Desserts by Pierre Herme

After reading all the other reviewers who either gushed over or maligned this book, I felt compelled to give yet another opinion which I hope will clarify the polarized opinions on this cookbook. First, if you are looking to find a cookbook on comfort food or "the-way-Mom-used-to-make-it-desert" for your next family gathering, DON'T GET THIS ONE. Also, if you're on a frugal budget or a time crunch, again, LOOK ELSWHERE. This is one of the GREATEST patisserie chefs in the world. And he gives us in his cookbook all the extravagance, style, taste and showmanship that title carries. The recipes are expensive, time consuming and sometimes tricky. They contain specialty ingredients and use specialty tools. Any substitutions based on economy or convenience will probably result in failure. On the other hand, if you long to create something really extraordinary and impressive and have the time and pocketbook to match don't hesitate to get this. Although some ingredients are special, they are not so hard to obtain. If you can read and write, you can cook from this. Both experienced and beginner cooks. I can't account for a previous reviewer who complained about confusing directions. All I can say about that is some people don't bother reading directions thoroughly, make a mess, and then blame the directions. I have baked time and again from this book, from the simple and delicious coconut pound cake to the spectacular and complex "Melody," and never a glitch in the preparation. I have to tell my guests that I made it. They always just assume its created by a professional chef and ask me for his number. So there you have it. Know yourself before you decide to spend the money on this one. Definetely for the serious cook only.

Book covers: basics (genoise, meringue, puff pastry, ladyfingers, tart dough, cinnamon dough, + some fillings), fruit desserts (includes chocolate creams, ice cream, lemon crepes, tuiles, cookies), tarts (includes lemon tart, apple galette, rice tart w/fruit, lots of stuff with pears, orange tarts) , cakes (includes easy ones like lemon loafs, chocolate cakes, then moving on to fancy ones), and some explanation of terms, techniques, equipment and ingredients. I own 8 baking books The pictures are really nice. The other thing that stands out about this book is the exotic nature of some of the recipes - a rice tart? Mascarpone/blueberry/ladyfinger cake? Herme uses a lot of exotic fruits such as passion fruit, figs, and currants (which are hard to get here in parts of the USA). In doing so, I think this book shows you a lot of things that other don't. I feel the level of the book is for somewhere slightly above beginner. There are some easy recipes in this book and some very time consuming ones as well so there is a big range there. Overall, the strengths of this book are the great photography, innovative recipes, and new ways that the reader will look at designing desserts. Even if you have a lot of baking books already, this one will help you see things in a new way. On the other hand, if it's the ONLY dessert book you own, I'm not sure it will help you see baking in a systematic orderly way as "Baking with Julia" is or one of the cake or pie/pastry bibles.

I've been a professional food writer for 15 years, beginning as collaborator on Desserts by Nancy Silverton, written while Nancy was dessert chef at Spago. I'm a competent home baker, and I have little patience for recipes that are overly complex or don't work. What pleasantly surprised me about Pierre Herme's book is how many truly simple, do-able recipes are included, and how well-written they were. I guess it shouldn't be a surprise: Julia Child, the queen of the do-able recipe (whether simple or complex) chose writer Dorie Greenspan to work with her on Baking with Julia. Also the design and photography are stunning.

I was surprised to see a reader's diasppointment with a book I love. Desserts by Pierre Herme is an accurate and faithful rendering of the work of France's most celebreated pastry chef by an author well accustomed to translating the work of professionals into consumer terms. And despite the reader's disappointment with the lack of weights provided for the ingredients, the recipes work well -- I know, since I have tried many of them.About measuring: There are accurate and inaccurate methods of measuring, both by weight and volume. The right way to measure by volume is to gently spoon dry ingredients into a dry measure cup ans level off with the back of a knife or spatula. The right way to measure by weight is to use an accurate scale. Many scales made for home use are not particularly sensetive and will yeild no better results than by volume measure. To say nothing of the fact that every day, millions of people follow volume-measure recipes with good results -- what's the problem?Some authors do include weights for ingredients -- I did so in my first book, Perfect Pastry -- I no longer do, because I don't consider it important. Neither does Maida Heatter -- is there a more successful and accuracy-based author than Maida? I don't think so. Nick Malgieri