Room for Dessert
David Lebovitz, Harper Collins, 1999
For 12 years, David Lebovitz worked in the pastry department of Alice Waters’ storied restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley, California. In 1999, following the death of his partner, he abruptly moved to Paris. There, he began his writing career with the book Room for Dessert. He continues to write his very popular blog about French food, life in Paris, and dessert.
Every cook needs a few tried-and-true desserts in their repertoire. In Room for Dessert, Lebovitz has recipes for pies, tarts, cookies, ice creams and more. The recipes are always reliable, with clear instructions. He guarantees success for anyone in the kitchen, not just professional pastry chefs.
The desserts are first about flavor, with minimal decoration. His philosophy is to search out the best ingredients and serve them in a straightforward manner without superfluous flourishes.
His Chocolate Orbit Cake, named for it lunar-like surface, is guaranteed to launch chocolate lovers into orbit. Since it’s baked in a water bath, it’s not gooey in the manner of many flourless chocolate desserts. It has only four ingredients, needs no special equipment and holds well in the refrigerator for several days. He suggests serving it with crème anglaise. A slim slice is great for dessert after dinner, but I like it best in the afternoon, served with lightly whipped cream and a cup of espresso.