By Jennifer Cornbleet
* Paperback: 128 pages
* Publisher: Book Publishing Company (TN) (July 17, 2009)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 1570672369
* ISBN-13: 978-1570672361
* Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 7.9 x 0.4 inches
Jennifer Cornbleet is a nationally recognized raw food chef and instructor, and a faculty instructor at the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute. She offers classes, hands-on workshops, and consultations nationwide. Her first book, Raw Food Made Easy for 1 or 2 People, has already sold over 100,000 copies. A companion DVD, Raw Food Made Easy, is also available. Her second book, Raw For Dessert, provides recipes for delicious cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, ice creams, and candies.
Customer Reviews
As the author of a raw food book myself, I have read nearly every raw book out there. The great thing about Jennifer's book is the simplicity of her recipes. I can whip up one of her dishes in ten to twenty minutes (depending on my familiarity with it) and often that includes the clean up time.
In this book, each recipe has a handy listing of ingredients, a list of equipment necessary, and an "ahead of time" section. Many times I have decided to make a recipe when I realized I couldn't do it because I was supposed to have sprouted some seeds or soaked some nuts overnight. With this recipe book, we are warned of what preparation should be made ahead of time.
At the beginning of the book is a handy listing of ingredients to have handy at all times in your cupboard. These range from the norm (ex: spices) to the obscure (ex: agar flakes, a vegetarian substitute for gelatin). There is also a list of kitchen equipment, serving ware, and even techniques (ex: tips on how to open a coconut and cut certain fruits).
Jennifer starts out giving recipes for the "basics." These are items that will later combine in different recipes and include yummy frostings and creams (such as "Vanilla Cashew Cream"), sauces (like "Caramel Sauce", and crusts (like "Chocolate Cookie Crust"). Next comes a chapter for each of the following categories of desserts: fruit desserts; sorbets, ice creams and sundaes; cakes, cookies and bars; pies and tarts; creamy desserts; and candy. There are stunning colored photos sprinkled throughout to motivate us to get going!
People who have little experience eating raw will be amazed: These recipes will make their cooked counterparts seem so tame.
I just made the spice cake with vanilla cashew cream for a topping, a huge hit with my husband. I can't wait to make the key lime tart, coffee ice cream, chocolate candy cups, pine nut caramels and summer fruit trifle. The monthly raw food potluck group is going to love me!
You don't have to be a vegan to love this book. I LOVE it because we camp and backpack a lot and like making desserts that require no cooking.
The nice thing about the book is it has a huge variety of all season desserts, that even a non vegan would like. Love how the author begins on page 4 by listing all the ingredients that will be listed somewhere in the recipes, which allows a person to plan well for future dessert making. Starting on page 7 the equipment needed is listed and explained. The only thing I would have liked would have been substitutes that could be used. Like with a blender. Someone could invest in a food processor and use their blender blade, and a food processor is a multi use machine that takes up less kitchen space. And a food processor with a variety of blades can also do the job of a mandoline. A mandoline can be a tad pricey if you want one that will last.
And while I did invest in an Excalibur dehydrator, one need not buy a food dehydrator, since a mesh cookie cooler rack set on the oven rack and the temp set at 200* can dry food slow over night or all day. Same with page 10 where she says for dish's that one needs plates that are white and of various sizes. Use whatever plates you have .While I have no problem acquiring items like Agar flakes, agave syrup, carob powder, rose water,spy lecithin powder, and whole vanilla beans, some people in more rural areas or those without access to health food and natural food sections may have more difficulty.
The Chocolate Cake with Fudge Frosting on page 74-75 was excellent. The Jumble Berry Upside Down cake on page 72 is great since you can use pineapple, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, which makes this a very in season dessert. Try the Ginger Spice cookies on page 81 are cookies kids and adults would love.
