We are in the midst of oven season and holiday baking is still in high gear. Whether you are looking for a new quick and easy brownie recipe or an impressive show-stopping dessert, these new sweet baking books may give you the inspiration you’ve been looking for.
The front cover of Sarah Fennel’s book “Sweet Tooth,” features a fudgy, fresh-from-the-oven cookie dotted with melty chocolate chunks and flaked sea salt ready to be popped into your mouth. This inviting cover is a teaser for a variety of desserts both familiar and new. Banoffee cake combines the flavors of ripe bananas and toffee between layers of cream cheese frosting and swirled with extra caramel. Blueberry pie cookies have all the flavor of fruit pie, including the crust, but without the extra work. More intriguing treats are crème brulee cheesecake bars, lemon meringue pie macarons, and cherry Danish cake. Sarah has a concluding chapter called ‘Dessert for One.’ In this section, you’ll find recipes for single lady apple crisp, a single peanut butter-fluff crispy treat, plus the single-serve double chocolate chip cookies (makes two) featured on the front cover. Do not despair, as every recipe in the chapter comes with a QR code for the full-size version.
It’s 3 p.m. and you’re craving something sweet, a mid-day snack to go with that last cup of coffee or tea. “100 Afternoon Sweets” by Sarah Kieffer can fill that need with a variety of brownies, bars, pies, and snack cakes. If you prefer a fruit-filled treat, then you may want to try a slice of cranberry caramel upside-down cake while fresh cranberries are in season. There is also maple orange carrot cake, creamy raspberry bars as well as blueberry muffin cake. For chocolate lovers, Sarah provides lots of options such as chocolate peanut butter pie baked in a 9×13 pan, milk chocolate swirl brownies, double chocolate cake, oatmeal fudge bars, and brownie cheesecake bars.
“You see a cake or a tart in our pastry case, but I see something entirely different: a gift, a first date, a reunion. Behind every dessert, there is a story to share.” Pastry chef Dominique Ansel, creator of the famous cronut, presents a personal collection of 42 stories and their corresponding recipes in his latest book, “Life’s Sweetest Moments.” You may want to leisurely read each story first, enjoying these personal yet relatable tales along with the photographs of every beautiful dessert. When you’re ready, there are easy treats like homemade cherry macadamia granola, buttermilk pancakes, plus brown butter, dark chocolate, walnut and sea salt cookies. For advanced home bakers there are more challenging creations such as Nutella milk bread, raspberry rose souffle, and croquembouche.
We at Smiley Library wish you and yours a safe and happy holiday season. We look forward to seeing you in the coming new year!