Caprial's Desserts
Caprial Pence (of Caprial's Bistro in Portland, Oregon) and her pastry chef, Melissa Carey, go for "flavor and substance" inCaprial's Desserts, a volume of master recipes and variations for the desserts that keep her Bistro customers coming back for more. These are simple desserts that don't need translation. They are mostly old-fashioned, the kind you wish your grandmother passed on to you, such as the rich and moist Chocolate Buttermilk Cake. And to ice it, her Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting is the recipe you've been looking for. Master recipes are followed by variations just to get you started. Caprial encourages us to experiment with whatever we have on hand. Their recipe for a truly crispy Fruit Crisp is followed by variations for Oatmeal-Nut Crisp and for Individual Fruit Crisps. Once we understand which parts of the recipes are safe to change, the sky's the limit. Banana Cream Pie, Caramel-Pear Tart with a Graham Shortbread Crust, Jenny's Great-Grandma's Gingersnaps, and Peach-Raspberry Scones are comfort food epitomized. Orange-Caramel Pull-Apart Bread, Chocolate Bread Pudding, Strawberry-Mascarpone Ice Cream, and Coconut Cream Cake will impress your friends and thrill your kids. These recipes are creative enough for anyone to appreciate, and are so clear, concise (most take up less than a page), and easy to follow that even pastry novices will feel comfortable diving in.--Leora Y. Bloom