Review: Chocolate and The Art of Low-Fat Desserts

Chocolate and the Art of Low-Fat Desserts
Alice Medrich
color photos
ISBN 0-446-51666-X
1st printing Oct 1994 HB

This is a book for all of us chocolate and dessert lovers who are trying to lose
weight and stay healthy but still want to enjoy an occasionally guilt free
dessert.

From inside front cover: "This is a ground breaking collection of recipes. All
are miraculously low in fat. All are highly indulgent. All uphold the
sophisticated culinary standards that have made Alice Medrich's name synonymous
with magnificent chocolate desserts for more than sixteen years." ....."Alice
Medrich offers desserts that both satisfy the needs of health-conscious
Americans and the demands of gourmet chocolate lovers."

About the author: she opened her first Cocolate Shop in Berkeley, CA in 1976,
she has been called America's First lady of Chocolate. She is also the author of
Cocolate: Extraordinary Chocolate Desserts.

Table of contents:
The Journey
The Low-Fat Diary
Tea Loaves and Pound Cakes
New Desserts Classics
Dressy Desserts
Petite Sweets
The New Basics
The Theory and Practice of Creating Rich Desserts with less Fat
Ingredients
Equipment
Resources
Bibliography
Table of Conversions
Index

There is a short tit bit included with each recipe -- either something about the
recipe or a hint or tip. I love that and the nutrition information that is
included with each recipe.

In addition to all the delicious sounding chocolate goodies such as: Kahlua
Fudge Ring, Fallen Chocolate Souffle Torte, Double Chocolate Layer Cake, Frozen
Hot Chocolate, Bittersweet Chocolate Truffles, Chocolate Souffles, Chocolate
Biscotti, and Chocolate Macaroons also include are non chocolate recipes like:
Hot Ginger Hearts, Lemon Crisps, Apple Rose Tartlets, Summer Berry Tart and
Lemon Mousse Cake.

From the author: ...."Each recipe also includes working and cooking times and
tips for doing ahead, storing and freezing. My own favorite Cookbooks are thick
with tips, notes, advice, and variations, and so I have liberally given the
reader a "piece of my mind" throughout."

My son Dexter and I made the chocolate Kahlua Ring a couple years ago.
Even though he doesn't like chocolate he likes to cook especially if it's a little out of the ordinary. To make this cake you actually utilize 4 recipes from the book -- The chocolate
pound cake, Kahlua Ring and the chocolate glaze which is a variation of the
Chocolate Buttermilk glaze. I had to have a taste almost as soon as it was
finished and wasn't sure if it was worth all the trouble but the next day
Sarita, Harold and I all agreed it was. Sorry I didn't include the recipe with
this review but it was too much typing (4 rather long recipes). Hope if it
sounds good to you you'll be able to find a copy so you can try some of these
delicious low-fat desserts, not all of which are as complicated as the one I
choose.