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Summary: Pastry Art & Design review, Summer 1997
Review: DEATH BY CHOCOLATE COOKIES by Marcel Desaulniers takes cookie-making to new heights--over the top, as is the Desaulniers manner. Seventy-five recipes, most accompanied by lush photography by Michael Grand, plus kitchen tips and Desaulniers' witty commentary make this a worthy addition to this chef's impressive oeuvre (DEATH BY CHOCOLATE, DESSERTS TO DIE FOR, THE TRELLIS COOKBOOK and more). Recipes include Chocolate Oatmeal Roundup, Chocolate Heavenly Bodies and Chocolate Raspberry "Cookiecupcakes."--Dan Hallassey
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Summary: Chocolatier review, September 1997
Review: For the cookie lover, Marcel Desaulniers' DEATH BY CHOCOLATE COOKIES is a gift from the gods. Superb, hunger-inducing photography by Michael Grand accompanies such easy-to-follow recipes as Chocolate Peanut Butter Bengal Cookies, Golden Spider Webs with Wicked Ganache and Raspberry Rapture. Chocolate seems to run in the veins of Desaulniers, who is a superb chef and author of DEATH BY CHOCOLATE and DESSERTS TO DIE FOR.
Rating: 
Summary: Absolutely Fantastic!
Review: Heard about this cookbook from my sister-in-law. She had baked a cookie from the book (crackups). At that point, I knew I had to have it. Now I am interested in other books by this same author. I ate at the Trellis restaurant in Williamsburg, Virginia for the first time and every once in a while, the author, Marcel Desaulniers will stop by to sign his books. It's a must have!
Rating: 
Summary: Errors
Review: I agree with Noah S Selsby that there could be some mistakes in the instructions. I tried out the Road Trip Cookies whereby one is told to use '3 heaping tablespoons of dough for each cookie'; a bit sceptical, I only used 1 heaping tablespoon for 1 cookie. I still got around 18 cookies,as mentioned in the recipe. So I think it was really '3 heaping teaspoons',not tablespoons.And the cookies ARE 'hefty' as warned in the book; 8 tablespoons finally filled the whole baking sheet! Imagine if I had used 3 tbsp instead! I only own 2 baking sheets, so cooking time was long. Agree totally with Noah S Selsby that recipes are good for a serious baker (meaning (s)he must own LOTS of equipment!) However, I am still a great fan of Mr Desaulniers' books and shows;been hooked on since I saw his creations on TV years ago!
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Summary: Inspiring cookie recipes I've used again and again
Review: I am married to a pie man, but I am a cookie woman through and through. Perhaps unsurprsingly, this is one of my very favorite cookbooks, and one I refer to whenever I'm looking for a new cookie to try. It's provided much delicious variety at an annual Christmas cookie and cocktail party we throw. We have high praise for the basics in particular -- these are some of our all-time favorites: Chocolate Dalmatians, Road Trip Cookies, Brown Sugar Chocolate Chip Bars, Mrs. D's Chocolate Chip Cookie (best ever!). Elegant and yet simple: Espresso To Go. Walnut Toffee Triangles.
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Summary: Don't be fooled by the cover!
Review: I bought the book thinking that most of the cookie recipes would look as elegant as the one on the cover. Boy, was I mistaken. Most of the recipes are just common cookie recipes. For example they have a chocolate chip recipe and other that I already have. Only the last few recipes (the last 8) are creative ones. That includes the one on the cover. Which is the best looking one. Now when I say creative ones don't be fooled. They include a recipe for a pizza cookie, one that looks like flapjacks, an artist palette, spider webs and etc. Nothing to really impress people.
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Summary: This is a fabulous book.
Review: I have many baking books, and reach for this one time and time again. I have made many of the recipes, and I can't pick out one favorite recipe, as they have all been hits. I have recommended this to others, and they too are enjoying Marcel's recipes...
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Summary: Maybe I got the wrong edition...
Review: I have read the previous reviews and I am puzzled. I do not like this book at all. I have never written a review before but this book drove me to it. I am an experienced baker and tried two recipes following the instructions carefully. Both failed miserably and I am not willing to waste the butter, or more importantly, the chocolate, to try another.
My first attempt was the Paisely Brownies. The recipe called for 12 ounces of butter (yes, ounces, not tablespoons). While nervous about 3/4 of a pound of butter going into essentially a double batch of brownie batter, I forged ahead. What I got was incredible greasy brownies with a gummy raspberry topping. I figured the butter amount must have been a typo so I tried again with 12 TABLESPOONS of butter and while the brownies were less greasy, they were still mushy in the middle with a gummy raspberry topping. Next I tried the Topsy Turvys (didn't even get around to making the sorbet or the pineapple topping). Each attempt to mold the baked cookie into bowl shapes yielded greasy messes on my counter. Perhaps I got the two dogs out of the whole bunch but as I have said before, I'm not willing to waste any more butter, chocolate, parchment paper, etc. on any of his recipes.
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Summary: I love this book!
Review: I LOVE this book. It has become, over the years, one of my favorite dessert books. There are several recipes that I (or my girls) have made over and over and they have now become favorites. My kids' teachers drool over the cookies in their lunch boxes, and have requested them for their class parties. Some of our "tried and true" recipes include the Road Trip Cookies, Chocolate Oatmeal Roundup Cookies, Chocolate Boulders, Mrs. D's Chocolate Chip Cookies, Franny's Big Bottom Pies (which I also made ice cream sandwiches from), White Chocolate Snow Caps, and Chocolate Hazelnut Espresso Biscotti. I have had only one recipe to be a total bust, and that was the fudge. All in all, though, I feel confident that when I try a new recipe, it will work. My only caution would be in his recommendations for salt--to my taste it is a little too much and I usually cut the amount called for in half and I find it to be just right.
Rating:
Summary: I love this book!
Review: I LOVE this book. It has become, over the years, one of my favorite dessert books. There are several recipes that I (or my girls) have made over and over and they have now become favorites. My kids' teachers drool over the cookies in their lunch boxes, and have requested them for their class parties. Some of our "tried and true" recipes include the Road Trip Cookies, Chocolate Oatmeal Roundup Cookies, Chocolate Boulders, Mrs. D's Chocolate Chip Cookies, Franny's Big Bottom Pies (which I also made ice cream sandwiches from), White Chocolate Snow Caps, and Chocolate Hazelnut Espresso Biscotti. I have had only one recipe to be a total bust, and that was the fudge. All in all, though, I feel confident that when I try a new recipe, it will work. My only caution would be in his recommendations for salt--to my taste it is a little too much and I usually cut the amount called for in half and I find it to be just right.
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