2010 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE AND GIVEAWAY – Bon Appetit Desserts Cookbook – Plus Recipes For Classic Pumpkin Pie And Dark And White Cookies

• Author: Barbara Fairchild
• Hardcover: 704 pages
• Publisher: Andrews McMeel Publishing (November 2, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0740793527
• ISBN-13: 978-0740793523
• US SRP $40.00 – Includes a subscription (or renewal) to Bon Appétit Magazine

My cookbook collection just grew substantially. I don’t mean I added dozens of cookbooks, I mean it grew physically. I recently received a review copy of Bon Appetit Desserts. This cookbook is HUGE! If you could only ever have one dessert cookbook, this would probably be the one you’d want because it’s got all sorts of recipes. Surprisingly, not as many photos as I expected or prefer, although the ones that are in there are terrific. I like to see pictures of what it is I’m trying to make. Recipes are all easy to understand. Many contain tips for preparing ahead of time and working with specific ingredients. Two of the things that I really like about this cookbook are the chapter indexes, and the whisk ratings. Each chapter contains an index of every recipe in it, very helpful when you’re in a hurry. The whisk ratings tell you at a quick glance how easy a recipe is to make – from 1 whisk for very easy recipes for the novice baker up to 4 whisks for expert bakers. You really can learn a lot just from reading through this cookbook. The biggest suggestion for improvement that I can offer would be to include cooking and prep time, something I think all cookbooks should have.

Chapters include:

• The Desserts Pantry
• Equipment: The Basics
• Techniques: The Basics
• Cakes
• Cheesecakes
• Pies, Tarts & Pastries
• Custards & Puddings
• Fruit Desserts
• Frozen Desserts
• Cookies
• Bar Cookies & Brownies
• Candy

ABOUT BON APPETIT DESSERTS

For more than 50 years, Bon Appetit magazine has been seducing readers with to-die-for desserts. From quick homestyle cookies to unforgettable special-occasion finales such as spiced chocolate torte wrapped in chocolate ribbons, Bon Appetit showcases meticulously tested recipes that turn out perfectly—every time. Now, culled from Bon Appetit’s extensive archives and including never-before-published recipes, Bon Appetit Desserts promises to be the comprehensive guide to all things sweet and wonderful.

Authored by Bon Appetit editor-in-chief Barbara Fairchild, Bon Appetit Desserts features more than 600 recipes—from layer cakes to coffee cakes, tortes and cupcakes to pies, tarts, candies, puddings, souffles, ice cream, cookies, holiday desserts, and much, much more. Certain to inspire both experienced home cooks and those just starting out in the kitchen, each recipe is designed to ensure the dessert preparation process is as enjoyable as the finished result.

Bon Appetit Desserts is destined to be the definitive, comprehensive, invaluable dessert resource.

Here are two sample recipes from Bon Appetit Desserts.

Dark and White Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Ginger

The addition of crystallized ginger gives these chocolate chip cookies a surprising kick. Crystallized ginger can be found in the spice section or the Asian foods section of most supermarkets.

Makes about 2 dozen

• 2 2/3 cups bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips, divided
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup (packed) golden brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup self-rising flour
• 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger
• 3 1/2 ounces high-quality white chocolate (such as Lindt or Perugina), very coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 heavy large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir 2 cups chocolate chips with butter in heavy small saucepan over low heat until melted and smooth; cool 10 minutes. Beat eggs and brown sugar in large bowl until well blended. Beat in melted chocolate mixture and vanilla, then flour. Stir in ginger and remaining 2/3 cup chocolate chips; let stand 10 minutes.
Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies 1 1/2 to 2 inches apart. Press white chocolate pieces into tops of cookies, dividing equally. Bake until cookies look puffed and slightly dry on top, about 13 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheets.
Do Ahead: Cookies can be made 2 days ahead. Store in airtight container at room temperature.
—From Bon Appétit Desserts by Barbara Fairchild/Andrews McMeel Publishing

Classic Pumpkin Pie

A bit of sour cream gives the filling of this special pie a subtle tang and a little extra richness. If you’d like to decorate the pie with pastry leaves, prepare and roll out a second pie-crust dough disk; sprinkle the leaf-shaped cutouts with sugar before baking. Serve the pie with whipped cream, if desired.

8 servings

• Flaky Pie Crust dough disk (see recipe)
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons (packed) dark brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 3⁄4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1⁄4 teaspoon (generous) salt
• 1 15-ounce can pure pumpkin
• 3⁄4 cup chilled heavy whipping cream
• 3 large eggs, beaten to blend
• 1⁄2 cup sour cream
• 1⁄4 cup apricot preserves

Roll out dough disk on lightly floured surface to 13-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch-diameter glass pie dish. Trim dough overhang to 1⁄2 inch. Fold overhang under and shape edge to form high-standing rim. Make cut in crust edge at 1⁄2-inch intervals. Bend alternate edge pieces inward. Freeze crust 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line crust with foil and beans or pie weights. Place crust on large rimmed baking sheet. Bake crust until sides are set and dry, about 15 minutes. Remove foil and beans. Continue to bake crust until cooked through and pale golden, piercing with fork if crust bubbles, 13 to 15 minutes longer. Cool crust on sheet 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

Whisk both sugars, cornstarch, cinnamon, ginger, and salt in medium bowl until no lumps remain. Whisk in pumpkin, whipping cream, eggs, and sour cream. Gently spread apricot preserves evenly over inside of crust to coat. Pour filling into crust.

Bake pie on sheet until filling puffs at edges and center is almost set, 1 hour to 1 hour 5 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack. Cover and chill until cold.
Do Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Keep chilled.

Flaky Pie Crust
All purpose flour and cake flour combine to make a tender crust, while the mixture of butter and shortening lends flavor and a flaky texture. If you don’t own a food processor, simply use your fingertips or a pastry blender to combine the butter and shortening with the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Makes 1 dough disk (enough for one 9-inch or 10-inch crust)

• 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1⁄3 cup cake flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3⁄4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1⁄2-inch cubes
• 2 tablespoons chilled non-hydrogenated solid vegetable shortening, cut into 1⁄2-inch pieces
• 3 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Mix both flours, sugar, and salt in processor. Add butter and shortening; using on/off turns, process until mixture resembles very coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water and process until large moist clumps form, adding more ice water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough into ball; flatten into disk. Wrap in plastic and chill until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.

Do Ahead: Can be made 1 day ahead. Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

This Pie in History
The Pilgrims didn’t have pumpkin pie at their first Thanksgiving feast. The dessert reportedly made its debut at the second Thanksgiving, in 1623.

—From Bon Appétit Desserts by Barbara Fairchild/Andrews McMeel Publishing

WATCH THIS

If those recipes didn’t make your mouth salivate a little, try this video on for size.

MORE INFO

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