Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments (Hardcover)

~ (Author), Lara Hata (Photographer) "Whether you're a novice or a highly experienced cook, you will find it's easy to make the freshest, most unbelievably tasty ice creams, sorbets, sherbets,..." (more)
Key Phrases: tangerine sorbet, meringue nests, oatmeal praline, The Perfect Scoop, Whipped Cream, Dark Chocolate Truffles (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Lebovitz, a former Chez Panisse pastry chef and author of The Great Chocolate Book, credits his "first and craziest, most insane summer job"— as an ice cream scooper at a soda fountain—with inspiring his lifelong devotion to ice cream. The author's 25 years of experience as a frozen-dessert maker are put to excellent use in this wittily written, detailed volume. Step-by-step photos and advice on selecting an ice cream machine will reassure ice cream amateurs. Experts and novices alike will appreciate tips for selecting the best citrus and creating unusual but complementary pairings (apricots go nicely with Olive Oil Ice Cream). An impressive array of flavors is available for the making, like Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream, Vanilla Frozen Yogurt, Fresh Fig Ice Cream and Pear Pecorino Ice Cream. Sorbet, sherbet and granita also are explored in depth, as are ice cream "vessels," such as brownies and crepes. Great photos and plenty of practical advice combine to make this an appealing and useful resource for the dessert aficionado. (May)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"...dozens of recipes for delectable frozen treats, from Chocolate-Peanut Butter Ice Cream to Cherry Sorbet to Blood Orange Granita." -- Library Journal - Judith Sutton

"...pastry chef David Lebovitz take(s) ice cream in imaginative and sometimes startling new directions." -- Janet Fletcher-The San Francisco Chronicle

"All in all, I'd be surprised to learn that there's a better ice cream book that's out there." -- Michael Ruhlman-Author, The Making of a Chef and The Soul of a Chef (ruhlman.com)

"David Lebovitz's The Perfect Scoop is a complete guide to making ice cream." -- Michael Hastings-The Winston-Salem Journal

"Lebovitz spans the globe with his recipes, including the likes of Vietnamese Coffee Ice Cream...and Gianduja Gelato, a hazelnut specialty of Italy." -- Sumathi Reddy-The Baltimore Sun

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press; illustrated edition edition (May 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580088082
• ISBN-13: 978-1580088084
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (78 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,431 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #18 in

  Books > Cooking, Food & Wine > Baking > Desserts

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best ice cream recipe book!, September 10, 2007

By	Sheri Carucci (United States) - See all my reviews

My kids bought me an ice cream maker attachment for my Kitchen Aide mixer for Mother's Day so I decided to buy a variety of recipe books, as I've never made ice cream before.

I bought this one, the Ben & Jerry book (also good), the idiots guide to homemade ice cream, and a few others that I picked up used.

Perfect scoop is our favorite! Everything we've made has been exceptional.

First off was the Chocolate Ice Cream which was my first attempt at a custard ice cream and the best we've ever had. Next we made the Rice Gelato (with Tangerine rind instead of Orange because that was all I had) which was very good also...sort of like a citrus scented frozen rice pudding.

Last weekend we made the Mango sorbet which was the best sorbet I've ever had, and it was so easy to make. Next up will the Banana Blueberry sorbet. It's a great book and if you're going to get an ice cream maker - buy this too! :-)

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, April 29, 2007

By	E. Bauer (Sacramento, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The ultimate ice cream book has finally arrived! And just in time for summer and the onset of the ice cream season (is there ever not a season for ice cream?) David Lebovitz, former pastry chef at Chez Panisse, hilarious and articulate [...], and cookbook author of several highly acclaimed books on desserts has written a gorgeous, informative, delicious book about ice cream, sorbets and granitas. The Perfect Scoop has over 150 recipes and over 50 stunning photographs. Ice cream recipes include the basics such as chocolate, vanilla, and butterscotch pecan, and branch out to aztec "hot" chocolate, apricot-pistachio, and lavender-honey. Papaya-lime sorbet and mojito granitas make appearances as well.

One of the things I love about David's work is that he takes the time to instruct us on the basics of whatever it is he is cooking. His Room for Dessert book has saved me over and over again with his explanations of the "whys" as well as the "hows" of doing a recipe. In The Perfect Scoop David describes right up front the methods you'll need to employ to make creamy, perfect ice cream. Using a custard base is what is usually called for, but can be a bit tricky for first timers. David's explanation makes it easy. David includes a section on the equipment needed, describing the pros and cons of the different kinds of ice cream makers that you can use.

If you love ice cream and want to try your hand at making your own, get yourself an ice cream maker and a copy of The Perfect Scoop.

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A revelation, May 7, 2007

By	Catherine (Norfolk, United Kingdom) - See all my reviews

I've been using my icecream maker for several years now, and have had a couple of favourite ice cream books, but none come close to this one.

What marks this book out for me isn't just that it is full of marvellous icecream/sorbet/granita recipes which work, or the fact that the different flavour combinations will inspire you to experiment all the more yourself, or the fact that, like everything else David Lebovitz writes, it's eminently readable (witty, chatty yet authoritative on his subject matter - the perfect combination for a food book). These are all excellent reasons to buy this book. No, what really impresses me is the space given over to icecream accoutrements, including incredible detail on types of toffee and caramel sauces, icecream "vessels" such as differently flavoured cones, mix-ins which range from the crisp and crunchy (pralined almonds, buttercrunch toffee, peanut brittle) to the soft and gooey (homemade marshmallows, cookie dough). All meticulously researched and beautifully presented (Lara Hata's photographs are excellent too).

Wonderful.