Spago Desserts

This is TRULY the most used cookbook I have ever owned!! It is completely falling apart, I have used it so much. If you buy it, it is worth is just for the apple pie, chocolate bread pudding, sticky buns, and brownies alone!!! I haven't tried everything in here yet (some of them are a little too difficult for a novice like myself - like the opera cake and tiramisu) but it is a MUST have for anyone who loves to impress people with their baking!

The recipes in this cookbook include the standard techniques and repertoire that a good pastry chef (including a good home pastry chef) should have. Very few of these recipes are not greatly rewarding. Though some may require the devotion of a few hours, or even more, the recipes are almost always fairly easy. The chef-writers allow much flexibility in mixing parts of recipes (the outside and the inside, crust and fillings) and include the fundamentals for the basic dessert types, including cake, cheesecake, ice cream, cookies (including biscotti), pies, tarts, muffins, and fruit-based desserts. The recipes are clear, easy to follow, and require rudimentary cooking skills to produce quite amazing results. This book is appropriate for homey, feel-good deserts as well as rather bombastic ones, and each is as delicious as the next.

I just bought this book for my collection, after having tried some of Mary's desserts, a while ago (a long while ago). I earn my living, like Mary Bergin, making desserts and taking some of the blame for accumulated pound around the waist line. The recipes in this book may not be easy for the home cook/baker, but it should not stop anybody from trying. Your friend and family will elevate you to saithood just for a piece of Mary's Pumpikin Pie or Pecan Pie. And love you even a bit more for the Austrian Chocolate Cake. It may not be Austrian (I am Austrian) but then who cares after having tried it.I will write again after having tried some more of the recipes, and include my customers comments. See ya Mary.....

It is true, some of the desserts in this book are overdone and difficult for the home baker. However, there are several that I enjoyed making that weren't that hard. A real standout was the strawberry shortcake. It was the best I have ever eaten, and I've eaten a lot of shortcake. The fruit compote that went on the cakes especially was marvelous and very easy to do -- just strawberries, cinnamon sticks (taken out after cooking) and sugar. Baking from scratch is time consuming and can be tricky, because it's really just chemistry that tastes good. However, everything I tried from the book turned out fine. Perhaps those who had problems tried different recipes than I did.

I just ordered this book after using photocopies of several recipes given to me by a friend. For the past several years, I have made the pumpkin pie in this book at Thanksgiving. Family and friends always ask, "You're going to make that pumpkin pie, arent' you?" I'm afraid if I say no, they'll stop coming. The recipes aren't "easy" but then, culinary "art" never is. Buy this book if you want to become "known" for your desserts.