and was featured in their book Best of the Best (Food & Wine's compilation of recipes from their favorite 25 cook books of the year. I currently live in beautiful Coronado, CA with my husband Jim, and two sweet daughters Olivia and Sophia.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THIS IS GOING TO BE A CLASSIC, April 4, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Simple French Desserts (Paperback)

I HAVE ALL FOUR OF JILL O'CONNORS BOOKS AND THIS IS MY FAVORITE. ANYONE INTERESTED IN FRENCH DESERTS SHOULD HAVE THIS IN THEIR COOKBOOK COLLECTION. THE INSTRUCTIONS ARE CLEAR AND NOT AT ALL INTIMIDATING. ALL OF THE ADVICE IS PRACTICAL AND THE BOOK IS SO INTERESTING! SO FAR I HAVE HAD THE CAFE AU LAIT POTS DE CREME AND THE ALMOND MADELEINES, BOTH WERE DELICIOUS. I AM MAKING THE BURNISHED ORANGE TART NEXT. GET THIS BOOK, YOU WILL LOVE IT.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Every recipe worked beautifully, December 1, 2010

By 

Lauren - See all my reviews

This review is from: Simple French Desserts (Paperback)

My roommate owns this cookbook and I've now made every recipe and variation in here save 4 or 5 (getting to those soon). I've had excellent results with literally every single recipe. I've fed these treats to friends and family with nothing but glowing reviews. I've never encountered a cookbook where literally every single recipe is good. I'm not knowledgeable about French baking/desserts, but suffice it to say an actual French person complimented me on my macaroons.
One comment for potential buyers - don't be fooled by the title of this book. While I had no trouble whatsoever following the recipes, I wouldn't describe most of them as simple. Perhaps they are simple relative to other French desserts, I'm not sure.
Anyway, I will surely use this book forever as my go to impress-people-dessert-cookbook!

5.0 out of 5 stars Delicious, Solid Recipies and Techniques, November 12, 2010

By 

Claire Schulkey "Movie Geek" (St. Louis, mo) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Simple French Desserts (Paperback)

This is the dessert cookbook I find myself going to over and over and over again. I have not had a single recipe fail in any way, and I've gone through at least half of them in the book. The directions are clear and detailed, and there are discussions of all techniques which cooks may be unfamiliar with. The chocolate souffle is my favorite recipe and has never failed to produce dinner-party-stopping results. Also provides recipes for macaroons, my favorite french cookie, and a variety of custards. I really wish they would reprint this book as I would give out more copies as gifts.