Two key things I look at when considering cookbooks to buy are the images and the recipes. The images should ideally be full page, and they must stimulate my mind, body and senses, literally making my mouth water with a simultaneous desire to get into the kitchen. The recipes need to be accessible and when tried should work. Never Skip Dessert by pastry chef Gregoire Michaud, meets both these criteria. And, I am not even that big a fan of desserts!

Inline with the current trend of leading pastry chefs, Michaud takes many classic dessert recipes and revitalises their taste and presentation. Many of the recipes also use ingredients that one doesn't normally associate with desserts. In all senses it is a modern dessert cookbook for the modern home chef.

About the Book

Never Skip Dessert is the latest book from Gregoire Michaud, pastry chef at Four Seasons Hong Kong, and WOM Ask a Chef expert. The book contains 60 recipes, divided into Essentials (e.g., Mom's Apple Tart), Citrus (Slow Baked Lemon Tart), Tropics (Baked Banana with Yuzu Thyme Ice Cream), Berries (Papillote of Raspberries, Bay Leaf and Persian Candied Coriander), Chocolate (Flourless Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Cream and Smoked Pecan Brittle), Autumn (Armagnac Flambée Black Plums), and Say Cheese! (Burrata Mozzarella with Vanilla Strawberries and Minus 8 Vinegar). There is also a selection of stock recipes for basics such as dough, and a glossary of terms.

Michaud also goes into detail at the beginning of the book about Creating Desserts and Enhancing Desserts. Creating Desserts discusses ideas, dimensions, flavours, colours, textures, temperatures, and equilibrium. Enhancing Desserts, discusses spices, fruits sous-vide (vacuumed), herbs in desserts, smoking nuts, natural essential oils, and nitrous oxide canisters.

The forewords have been written by Ramon Morato, director of Aula Chocovic, a school dedicated to chocolate, plus the Four Season's Michelin starred chefs Vincent Thierry and Chan Yan Tak. I agree with Thierry who says, "All his recipes can be attempted by anyone who is passionate and motivated by patisserie. In his book, Gregoire cleverly introduces us to most of the classic base recipes...in order for you to cook, create and experience your own dessert..."

While the book focuses on traditional desserts, Michaud says, "I believe in retro-innovation, keeping the sure values, and adding a twist, not to denature the products, but rather to enhance them in a visual and gustative way." 

There is a brief introduction at the start of each section, and each recipe has a "Suggestions" section. The information can range from, which apples are best to use when making a baked tart, to preparing and serving tips, through to pairing ideas.

Pros

The recipes are easy to follow, easy to understand and easy to recreate. With no oven I tried the sous-vide fruit salad recipe, with no special equipment. As Michaud described the cells of the fruit were compressed, which altered both the texture and flavour. I enjoyed the fact that as a home cook I too can create something so unusual and so unexpected that is a breeze to make. 

The use of spices and herbs, and other unexpected dessert ingredients takes the book beyond just another dessert cookbook. It makes the book more informative, current, and inspiring, and gives a sense of, I too can create amazing desserts that will impress. Michaud says in his preface, "Desserts suggesting the need of a PhD in food science can often be prepared effortlessly."

There are some child-friendly desserts, desserts that kids (of all ages) are sure to love and that could be an alternative to prepackaged snacks and treats. For example, Elderberry and Lime Stripes and Liquified Banana Popsicles. 

The information in the Creating Desserts section gives the user a sense of learning secrets of the trade and stimulates the mind to think beyond a list of ingredients and a method. There is also a lot of valuable knowledge and reference information in the Enhancing Desserts section, for example suggestions on which herbs match which fruits. 

In addition to mouth-watering full page images of the finished product there are also 3-4 small images of the recipe's construction.

All information is written in both English and Chinese.

Cons

It is hard to find fault with this book. So far, I haven't been able to find any with the recipes, or indeed the layout, design or images. I did find some errors with the English editing, but then nobody is perfect. 

Reasons to Buy

For all the reasons described so far. The book is informative, interesting, current, and brimming with tempting recipes that are accessible. Aptly titled, Never Skip Dessert will make you want to get to the kitchen and create. 

For more information, plus more photos from both of Gregoire's books, or to buy online, visit http://gregoire.michaud.net/ 

To read a review of Michaud's first book, Artisan Bread, click here.

Recipe

Click here for a recipe for the Slow Baked Lemon Tart.