Butter Sugar Flour Eggs: Whimsical Irresistible Desserts

by Julia Moskin, Rick Tramonto, Gale Gand

Anyone who has so much as made a batch of cookies knows that this is where it all begins. Butter lends flavor and richness, sugar adds sweetness and melting textures, flour provides substance, and eggs bring it all together. Afterwards, the baker can allow flavor to take over: chocolate, citrus, fruit, nuts, cheese, and spices complete the dessert-making roster. Chapter by chapter, pastry chef extraordinaire Gale Gand and her husband, star chef Rick Tramonto -- with writer Julia Moskin -- explain each basic ingredient and each flavor's personality and follow up with some fabulous recipes. The unique result is a festive and fun cookbook that reads more like a dessert menu than a catalog of techniques. And what a menu! Here are over 175 fanciful, delicious treats, including signature desserts like Not-Your-Usual Lemon Meringue Pie and Root Beer-Vanilla Parfait, classics such as Brown Derby Grapefruit Cake and Brooklyn Blackout Cake, and soon-to-be favorites like Raspberry-Stuffed French Toast and Banana Strudel with Ginger-Molasses Ice Cream. There is a chapter on light-hearted holiday creations, including Halloween Boo!scotti and Pumpkin Pie to Be Thankful For, and a chapter full of drink recipes -- perfect accompaniments to these desserts and great on their own. InButter Sugar Flour Eggs, all the ingredients are present for creating the most scrumptious, mouthwatering delights you have ever tasted. Or baked!

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0609604201
• ISBN13: 9780609604205
• Release Date: September 1999
• Publisher: Clarkson Potter Publishers
• Length: 288 Pages
• Weight: 2.07 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 7.8" x 9.4"

Customer Reviews

Will give you baking confidence!

I baked my first pie using this apple pie recipe. Gale's great instructions took the fear out of pie crust and it was so easy! The crust came out so buttery and flaky without using any solid vegetable shortening. Besides giving thorough instructions, there is useful information on ingredients and baking equipment that other books omit. It's great for any baker experienced or not.

Best dessert cookbook on the market

This is easily the best dessert cookbook we've ever run across. With everything from traditional long-standing favorites to "nouveau" modern day treats - all of which are easy to follow and very approachable, even for a beginner. Great anecdotes accompany each recipe, which detail the history or creation of the dessert, or provide helpful tips on the preparation. Excellent book - a must for any dessert lover.

The Tiramisu is the BEST I've ever tasted!

My husband and I ended up buying a copy of this book for each other for Christmas. It was a good thing we had two copies in the house for a while because neither of us wanted to put it down. Tiramisu is my all-time favorite dessert and I have tried many recipes and variations--both at home and dining out. I made the Tiramisu in this book for a New Year's Eve party and it was BY FAR the most incredibly wonderful piece of tiramisu I have ever had. It was time consuming, but well worth the effort! The other recipes look equally wonderful and I can't wait to try them!

Inspiring & Well Written

What a great book to actually read first, then cook. Not only are the recipes clearly and simply written, but the scientific side notes are interesting and make everything click. I can't wait to try the cover recipe - Pavlova - looks delectable!

Butter Sugar Flour Eggs:Whimsical Irresistible Desserts

No one in the world of baking understands the '4 basic food groups' - butter, sugar, flour and eggs - like Gale Gand. After a lifetime of collecting dessert cookbooks, this one now has the place of honor, IN the kitchen, not ON the shelf!The recipes are thoughtful and easy to follow and the results delicious and fun...an unbeatable combination.AND, can we talk about he BLACKOUT CAKE! It appears that Gale has cracked the code and figured out the secrets of this legendery New York icon. For that alone, buy the book!This book is a must-have and a must-give.