Roland Mesnier's Basic to Beautiful Cakes

by Roland Mesnier and Lauren Chattman

Book Overview

In his twenty-five years as Executive White House Pastry Chef, Roland Mesnier prided himself on creating a unique dessert for every special occasion, from elaborate State Dinners and formal receptions... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0743287894
• Release Date: October 2007
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.41 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.5" x 1.0" x 7.5"

Customer Reviews

Absolutely Fabulous and Surprisingly Versatile

So far I've tried the Hazelnut Dacquoise Cake, Coffee Genoise, and the Summertime Strawberry Cake. Mr. Mesnier layers recipe over recipe, which has actually enabled me to be more versatile. The hazelnut meringue cake layers can be made in smaller sizes for the best tasting cookies you've ever eaten, and you can stuff them with the sinfully delicious freezable chocolate mousse (the best I've ever had) and serve as ice cream cookies. The pastry cream for the Strawberry cake (without Grand Marnier)is perfect for eclair filling. Great instruction on how to make ganache and how to temper chocolate. I do have two suggestions for any who attempt many of the cakes in this book- there is A LOT of folding of ingredients. Do yourself a favor and buy a professional folding spatula like the MIU silicone bowl scraper so your ingredients don't deflate. And I'm pretty sure that you'll want to have use of a stand mixer, bc some of these (cake) recipes will not be easy w/o it. Mr. Mesnier gives you a list of supplies at the beginning of the book, too. Everything I've made from this book has been exceptional.

Lots of pictures and clear explanations

I am a good cook but I am not a good baker. I learned about baking technique in this book and I appreciated how Mr. Mesnier took the time to explain why he chose which cake for a particular occasion. He also describes a cake and progresses through three versions of a similar recipe from simple to spectacular so you can vary it as your expertise grows. Lovely addition to my baking library. I have not used any recipes in this book but I plan too as he did not list too many recipes with obscure ingredients or complicated recipes. Many of these cakes seem possible for the novice baker. Also, as a White House Buff I appreciated the narrative of Roland Mesnier.

Wonderful Book. Easy to follow.

I purchased this book after attending a cooking class that Mesnier had at a local cooking school I like to occasionaly visit. He was great. This book is just as a great. I'm not the best cook or anywhere near the best cook but the Cherry Trifle cake helped me when a cook-off at work for best Dessert. The American crust-less cheesecake is to die for; it even list sauces to top with -- fresh chunky strawberry sauce is my favorite. All I can say about this book is buy it, buy it, buy it.

Stunningly

In Roland Mesnier's Basic to Beautiful Cakes, Chef Mesnier offers a stunning selection of delicious and dependable cake recipes. From the basic but "Perfect Yellow Cake," to the more time intensive and skill demanding (but oh so worth it) "Mouse-filled Chocolate Soufflé Cake," each recipe guides you to a spectacular and delicious result. The "Peach and Spice Upside-Down Cake" is a truly a summertime gem. Alas, if only there were more color photos showcasing Chef Mesnier's breathtaking artistry...

Almost perfect

Chef Mesnier presents numerous recipes and techniques for some spectacular cakes, and his descriptions make them all accessible for even the average baker. You'll be able to turn out some real show-stoppers at your next dinner party or birthday celebration! As mentioned, the book's only downside is that it's skimpy on the photos (the Princess Mary cake photo is particularly drool-worthy); otherwise, this holds a prominent place in my cookbook collection.