Desserts have a reputation for being difficult & chefs desserts in particular might be expected to be flashy & complicated. Not so Gordons. His methods are classical because these are what work & have stood the test of time but wherever its possible to make a recipe simpler Gordon will do so. What matters are the flavours & noone is better at combining them
- pineapple & star anise figs with balsamic syrup raspberry & lemongrass chocolate & thyme
- to name but a few. In Just Desserts the first few chapters deal with the basic building blocks
- fruit ices & creams mousses & souffles. The recipes are presented in a clear & easy-to-follow way; the mouthwatering photographs of finished desserts are backed up with revealing & informative step-by-step technique photographs. Each recipe stands alone but where it could be combined to make a more special dish there are suggestions in the margin
- Slow Roasted Peaches with Orange Caramel Sauce would be served with White Peach Parfait & Dried Peach Slices for example. Gordon loves classics but here each one has an individual twist
- Summer Pudding for instance is made with brioche rather than bread & served in a spectacular stack; Treacle Tart is made with a superlight pastry & served with Lemongrass Creme Fraiche. Not only is Just Desserts a superb collection of delicious recipes for every occasion it is the definitive book on superlative contemporary dessert making. Glamorous yet authoritative it will be many years before a better book on the subject is produced.