The Wine Lover's Dessert Cookbook: Recipes and Pairings for the Perfect Glass of Wine

by Frankie Frankeny, Mary Cech, Jennie Schacht

This gorgeous book is actually two in one: page after page of recipes for fabulous desserts combined with all the information anyone will need on choosing a dessert wine. Peach Tarte Tatin with an intensely flavored ice wine brings out the fruit's summery spirit in this French favorite. A full-bodied vintage port with berry flavors provides the perfect foil to an amazingly decadent Chocolate Souffl Roulade for a little piece of heaven. A user-friendly...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811842371
• ISBN13: 9780811842372
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (CA)
• Length: 179 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 8.3" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Delightful & Educational Cookbook

This is another winning cookbook from Chronicle Books. The authors provide very interesting, digestible information on wines and then offer a variety of dessert recipes with wine pairing suggestions. I will be a better dinner guest thanks to this book. Now, I can easily select the right wine to bring with whichever dessert I bake for the occasion. Most of the 55 dessert recipes are accompanied by a full-page color photo. The recipes are inventive but do not require exotic ingredients or equipment. I really liked the organization of the recipes by flavor which reminded me of Baking by Flavor and Pure Dessert. Recipe chapters include Stone Fruits; Berries; Citrus; Apple & Pear; Tropical Fruits; Dried Fruits; Cream; Caramel, Honey & Spice; Nuts; Chocolate; and Finishing Touches (sauces and garnishes). Stone fruit recipes include Chilled Stone Fruit Compote, Double Plum Galettes, Peach Tarte Tatin, Cherry Gelee Parfait with Lime Custard, Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Fresh Peaches and Jeweled Apricot Soup with Couscous Timbales. Berry recipes include Boysenberry Sorbet and Cream Swirl, Raspberry Baked Alaska, Lemon Raspberry Pavlova, Double Blueberry Crisp Bars, Chilled Strawberry Consomme, and Blueberry Almond Tart. Citrus recipes include Lime Tartlets with Pomegranate Seeds, Hint of Mint Orange Chiffon Cake, Lemon Thyme Creme Brulee, Lemon Cream Mousse, Ruby Grapefruit with Honey Sabayon and Lemon Shortbread. Apple and Pear recipes include Individual Pear and Quince Pot Pies, Apple Citrus Custard Tart, Baked Granny Smith Apple Terrine, Deconstructed Autumn Pear Crisp with Sparkling Pear Sorbet, and Ginger Pears with Black Sesame Butter Crunch. Tropical Fruit recipes include Mango-Lime Souffles, Fresh Mango-Nectarine Crumble, Tropical Fruit Crepes, Ginger Pots de Creme, Brown Sugar Glazed Bananas with Roasted Peanuts and Lime and Coconut-Lychee Tapioca Pudding. The Dried Fruits chapter includes recipes for Holiday Dried and Fresh Fruit Tartlets; Caramel Apricot Pecan Tart; Chocolate Currant Tartlets; Apricot, Cherry, and Pistachio Biscotti; and Creamy Risotto Pudding with Brandied Figs. Cream recipes include Sour Cream Butter Cake, Coffee Cream Tart in A Cocoa-Espresso Crust, Mascarpone Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake, Browned Butter Cheesecake, and Pumpkin Pots de Creme with Candied Pecans. The Caramel, Honey & Spice chapter includes recipes for Brown Sugar and Cinnamon Creme Brulee, Apricot Gingerbread Upside-Down Cake, Honey Ricotta Tart, Honeyed Fig Tart and Wine Lovers' Caramels. The Nut recipes include Almond Apricot Pithiviers, Hazelnut Wafers with Cheese and Fruit, Almond Wafers, Caramel Macademia Tart, Classic Amaretti, and Toasted Pecan Sandies. The recipes in the Chocolate chapter include Cocoa Walnut Biscotti, Blackberry Topped Chocolate Silk Tart, Bittersweet Chocolate Hazelnut Torte with Brandied Currants and Orange, Chocolate Souffle Roulade, White Chocolate Raspberry Parfait and Triple Chocolate Buttermilk Loaf Cake.

Lovely cookbook!

This is a notch up from the usual Chronicle Book publication! I say this because I often find that this publisher puts out cookbooks that are all "beautiful pictures" and very little information. It is clear that the authors worked really hard to deliver good information and content and tips - this book isn't just a vehicle for the photographs. There is lots to read and absorb for each recipe, and the recipes themselves look extremely do-able in one's own humble kitchen. I bought a copy after glancing through it in the bookstore because I know this is definitely a book that I can use (and not just leave around looking pretty). I would say, though, that it functions really well on its own as a dessert cookbook - I'm less interested in the wine pairings - which would interest only those who are sticklers for such things!

great ideas

A marriage made in heaven: that of wine and desserts. What a wonderful idea!! The bringing together of two of the world's best offerings (wine and dessert) is a decadent inspiration that Ms Cech and Ms Schacht bring to perfect fruition with mouth watering recipes and superb wine suggestions to accompany them. The book is very friendly even for a novice like me in the art of wine appreciation, and it gives easy to follow recipes. I am up to the challenge of indulging my craving for sweets and wine! I plan to send a book to all my friends and family to create a network where all the recipes will be cooked or baked and later shared and combined with the wine suggestions to improve our palates, delight our spirits while giving us the perfect excuse to get together. I have tested a few of the recipes, and the results have not disappointed. I recommend this book greatly and think at the very least it makes a perfect gift.

55 Great Reasons to Buy this Book, but You Only Need One

Worth it for the Chocolate Souffle Roulade alone! But there are 54 other recipes too. The other reviews already have told you all the logical, rational things you need to know. Now for emotion: fabulous recipes and pairing advice that takes the mystery out of what to do with those little bottles of sweet wine that your friends have taken to bringing as hostess gifts. And it's a really gorgous book besides--the photo of the Raspberry Baked Alaska on page 55 looks for all the world like Marilyn Monroe took the bite and left lipstick all over the meringue. My Christmas shopping is done.

Appetizing

Two culinary pleasures come together in this book, "The Wine Lover's Dessert Cookbook" by Mary Cech and Jennie Schacht: dessert and wine! Not only are the recipes delicious but the wine education and suggested pairing make wine selection a breeze! Mary Cech is an award-winning chef and instructor. She has been a pastry chef at a couple of the more prestigious restaurants, and has taught pastry making at the renowned Culinary Institute of America. Her recipes have been featured in numerous publications including Bon Appetit, Chocolatier, Veggie Life and several cookbooks. Jennie Schacht is a culinary writer who has worked on several cookbooks. She has her own consultation firm, Scahcht and Associates, which aid clients in the food and health care industry. This beautifully photographed book is loaded with information on selecting wines dependent on the dessert being served. The recipes are delicious and very inspiring. With Mary Cech's expertize at teaching, the recipes are very clear and easy-to-follow. Some of the delectable recipes found within this book are Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Fresh Peaches, Tropical Fruit Crèpes, Pumpkin Pots de Crème with Candied Pecans and Lemon Cream Mousse. For the wine-wary, there is an index of complicated wine terms to help you understand wine and how to select wines based on your food. With the holidays approaching, this would be a wonderful gift to help celebrate!