Le Cordon Bleu Dessert Techniques

If you're like me and enjoy flipping through cookbooks and how-to books for inspiration and to learn a new technique, then this is a cookbook you might like. While this isn't the most practical book if you're looking for "30 minute and under" it is a book that almost anyone with even the most basic cooking knowledge can understand and apply. It's also just a beautiful book, filled with over 1,000 photographs illustrating preparation and cooking technique for some of the most simple desserts to the more complicated masterpieces of sugar, and chocolate. I consider this an "occasion" book, a book to turn to for learning how to make that certain birthday cake just a little more special or maybe that pie you were bringing to your neighbor just a little bit prettier.

The book is organized by chapter which is broken down into dessert type. To give you an idea of what some of the chapters offer, here are just some of the titles: Fruit Desserts, Iced Desserts, Batters & Omelettes, Grains, Petit Fours and Finishing Touches. Each chapter begins with a little introduction about that section and when applicable provides the historical background too. Each project also has their own introduction before moving on to the instruction and illustrations of the techniques.

Fruit salad, a simple dessert that's cool and refreshing. A dessert I make at least once every summer for barbecues or as a great summer breakfast. I never thought to layer the fruit or suspend the fruit in clear gelatin for another take on a gorgeous presentation.

Sorbets and Granitas are something I haven't tried to make yet, but are projects I would like to try in the near future. I never thought to put the sorbet into a pastry bag and pipe the frozen goodness out for a more decorative presentation. I've seen it done with mashed potatoes (mostly at weddings) but it never occurred to me to try it with sorbet... or HEY! Even custard! (you see-I'm thinking creatively already). Have you ever wanted to make an ice cream bombe? Me either, but NOW I do. If you're thinking "why now Deb?"...well... if you notice the lower portion of the page, THERE'S A BOMBE MOLD joy! a mold. Who knew.

Did you know that souffle doesn't necessarily have to be baked to be souffle? I didn't. The light airy texture comes from whisked egg whites and whipped cream. The recipe for Lemon Souffle looks fairly easy and the dessert picture looks lovely. Don't like lemon, well no worries there's chocolate too. The hot souffle section covers your standard baked souffle from large to individual servings and just when you thought there was nothing more you could do with souffle...there's a page devoted to the impressive hot fruit souffle.

Meringue, so dainty and delicate, a "ladies tea" sort of dessert. The kind of dessert I would have served at imaginary tea parties as a child...if I had liked dolls. Meringue is something I have grown to appreciate, my exposure to it as a child was limited to the cloying and eggy taste of Entenmanns (no website!?) lemon meringue pie. (no offense to Entenmanns, I love their pies and cakes just not that one). Yes so, meringue was an adult acquired taste, so crisp, yet light and airy, if done the way I like it then not overly sweet. I didn't know you could poach meringue* and now that I do I'm dying to give this a try. *The picture is terrible and I do apologize, but it's late, so it's staying put.

The chapter on Basic Technique is priceless and so very thick. It covers everything from equipment to stoning fruit, how to make choux, to tempering chocolate and so much more...way too much to actually put here. This section (as with the rest of the book) is clearly illustrated and technique is explained in terms that everyone at all levels can understand. Step by step photos accompany the more complicated technique and with patience and practice it's amazing to think that you can achieve this kind of perfection at home, but I think it can be done.

The last chapter is devoted to all kinds of decoration techniques. You will learn how to pipe buttercream into different shapes, make decorative sugar creations, and even how to make paper thin dried fruit. There's even a glossary and measurement table at the back of the book, just before the index pages. Overall a great book to own if you're interested in this sort of cooking, it's nice because it allows people a chance to achieve that professional quality look in their own homes and without being pretentious or overly complicated. Written by Deb on April 9, 2003 01:15 AM