Two-Bite Cupcakes (Imagine Book) - Softcover

Goren, Viola

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1936140691 ISBN 13: 9781936140695

Publisher: Imagine, 2012

Synopsis

Small cupcakes, big taste!

Enjoy the deliciousness--but avoid the guilt! These cupcakes are a yummy pleasure, but because they're only a few nibbles each, they're not TOO much of an indulgence. In fact it's even possible to enjoy two or three without going overboard. And that's a good thing, because with cupcakes this scrumptious, who would want just one?

Viola Goren, a renowned pastry chef, cooking teacher, and restaurant owner, teaches all the cupcake essentials, and provides basic recipes for a variety of frostings and fillings. From luscious creams to crunchy nuts and sweet fruits, these tiny treats provide a surprise in every bite.

There's something here to please all ages and tastes: kids will go wild over the Oreo cupcakes, while adults will savor such sophisticated fare as the Crème Brulée or Plum Cobbler varieties. An entire chapter devoted to "Nothing but Chocolate" will have chocolate lovers swooning over Chocolate Soufflé and Nutella Surprise cupcakes.

And though we generally think of cupcakes as sweet, these savory bakes are great afternoon snacks or delectable appetizers. Finally, celebration recipes will make holidays, including Christmas, Passover, and Easter, as well as occasions like baby showers and birthdays, super-special.

About this title

About the Author:

Viola Goren has studied cooking and baking at leading culinary institutions around the world. She graduated from The California Culinary Academy in San Francisco, and studied in several European institutions, including the Ewald Susan Notter School of Confectionery in Switzerland, The Callebaut Chocolate Academy in Belgium, and Fabbri & Fruibel in Italy. Her classroom training is complemented with hands-on experience in the pastry departments of leading bakeries and hotels. She prepared pies, pastries, cakes, and breads at the famed La Brea Bakery in Los Angeles, California, and prepared diverse desserts at The Regent Beverly Wilshire and the Hilton Tel Aviv. For more than a decade, Viola owned Sweet Dream, a popular Tel Aviv-based bakery that supplied baked goods to dozens of cafes and restaurants. Today, she is the owner of Viola Cafés, and teaches aspiring pastry-makers from all walks of life at the Estela Culinary School.

Review:

Multitalented chef-teacher-restaurateur Goren manages to satiate sweet tooths without the burden of major calories. She creates and bakes two-bite cupcakes, well positioned to satisfy sweet longings. Even better than her more than 70 recipes (hard to believe) is her willingness to share her years of bakerdom. Who truly understands, for instance, that the reason to transfer cupcakes from tins to wire cooling racks is to avoid soggy bottoms? Or that to perfect the chemical interactions of ingredients demands that every item be exactly as described, from heavy cream that contains 35 to 40 percent milk fat to pure unsalted butter, no substitutions accepted? Once those fundamentals are explained, Goren continues with the piéces de résistance, separated into cupcakes with fillings, toppings, chocolate, and savories and for special occasions. Combinations are unique and mouthwatering, such as Oreo cookie, strawberry surprise, black forest, and leek, mushroom, and thyme with goat cheese frosting. Clear directions for each recipe (though color photographs don’t accompany every one) help guide anyone to produce biteful delights. 
–Booklist

About this edition

• Publisher: Imagine
• Publication date: 2012
• ISBN 10: 1936140691
• ISBN 13: 9781936140695
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 144