Luscious Chocolate Desserts

Rating:
Summary: a treasure from page to page
Review: As soon as you pick up this beautiful book you are hooked. From the cover to the last page you are tantalized with gorgeous photography and upbeat design. The recipes are delicious and easy to follow. The book opened my eyes to the world of chocolate- lots of great information. Originally meant as a gift; the book has not left my kitchen, cocoa stained and all.

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Summary: Chocolate Heaven
Review: I discovered Lori Longbotham when I found a copy of Luscious Lemon Desserts at a friend's house. That book has a recipe for, hands down, the most amazingly good Lemon Curd that I have ever eaten. So when I saw that there was now a Luscious Chocolate Desserts, I had to get it. I've already made three things: the Luscious Chocolate Layer Cake and the Quickest, Easiest Chocolate Mousse Pie. Both excellent. For the third thing I made, see below.

What I really liked about this book is that all the recipes look like something you could walk into the kitchen and make without a lot of difficulty. You don't have to search all over for fancy ingredients, you don't need a lot of know-how. You just follow the very clear instructions, and you get cake (or cookies, or pie, or ice cream) like you're a professional baker. The Lemon Book is like that, too.

But my favorite thing in this book is that, besides all the cookies and brownies and the usual stuff, there is chocolate stuff that I had never even heard of. Buy this book if only to make one recipe: Bicerin. I had never heard of this before but it's an Italian drink of melted chocolate, coffee, and milk. I read about it and I thought, "I have to taste this." And I had some good Belgian chocolate in the house, so I walked into my kitchen and I made bicerin and in some ways, it was a darn shame, because now I've been drinking a cup of it every day and this book is going to make me gain 10 pounds before I'm done with it. But at least I'll have enjoyed every bite.

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Summary: RX: Make one a day.
Review: Just when you thought you couldn't be tempted by another chocolate cookbook, along comes Lori Longbotham's heavenly collection of recipes. What I love about this book are the gorgeous photos that bring the recipes to mouthwatering life, easy directions and lots of helpful cooking and ingredient information. There is such a variety to choose from that even a non-chocoholic will love these desserts. This pretty book is the perfect size for gift giving too!

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Summary: Luscious, Gooey, Dark and Sweet
Review: Not only is this book visually seductive, it is a treat to cook from. The recipes are enticing and very well written. Even the rich chocolate souffle recipe tells you to boil the water so that it can go into the pan surrounding the souffle dish! Very helpful to have this kind of information BEFORE you start making the souffle.

The chocolate chip cookies with pistachios and dried cherries are a fabulous and unique combination of flavors. The French chocolate macaroons are sinful. Who wants to be good all the time?

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Summary: The Best of chocolate dreams
Review: This companion book to "Luscious Lemon Desserts" is another winner. Lori Longbotham leads you down a chocolate path that will tempt you to devour the photographs. They are so life-like. There is something for everyone who believes "chocolate is a magic substance and noblest of dessert ingredients," You can select one of the nine chocolate cake recipes or grilled chocolate stuffed bananas...or one of the eleven dessert sauces. This is a #l choice for Christmas for your favorite baker.

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Summary: Essential baking cookbook
Review: This is a terrific cookbook, even for people like me who are not trained bakers. I have succeeded in making three recipes already--they work great. Have a long way to go to try a lot of other really inviting recipes. Her book also serves as a great reference for anything chocolate.

I was quite impressed with the fact that Ms. Lonbotham pays an historical homage to Chocolate Decadence (page 42) as being a seminal contribution to chocolate lovers worldwide. Living in Berkeley at the time, I well remember what a sensatation it caused.

Rating:
Summary: Luscious Indeed!
Review: This small book packs in a large number of recipes. Your cravings will be satisfied. Recipes range from the homey and simple Grilled Chocolate-Stuffed Bananas to the elegant and simple Ultimate Chocolate Marquise. There are also some requiring a little technique, which is well described and easy to follow. There are even 9 recipes for chocolate sauce. And there are loads of pictures to help you picture the final product. My new favorite chocolate cookbook.

Rating:
Summary: Not Just Another Chocolate Book
Review: What a delight to recieve Lori's latest book. Again she brings her passion and special brand of humor to this enduring favorite.Luscious Chocolate Desserts is a fascinating read filled with well developed and reliable recipes, intriguing historical facts and clear, simple tips for handling this fickle
culinary treasure.Once more, Lori informs, amuses, inspires and educates with her unique perspective and impressive knowledge.
A perfect gift for my chef-pals and my friends who still struggle to make a decent cup of cocoa.

Rating:
Summary: More than Just a Pretty Face
Review: With a fabulously velvety and sensual cover, this book delivers what it says--Luscious Chocolate Desserts is much more than just a pretty face. The recipes are indeed as luscious as the beautiful images make them out to be.

Even better, Longbotham is a real cookbook writer for real cooks in the real world: the recipes work, she gives just enough detail, and her prose is engaging. You feel like she's there in the kitchen with you. You like Lori, and you trust her. I suspect it would be no problem trying any recipe out of this book the first time around, even if I were making it for an important dinner party.

I loved the author's previous book, Luscious Lemon Desserts, and this chocolately follow-up is just as good as its tart sister. Right on, Lori.

Rating:
Summary: great book
Review: Yes, the world did need another chocolate cookbook!
This is a beautiful, well designed little book with easy to follow recipes and lovely photos. And great chocolate ideas. It's my new best friend.