From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Yosses, executive pastry chef at the White House, and Clark, a noted
New York Times food columnist, showcase elegant, luscious desserts suitable for a variety of occasions from brunch to potlucks to fancy celebrations. Recipes are well-detailed and easy-to-follow, even for the novice, and potentially unfamiliar techniques or temperamental ingredients such as segmenting oranges, varieties of yeast, making great meringue, and how to avoid crystallizing caramel are highlighted. With flat and chewy chocolate chip cookies, blood orange squares, grand old-fashioned blueberry jelly rolls, and orange-scented olive oil cakes with fleur de sel, there is something for every palate. The authors include a section on restaurant desserts that can be made at home that includes warm molten vanilla cakes, butterscotch–dulce de leche pudding in teacups, and Bouley banana chocolate tart. They also include recipes for confectionaries such as cardamom nut butterballs, sandy pecan pralines, and coffee toffee. Each recipe lists special equipment needed, and there's a handy baker's minimum equipment list for those who want to increase their tool arsenal. Enhanced by more than 100 delectable color photos, this book is a must-have for all serious bakers and the only book those with a passing interest in baking will ever need.
(June) Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Review
“In the world of dessert books, this one is worth buying. Bill’s creations deliver exceptional taste and are written for the home baker.” (
Daniel Boulud )
“Starred Review. A must-have for all serious bakers and the only book those with a passing interest in baking will ever need.” (
Publishers Weekly )
“For the past thirty years, Bill Yosses has gained a quiet, unsurpassed celebrity among chefs and pastry enthusiasts.
The Perfect Finish is the summation of that career, and it’s the most impressive homage to baking I've seen in a long time. It’s beautiful—a testament to his flawless artistry. It’s practical—organized to suit both the spontaneous and the occasion-specific baker. And it’s wise—full of Bill’s unimpeachable skill and knowledge. It’s perfect, really—an accomplishment that would be remarkable, were it not so predictable.” (
Dan Barber, Blue Hill )
“Bill Yosses knows how to rise to an occasion. If it is a
State Dinner or a simple supper he knows exactly the sweet note it should end on. The Perfect Finish represents Bill’s generosity perfectly and shares with the reader a lifetime repertoire of clever tricks and techniques in the pastry kitchen.” (
Alice Waters, Chez Panisse )
“
The Perfect Finish passes my first test for a cookbook, which is: Does it make me daydream about the dinner party (or brunch) at which I’ll serve these recipes? In this case, the “yes!” came from the retro-fabulous Bouley banana-chocolate tart, which derives its cleverness from fruit caramelized with lime juice. Or maybe it was the crème-fraîche pancakes, the chocolate-caramel tart with sea salt or the chocolate-chunk cookies goosed with Nutella.... Their useful tips...make cooking from this book a reassuring experience, like having a fairy godmother in the kitchen. I hope the Obama girls are taking notes.” (
The New York Times Book Review )
“I had the honor and pleasure of working with Bill Yosses many years ago as young chefs at the Polo Restaurant in New York City …needless to say, he has achieved so much since our early days together. His current work
The Perfect Finish lives up to his reputation of being in the forefront in the world of pastry today. His interpretation of classic American desserts is timeless in its simplicity and execution.” (
Thomas Keller, The French Laundry )
