The new book “Frozen Desserts” by Francisco J. Migoya could just as easily have been called “Fantasy Desserts.”
I mean, really, who among us has even dreamed of whipping up Chocolate Lemon Ice Cream with Lemon Pound Cake Croutons; Lemon Semifreddo with Coconut Bubbles and Black Sesame Seed Glass; or Pumpkin Gelato with Gingerbread Sablee Breton, Candied Pepitas, and Caramel Paper?
Caramel Paper!
As apparently anyone who’s ever been Executive Pastry Chef at French Laundry, Bouchon Bakery and Bouchon Bistro already knows, “paper” is a mixture of sugar, water and lemon juice that’s heated, poured onto a rubber mat, cooled, ground to powder in a robot coupe, spread on a rubber mat in a thin layer, baked, cooled, and broken into evenly sized pieces.
It didn’t take me long to realize that this remarkable book is geared primarily to professional chefs. Migoya is, in fact, now an assistant professor of bakery and pastry arts at the Culinary Institute of America. And he’s very comfortable throwing around words like “pacotized” (a new one on me, referring to a Swiss contraption that “shaves” ice cream), Brix scale (a measurement of the density and concentration of sugar in solution) and Bombe (a round ice cream treat to most of us, but a frozen parfait with 50 percent more heavy cream to those in the know.)
You pretty much know you’re in over your head when the chapter headlined Production Techniques for
Sorbets includes:
“Classic Method: Using a Refractometer;” “Modern Method #1: Using a Sorbet Mix;” and “Modern Method #2: Using a Mathematical Formula.”
Nonetheless, this is a book for anyone who appreciates fine photography…the stunning photos could be hanging on the wall of a museum. It’s also for anyone who wants to truly understand the basics – Migoya’s explanations are patient, clear and concise. And it’s definitely for anyone wanting to stretch his/her dessert repertoire.
White Chocolate Ice Cream Cones with Osetra Caviar might be a bit over the top. But the elegant French Macaron Cassis Sorbet isn’t all that hard to make. Burnt Milk Gelato with Mexican Hot Chocolate is a divine idea. And Popcorn Sherbet with Caramel Popcorn and Caramel Sauce will have your guests talking about your genius well into 2009.
Me? I’m thinking about tackling Peppermint Sorbet Cubes with Whipped Crème Chantilly, Devil’s Food Cake and Candy Cane Dust .
The book costs $60; $37.80 at Amazon.com.
Comments