Synopses & Reviews
The bold flavors of the Mediterranean have been inspiring American home cooks for years. And now, at last, comes Desserts: Mediterranean Flavors, California Style, a book bursting with exciting desserts.
Both California and the Mediterranean, whose terrain and climate are similar, boast a market basket of intensely flavored foods for the baker -- warm spices, fresh fruits, nuts, herbs, honey, chocolate, cheeses, preserves, filo dough, wines, and spirits. Cindy Mushet has spent more than fourteen years as a pastry chef incorporating these flavors into classic desserts -- cookies, custards, cakes, ice creams, and sorbets -- that are uniquely American yet convey the wonderfully intense and unique flavors that capture the feel and spirit of the Mediterranean.
If it's Italian you love, experience the Pistachio Layer Cake with Nougat Cream or the Raspberry Mascarpone Tart with Chocolate Crust.
Dreaming of the south of France? Soothe your soul with the farmhouse simplicity of Caramelized Apple Cake with Rosemary or the cool, refreshing, and surprising Mint and Chocolate Pots de Crème.
If Spain makes you swoon, try the luxuriantly rich Crema Catalana or sample the Spanish Olive Oil and Spice Biscotti.
The white-washed hills of Greece surface in a new version of the classic Galataboureko, a spiced semolina pudding in filo topped with a crimson Spiced Blood Orange Caramel Sauce.
North Africa's bright flavors can be found in the creamy Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango in Lime Caramel Sauce or the dramatic filo Snake Pastry with Fig, Almond Paste, and Lemon.
If you draw from the exciting flavors of the Middle East, try the Caramel, Date, and Sesame Tart or any of the five enticing new versions of baklava.
Drawing from her years of teaching experience, Mushet has written recipes with simple, detailed instructions to ensure your success. Each recipe includes notes on which steps can be completed in advance, as well as suggestions on how best to serve and store your dessert. A mail-order guide provides sources for hard-to-find ingredients and equipment integral to the Mediterranean and American kitchens.
Every detail of Desserts: Mediterranean Flavors, California Style creates a sense of confidence and inspiration that will lead you to the kitchen and, best of all, to the table with friends and family.
Review
Dorie Greenspan
author of Baking with Julia and Desserts by Pierre Hermé
Cindy Mushet has performed the most delicious culinary sleight of hand: She's taken the beloved ingredients and treasured recipes of the Mediterranean and worked them into the kinds of desserts so many Americans want today, the full-flavored, straightforward, stylish sweets of her native California. And she's done it all with flair and talent -- the recipes are as interesting to read as they are simple to prepare and delicious to eat. Cindy's instructions are extremely clear, beautifully written, and certain to be an inspiration to bakers, whether beginner or ace.
Review
Marion Cunningham
author of Learning to Cook with Marion Cunningham and The Fannie Farmer Cookbook
This very original dessert book packed with enticing recipes reveals Cindy Mushet's unique perspective.
Review
Nick Malgieri
author of Chocolate and How to Bake
California deliciously meets the Mediterranean in Cindy Mushet's excellent first book. The recipes are as enticing as they are clear and easy to follow -- a real achievement.
Review
Lindsey Shere
author of Chez Panisse Desserts
Cindy Mushet shares her passion and enthusiasm for the tastes and ingredients of the Mediterranean and fashions tempting and delicious desserts. Her book is a delight to read and a storehouse of information on ingredients and techniques.
Synopsis
The bold flavors of the Mediterranean have been inspiring American home cooks for years. And now, at last, comes
Desserts: Mediterranean Flavors, California Style, a book bursting with exciting desserts.
Both California and the Mediterranean, whose terrain and climate are similar, boast a market basket of intensely flavored foods for the baker -- warm spices, fresh fruits, nuts, herbs, honey, chocolate, cheeses, preserves, filo dough, wines, and spirits. Cindy Mushet has spent more than fourteen years as a pastry chef incorporating these flavors into classic desserts -- cookies, custards, cakes, ice creams, and sorbets -- that are uniquely American yet convey the wonderfully intense and unique flavors that capture the feel and spirit of the Mediterranean.
If it's Italian you love, experience the Pistachio Layer Cake with Nougat Cream or the Raspberry Mascarpone Tart with Chocolate Crust.
Dreaming of the south of France? Soothe your soul with the farmhouse simplicity of Caramelized Apple Cake with Rosemary or the cool, refreshing, and surprising Mint and Chocolate Pots de Crème.
If Spain makes you swoon, try the luxuriantly rich Crema Catalana or sample the Spanish Olive Oil and Spice Biscotti.
The white-washed hills of Greece surface in a new version of the classic Galataboureko, a spiced semolina pudding in filo topped with a crimson Spiced Blood Orange Caramel Sauce.
North Africa's bright flavors can be found in the creamy Coconut Rice Pudding with Mango in Lime Caramel Sauce or the dramatic filo Snake Pastry with Fig, Almond Paste, and Lemon.
If you draw from the exciting flavors of the Middle East, try the Caramel, Date, and Sesame Tart or any of the five enticing new versions of baklava.
Drawing from her years of teaching experience, Mushet has written recipes with simple, detailed instructions to ensure your success. Each recipe includes notes on which steps can be completed in advance, as well as suggestions on how best to serve and store your dessert. A mail-order guide provides sources for hard-to-find ingredients and equipment integral to the Mediterranean and American kitchens.
Every detail of Desserts: Mediterranean Flavors, California Style creates a sense of confidence and inspiration that will lead you to the kitchen and, best of all, to the table with friends and family.
About the Author
Cindy Mushet has been a pastry chef and teacher for fourteen years. For five years she wrote and published the acclaimed quarterly baking journal
Baking with the American Harvest. She was a contributor to the new
Joy of Cooking and the upcoming
The Collective Wisdom of the Bakers Dozen. She lives in Los Angeles, California, with her husband, Miguel, and daughter, Isabella.
Table of Contents
ContentsIntroduction
Cakes
Tarts
Fruit Desserts
Custards and Puddings
Baklava and Filo Desserts
Cookies
Ice Creams and Sorbets
Mail-Order SourcesIndex