BraveTart: Iconic American Desserts
Stella Parks, W.W. Norton & Co., 2017
This is one of the few recently published cookbooks that made my list. It’s also one of only two books specifically about sweets. What makes it extraordinary is the well-researched history of iconic American desserts and branded snacks, as well as the clear and precise instructions for recreating them in a home kitchen.
Gathered in one volume are all the classics––cookies, cakes, pies, donuts and breakfast treats, from snickerdoodles and fudge, to cheesecake, coconut cream pie, and chocolate chip cookies. Stella Parks, with her careful research and precise instructions, gives you the ability to recreate the taste and look of these quintessentially American desserts. She then includes some stylish modern flourishes. Accompanying the recipes are sections with background information and vintage ads that give history and context to the recipes. You learn the origin of animal crackers and Oreo cookies, white layer cakes and Key Lime Pie. In addition, her detailed instructions tell you why a recipe works, putting you in control and making consistency and success more likely. Her writing is both rigorous and fun, often debunking cherished culinary myths.
Recipe
Chopped Chocolate Chip Cookies