Best Review on The Perfect Scoop Granitas Accompaniments
Bought this when I got my new ice cream maker attachment for my kitchen aid mixer. I've made a bunch of the recipes for ice cream, gelato, sorbet, sauces and mix-ins. All fabulous! The instructions are very clear as is the primer at the beginning of the book. As I made the recipes I came to appreciate the author's attention to detail and what must have been his lengthy and tasty testing process. Custard based (french style) ice creams were not scary to make at all, and they were far better than any store bought ice cream I've ever had, even the premium stuff. Check out Lebovitz's blog for yet more great reading and yummy recipes.
His suggestions for flavor combinations and variations are inspiring and give you the confidence and know- how to experiment on your own. Highly recommended. Don't be discouraged by the lukewarm reviews from snooty pro cooks. This cookbook will guide you in the right direction to make the most of your ice cream maker. It is well worth the effort to use the best indredients you can find/afford (chocolate, vanilla beans...). You and your friends will be happy, even if your waistlines are not!
My ice cream has always suffered from a host of typical texture problems, but the custard recipes in here seem to have cured most of them (even though they're not all that different from what I'd been doing for years!). I made the fresh ginger recipe first--though I deviated a bit by using more ginger than it called for, letting it steep longer, and adding a bit of saffron to the mix--and the product was smooth and virtually crystal-less, even after hardening. Pretty tough to get it as airy as the store-bought stuff at home, but otherwise I have little to complain about so far.
BalasHapusI was pretty shocked that this was a hardbound edition when I opened the box. That's not something you usually see at this price point, but then there are quite a few typos sprinkled about, so maybe they skipped out on the whole editor thing and passed the savings on to me. Either way, good material and well worth picking up.
The recipes are great, but some need some time to "ripen" before they reach their best taste. If your ice cream tastes good, but not great, let it stand in the freezer for a day, and you'll have an absolutely incredible dessert.
BalasHapus
BalasHapusI have way too many cookbooks and I can honestly say this is one of my favourites. David's style is easy and enjoyable, the recipes do what they are supposed to do and they taste fantastic. The best part of this book is that both volumetric and weight measurements are included, something which many supposedly great cookbooks by apparent expert chefs do not - something which continues to amaze me. I have one minor complaint - the basic custard method requires too many bowls which makes for too much washing up! However, I can cope with this, because this method has created the smoothest, creamiest, most ice-crystal-free home icecream I have ever had! Other methods I have tried just don't stack up.
BalasHapusGet this book now!
This inspiried author/cook has done it again. He is the best at desserts--his Room for Dessert, and Ripe for Desserts are classics and my go-to- books for perfection. In this readable, beautifully illustrated book, one finds themselves drawn into the world of cold desserts; all you ever wanted to know and more............delicious recipes, and grand inspiration. Of note are the sauces and topopings, an entire chapter--they are scrumptious and relatively easy. Bravo!!!
BalasHapusI've been using my icecream maker for several years now, and have had a couple of favourite ice cream books, but none come close to this one.
BalasHapusWhat marks this book out for me isn't just that it is full of marvellous icecream/sorbet/granita recipes which work, or the fact that the different flavour combinations will inspire you to experiment all the more yourself, or the fact that, like everything else David Lebovitz writes, it's eminently readable (witty, chatty yet authoritative on his subject matter - the perfect combination for a food book). These are all excellent reasons to buy this book. No, what really impresses me is the space given over to icecream accoutrements, including incredible detail on types of toffee and caramel sauces, icecream "vessels" such as differently flavoured cones, mix-ins which range from the crisp and crunchy (pralined almonds, buttercrunch toffee, peanut brittle) to the soft and gooey (homemade marshmallows, cookie dough). All meticulously researched and beautifully presented (Lara Hata's photographs are excellent too).
Wonderful.