Ready for Dessert: My Best Recipes (2024)

Sometimes I like to read cookbooks. I read this one 3x before finally returning it to the library.
The flourless chocolate cake recipe is the absolute best one I've found.

Ready for Dessert is made up of recipes from two of Mr. Lebovitz's previous books (Room for Dessert, Ripe for Dessert) and a few new ones. I really like the included recipes and I appreciate that many desserts are flourless so they can easily be made and enjoyed by those following gluten and grain-free diets. However, I thought that there were way too many desserts containing alcohol which the author insists cannot be left out and not nearly enough photographs of the desserts. While there are recipes for favorites such as chocolate chip cookies and brownies, I feel that most of the recipes are for fancier, less popular types of desserts better suited to a special occasion or when you are looking for something different.

I discovered this book by accident while browsing one of my many bookmarked food blogs, as the author of the Tuscan food blog I was reading was friends with the author of this cookbook. The cover photo looked good as did his choice of Italian restaurants and gelateria highlighted in his blog, so I figured I would give the book a chance. The photos are so gorgeous, that even the desserts I wouldn't normally eat, look mouthwatering. As another reviewer said, some of the recipe combos I personally wouldn't eat, but some of them sound so intriguing I want to try them out. Most of the recipes are way over my head, but I would love to try a big chunk of them. For example: Nectarine-Raspberry Upside-Down Gingerbread, Apple-Frangipane Galette (a free form Apple pie with rich almond pastry cream), Pineapple/Rhubarb/Raspberry Cobbler, and Chocolate Port Truffles. I liked that he was not afraid to eat chocolate and was in fact in love with it. Great cookbook and hope I get to try some of its' recipes out for parties.

This was one of the first pastry books I purchased when I started cooking and it's by far one of the best. The recipes are clearly explained, I love the detailed footnotes. The techniques are also very well explained.

I've had this for a couple years now, and it's one of my go-to places for excellent recipes. I haven't "baked the book," but I have baked many of the recipes, and haven't found a dud yet. Instructions are always clear and easy to follow, even on the more complicated recipes. But what I especially like is that "complicated" is relative for Lebovitz. He doesn't believe in fancy over flavor, and while everything looks great, it's the nature of what you're making, not due to complex, intricate, multi-step directions. Having said that, there's something here for everyone from the novice to the serious, experienced amateur. My only gripe: I want photos of every recipe, not just the chosen few.

David Lebovitz is an amazing ally in your kitchen, and everything in this book is laid out to make your experience better. Ingredient weights! Informative headnotes! Storage tips, serving tips, variations galore! Out of all of his books, Ready for Dessert is my favorite. An absolute masterpiece. My desert island dessert book, good for anyone interested in baking at home as well as professionals. What really makes this book superb is that you will not fall flat with these recipes. Follow them closely and they work. It seems so simple, but it is rare to have such consistent reliability from a baking book. Every time I open up this literal trove of deliciousness, I find something new that interests me. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

I made: Racines Cake(p. 30), Chocolate-Cherry Fruitcake (p.33), Maple-Walnut Pear Cake (p. 35), Cherry Gâteau Basque (p. 48), Banana Cake with Mocha Frosting and Salted Candied Peanuts (p. 62), Chocolate-Caramel Soufflés (p. 132), Creamy Rice Pudding (p. 138), Vanilla Ice Cream (p. 143), Chocolate Chip Cookies (p. 188), Robert's Absolute Best Brownies (p. 196), Chocolate-Port Truffles (p. 220), Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce (p. 243).

Would make again: I would make every single one of these again, except for the fact that my youngest has developed allergies to eggs and peanuts. Fingers crossed that he'll grow out of the egg allergy, but until then I'll be figuring out where substitutions can be made.

Standout Star Recipe: Tie between Chocolate-Cherry Fruitcake (p.33) and Cherry Gâteau Basque (p. 48). I've never been a big fan of fruitcake, but this one was so so good. And the Cherry Gâteau Basque, to die for. Try it, you won't be sorry. The dough will tear, it's very delicate, but you just patch it up and it won't matter at all once it's baked. Perfect thing for literally any moment of the day.

Pics on my blog: https://mykitchenscratch.com/2020/12/...

Mr. Lebovitz is a well-known American baker/pastry chef who now lives in France. I feel privileged that he shares his BEST recipes with readers. This is an EXCELLENT dessert book ranging from easy to challenging recipes, with many one-page directions requiring less than 10 ingredients. Mr. Lebovitz includes practical tips for knowing when a jam/jelly are ready to be jarred, how to determine if the caramel is ready to be cooled, which sauces accompany the cakes, galettes, and ice creams. I cannot wait to try so many of the author's recipes, including Linzertorte, Chocolate Orbit Cake, velvety Gateau Victoire, Chocolate Chocolate Cookies, Orange Almond Bread Pudding, Butterscotch Pecan Ice Cream, Candied Cherries...

Saw David Lebovitz on a rerun of “Beat Bobby Flay” and decided to check out this cookbook from the library. It’s got some recipes I’m looking forward to trying, particularly two flourless chocolate cakes and the blood orange sorbet. The recipes don’t seem too complicated, but many do use liqueurs we don’t usually keep on hand or fruits like kumquats that would require some searching. I wish all of the recipes had photographs.

Also, not a knock on the book itself, because this is a personal fit issue. A lot of the recipes used nuts in ways that you couldn’t omit/substitute. They sounded good, but we’ve got a nut allergy in the family, so it won’t be a hugely useful cookbook for us.

After finding Lebovitz's website, I have been following his recipes and advice. I have never made something I didn't like. This book lead me to make Fresh Ginger Cake which was a hit with everyone who tired it. I love reading every tidbit before each recipe. I highly recommend his books.

It does not get any better than this, it's taking all my willpower not to be in the kitchen cooking all night long !

We've made several recipes, all really great. Cakes, cookies, ice cream. I wish there were photos for each recipe.

Lebovitz served both figuratively and literally on this one.

I don't really care for Lebovitz's writing, but I *love* his recipes. I have several bookmarked to try.

This cookbook is definitely value for the money.
I tend to be very careful before spending money on a cookbook and don't keep any that I don't frequently use. This has become one of those that I turn to when I want something unique or definitely when company is coming and I want to impress.

Don't worry, the recipes are NOT intimidating; they're written in a straight forward manner, with easy to follow instructions. I've enjoyed his storytelling manner of introducing each recipe, often including his appealing sense of humour. Perhaps the only thing in this book that MIGHT bother some people is that there is not a photo for every recipe. I honestly don't mind because it means there's room in the book for more recipes, which is what also gives this book such value.

I've made several desserts from the cookbook, a couple more than once, and each one has been a thumbs-up success. The biggest thumbs-up is how each recipe is full of flavour. Although he does include a few old standards, such as chocolate chip cookies or pavlova, what I truly have been appreciating is that he offers up so many unique desserts, that elevates dessert-time to that of a high end restaurant yet they are easy for the home cook to make.

One more thing I think most home cooks will appreciate are all the tips he offers up. The majority of the recipes contain a tip or two ranging from tips on techniques, quality of ingredients, ways to guarantee success, and so on. He has made a point of offering deluxe desserts that are easy for anyone to make.

Do you ever give books as gifts? This book makes an excellent gift.

Want to impress the bridge group or book club? How about your in-laws the next time they're over for dinner? Or maybe you simply want to enjoy a decadently delicious dessert with your family. This book will work for all those occasions.

I mean, really. This man spent his life learning to make desserts, and he just gives his best recipes in this one. They might be fail-proof. I haven't had a loser yet, and the Champagne Geleé I've been looking for since I saw it in a magazine years ago. Besides, how can one resist a man that loves chocolate? These aren't fussy, but they are definitely desserts you ONLY want to make when lots of people are coming over. They will work perfectly and will look great, but the are emphatically NOT low fat or any of that. They are DESSERT and as a rule DESSERT should only be eaten when you've been very good for a long time. They are not the kind of thing you want lying around making kissy-lips at you from the kitchen counter. He doesn't get the last star because he does a brilliant job with butter and eggs and sugar, but as my Mom used to say, ANYTHING tastes good with butter. The trick is making it taste good without. Not vegan, sorry folks.

adoro o david lebovitz! acho ele simpático, bem humorado, e muito ótimo de ler! mas... este livro é muito diferente das minhas expectativas! rs. eu esperava receitas ótimas e fáceis, muitas delas, com fotos aos montes e historinhas legais idem. na verdade, este livro tem todas as historinhas, e muitas receitas, mas pouquíssimas coisas facinhas de fazer, e não tantas fotos quanto eu gostaria. a verdade é que tem gente que adoooora cozinhar, enquanto eu gosto mesmo é de comer! pra gente como eu, receitas difícieis são chatas, compridas, e não tão atraentes; e é isso o que achei da maioria das receitas deste livro do david. se sei fazer um bolo de laranja maravilhoso que não me dá trabalho nenhum, não tenho por que usar a receita do livro que é cheia de passos e mais passos... e por isso, só 3 estrelinhas pra este livro que, apesar de ser muito bonito, certamente não vai ser muito usado aqui em casa.

I first learned about David Lebovitz because my 20-year-old son was reading his blog. I love the blog, too, since he writes about his life in Paris, and he has a great sense of humor. Next I tried some recipes from the blog to great success, especially his Date Bars, which are perfect to take along on bike rides and also to send to my son at college as a care package.Then I found Ready for Dessert, and I love it! The photos are gorgeous, the text is just the right length and filled with stories about each recipe, and it's hard to pick which recipe to try. The brownies and cherry cobbler (I used blackberries I picked last summer, and can't wait to try it during cherry season) are fabulous recipes. I am a huge fan of David Lebovitz!

The greatest hits collection of an amazing baker! Not really for novices, but truly delicious, his passion for dessert is contagious. I thought the cakes section was best - the cookies were good but nothing revolutionary (some of the cakes actually are!), and there's also a chapter on frozen deserts, many which don't require an ice cream maker. If you take your sweets seriously, this is worth checking out. And I'm forever in his debt for turning me onto the white chocolate/lemon combo - when it's done right, it's really amazing.

Simply irresistible! I checked this out from the library but it is one of the few that I plan to buy, just to have it always on hand and to own it. I haven't had a chance to try out any of the recipes yet, but they are very well written and look very do-able for any home cook. A few I've got marked to try first: Fresh Ginger Cake, Easy Marmalade Tart, and Chocolate-Port Truffles. The indexing and color photos are both superb, and I love the personable written introductions given for each and every recipe. This is a winner of a cookbook, (and I read a lot of them).

Any cookbook by David Lebovitz is a home run in my opinion! Great anecdotes precede all recipes, and the recipes themselves are inspired. I've made many of the recipes and each one has been stellar. Sometimes he will combine ingredients that you would at first assume wouldn't go together (for example, adding cinnamon to a recipe with chocolate, orange, and cherry), but the addition is what puts the flavour over the top.

One of the best book investments (in cookbooks) I've ever made. Goes for the other cookbooks I have by David. Yum!!!

I love to bake and this book is fantastic for recipes that are extra special. It is a large book (meaning the page space is large) so I will need to make sure I cover the page with plastic wrap so it doesn't get mucked up (usually I can scan a page so as to not ruin the original book - in the stitching world we call this our "working copy" - lol!) - if you enjoy baking, I really recommend this book.

This book, simply put, is great. There are so many recipes to try that look fancy but are deceptively easy-to-make. There's a good balance between chocolate and fruit recipes, and Mr. Lebovitz's writing is conversational and snappy, but certainly not without purveying how to actually make the dish.

Awesome. Great recipes, haven't had a problem reproducing them at home. The desserts in this book are not too fancy and the flavour combinations are wonderful. I know when I choose a recipe from this book that it's going to turn out, which is something that cant be said for a lot of cookbooks these days. He also includes a nice library of basic recipes with detailed instructions, which is handy.

Oh, I do love a baking book with ample and interesting introductory paragraphs to all the recipes and this one does not disappoint! Unsurprisingly, the desserts I intend to try out all center on my favorite ingredient: chocolate! Racines Cake, Gateau Victoire, Chocolate Pots de Creme, and Chocolate Chip Cookies, here I come :-)

Tatlıların, özellikle de çikolata ve dondurmanın ustası David Lebovitz'in en popüler kitaplarından. Kekler, kurabiyeler, tartlar, turtalar, dondurmalar, pastalar ve daha nice tarif içeren kitap hem tariflerin çeşitliliği hem de zorluk seviyesi olarak geniş bir yelpaze içeriyor. Fırınla yeni haşır neşir olanlara da, usta pastacılara da önerilir.

A beautiful book. I thought some of the flavor combinations a little modern (I mean to say fleeting) for my taste but I'm sure his editor coerced him. I found some good recipes. Like the Fresh Ginger Cake and Chocolate Pots de Creme. I like his writing. A character.

I borrowed this book from the library and am seriously considering buying it. The Guinness Gingerbread Cupcakes were insanely good with a lime icing. The Racine cake was super easy, light and rich. I want to try more of his recipes because they are not difficult and very very tasty.

Pictures of Recipes? Only about half are pictured.
Commentary on Recipes? Yes.
Nutrition Facts? No.
Recipe style? Classic desserts and sweets.
Any keepers? A few.

Some of these recipes are pretty complex. More effort than I'd put in.

Was reading this at the same time as the author's My Paris Kitchen and it blew this one out of the water. Might have to revisit another time, as these recipes seemed stuffy and overwrought in comparison to the simple elegance of the others.

OMG.