[.ca] Butter Sugar Flour Eggs: Whimsical Irresistible Desserts (ISBN 0609604201)

From Amazon.com:
Some people look in a pastry case and see sinful excess; others see delectable taste treats. The authors of Butter Sugar Flour Eggs see ingredients. They have named their book "after the first and most important elements of any dessert recipe.... Butter brings flavor and richness; Sugar lends sweetness and melting textures; Flour provides substance; and Eggs bring it all together. Afterward the flavorings take over: Chocolate, Citrus, Fruit, Nuts, Cheese, and Spice complete the dessert making pantry." Most desserts, the authors allow, have one strong characteristic flavor, or one strong characteristic texture that sings louder than anything else. It's how the authors have ordered the recipes in Butter Sugar Flour Eggs, a clever idea. So, in Butter, you'll find the likes of Millionaire's Shortbread, while in Sugar, you'll find Brown Sugar Shortbread. In Eggs you'll be tempted by Mango Flan on Chocolate, but in Flour it's more likely going to be Chocolate Chip Pancakes. And that's just to get you started. Because there are chapters for all the basic flavorings, too (Oranges Simmered in Red Wine, Brooklyn Blackout Cake, Nectarine Beignets, Roasted Pecan Ice Cream, Montrachet Cheesecake, Moist Ginger Cake with Orange Icing). And then because holidays tend to pull out all the stops, there's a separate chapter for them as well. Ever get in trouble for playing with your dessert? With Butter Sugar Flour Eggs Gale Gand, Rick Tramonto, and Julia Moskin give you permission to do just that. --Schuyler Ingle

Who Wants Dessert? This Book Delivers!:
Gale Gand on FoodTV Network is just an outstanding promoter of desserts. Her passion and encouragement to try new things is superb. Having discovered this book as the source for many of her tv recipes I secured, I purchased it. It didn't disappoint. There are many more outstanding recipes in here! For starters, the cover recipe: Pavlova with the Down Under Fruits is easy and sensational to set before guests in the warmer months. The Pumpkin Creme Brulee, Warm Taffy Apples with Cinnamon Pastry Twists, Montrachet Cheesecake with Winter Fruit Compote, Sugared Walnut Sundaes in Chocolate Cups, Three Color Poached Pears,Lana's Chocolate Chip Mandlebrot, and the Brown Sugar Shortbread are but examples of the scrumptuous, imaginative gems in this collection. Drink suggestions are usually provided with each and the sidebar excursions to the source or background to the recipe is very fascinating. Cookbooks make good reading as exemplified by this fine one.

One of the Divas of Baking!:
Great book! The recipes are delicious. Her pie crusts turn out perfect for me everytime (who would have thought red-wine vinegar in pie crust?) Ms. Gand's descriptions and little tid-bits are are also fun to read. Can't wait to check out newest book. Thank you Gale!

Nice selection of recipes, Handy tips, Well written book:
I've actually only baked a few recipes from this book, but there are quite a few I'd like to try, including the Brooklyn Blackout Cake. I found the recipes fairly easy to follow, although you may need to add your own experience to achieve the best results. For instance, I believe that the Coffee Cake needs more butter, and I've found that it bakes much more evenly in a tube pan, than the square pan called for in the book. The author has a background of somewhat mixed ethnicity, which shows up in the wide range of recipes. Everyone will find something they like, whether it's German, Jewish, Italian, French, Scandinavian, or just good old American favorites. The use of unique combinations of ingredients is also nice, with combinations like grapefruit-cream cheese, lemon-strawberry, and ginger-orange. Some of these recipes may be a bit advanced for beginning bakers, but that's not really a problem. Follow these directions, and I'll bet that the worst of your flops will still be good to eat.

Butter Sugar Flour Eggs: Whimsical Irresistible Desserts:
I watch Sweet Dreams daily on FoodTV and had to get this book. I have been trying to make pie crust for 30 years and resorted to buying Pillsbury premade in the refrigerator section of the supermarkets. Let me tell you, Gale's pie crust is great. I was able to make it and it did't fall apart and the taste was fabulous. Just for the pie crust recipe alone, the book is worth it. Gale also gives all the little hints and tips in her book which I find interesting and very helpful. A great book and a must-have.

A Must Have:
If you enjoy baking, you MUST HAVE this book. I have watched Gale Gand on Food Network for some time, and was thrilled to find this book at my local library. I could hardly put the book down because it is so much more than a recipe book! It offers Gale's and Rick's personal comments on everything from the history of the dessert to the perfect technique for getting the result you want. It is also a lesson in the "chemistry" of baking. Understanding why you use certain ingredients and how they work in the recipes makes it easier to get the dessert to come out just right. When the time came to return the book to the library, I knew I had to buy it, and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys "wow-ing" friends and family with homemade goodies.