Raw for Dessert: Easy Delights for Everyone

I'd been wanting to incorporate more raw desserts into my diet, but always felt hesitant to purchase a bulky dehydrator, the way a lot of raw cookbooks or websites seem to use. It's a relief to see that Jennifer Cornbleet's book does not make use of such an item, and yields many pleasing desserts that are prepared in no time, and packed with good-for-you ingredients. My husband and I are big fans of the carob cashew freezer fudge, although we sometimes cheat and use cocoa powder instead of the carob. But don't tell anyone...

First off I love my sweets but lately I have been trying to eat healthier. I had no expectations when I first got this book. I know next to nothing about foods in their raw states. When I opened this book, I was surprised at all the different recipes there were to choose from. There was everything from...Almond-Pecan crust to Dark Chocolate Truffles. The best part about these mouth-watering desserts is that they seem to be the healthier version. I am glad that Jennifer added a guide of the ingredients mentioned in this book and explained what they were, as I had never heard of some of these items. There were ingredients listed like...Agave syrup, a syrup that is made from the agave plant. The syrup comes in two different kinds...the light for a mild sweetness or the dark for a more molasses flavor. Then there was Agar flakes. The Agar flake is a gelatin mixture that is made from various sea vegetables. My other favorite thing about Raw for Dessert is that all the desserts do not have to be cooked! With Raw for Dessert you can have your cake and enjoy it too. This is a must have book for anyone looking for an alterative to healthier desserts.

You don't have to be a vegan to love this book. I LOVE it because we camp and backpack a lot and like making desserts that require no cooking. The nice thing about the book is it has a huge variety of all season desserts, that even a non vegan would like. Love how the author begins on page 4 by listing all the ingredients that will be listed somewhere in the recipes, which allows a person to plan well for future dessert making. Starting on page 7 the equipment needed is listed and explained. The only thing I would have liked would have been substitutes that could be used. Like with a blender. Someone could invest in a food processor and use their blender blade, and a food processor is a multi use machine that takes up less kitchen space. And a food processor with a variety of blades can also do the job of a mandoline. A mandoline can be a tad pricey if you want one that will last. And while I did invest in an Excalibur dehydrator, one need not buy a food dehydrator, since a mesh cookie cooler rack set on the oven rack and the temp set at 200* can dry food slow over night or all day. Same with page 10 where she says for dish's that one needs plates that are white and of various sizes. Use whatever plates you have .While I have no problem acquiring items like Agar flakes, agave syrup, carob powder, rose water,spy lecithin powder, and whole vanilla beans, some people in more rural areas or those without access to health food and natural food sections may have more difficulty. The Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting on page 74-75 was excellent. The Jumble Berry Upside Down cake on page 72 is great since you can use pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, which makes this a very in season dessert. Try the Ginger Spice cookies on page 81 are cookies kids and adults would love.

Those who must, for personal or medical reasons, confine themselves to a vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, or other health-conscience diet can still enjoy really terrific deserts as meal time or snack time treats with Jennifer Cornbleet's "Raw For Dessert: Easy Delights For Everyone" culinary compilation of tasty recipes for cakes, pies, compotes, crumbles, custards, sorbets, ice creams, cookies, and even candies! Enhanced for browsing with occasional full color photographs of mouth-watering desserts, the recipes range from Almond Milk; Mango Carpaccio; Brazil Nut-Vanilla Ice Cream; and Chocolate Lava Cake; to Banana Cream Pie; Key Lime Pots de Creme; Pine Nut Caramels; and Blackberry Sorbet. A thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' collections of easy do-it-yourself step-by-step recipes, "Raw For Dessert" will make a welcome and exceptionally popular addition to family and community library cookbook collections!