Extraordinary Cakes: Recipes for Bold and Sophisticated Desserts [Hardcover]

Wow. Wow. And wow.

There aren't other words to describe this absolutely breathtaking book of cakes that please both the eyes and the palate, all from Ms. Karen Krasne, owner and chef at "Extraordinary Desserts" restaurant located in San Diego, California.

An incredibly accomplished chef (just look at her resume on the website), she has generously shared a goldmine of talent with us, through gorgeous, pristine photography of some of the most ethereal cakes you will see. To be more specific, these are not character cakes or object cakes; these are very fancy "wow" factor presentations that will give your guests a "gasp" moment.

That being said, this is not a book for baking weaklings, because as Ms. Krasne states in her Introduction, these cakes take time, as in a couple of days, to make. Yes, some can be done within a day, but for the majority of these fabulous cakes, you definitely will need time on your side. Also, you need some solid baking skills or possess much patience, as she has given the recipes in great detail, starting with the batter, then going on to the fillings and frosting, and ending with the assembly and decorations of each masterpiece. And to note, "decor" to her is not sugarpaste or fondant but rather fresh flowers, or ganache, or purees that dot the plate, which is all that is needed with many of these cakes because the dessert itself is so beautiful.

As I mentioned previously, the photography is of each finished cake and a slice within, though in the "Introduction" section, there are several photos of how to decorate. Her presentation of each recipe is very detailed with multiple steps; this also describes the way she presents cakes that have either subtle nuances to those with complex flavors that build on each other. Most of these are those she has created from her years of crafting and loving this vocation of her life.

The book is also broken into seasons so that you can get the best out of the offerings that each holds for you. I also enjoy mentioning that several recipes are gluten-free (GF), as she has noted it is becoming an important health issue for many of her clients.

Her book has so many beautiful cakes that it would take quite some time to describe each one, therefore just a handful will be given. I guarantee that you will be enchanted with these and will want to have the rest:

PREFACE:

INTRODUCTION: This includes equipment, ingredients,and techniques. The end of this part has a listing of edible flowers and berries, etc that are safe to use, their availability, and in what recipes they were used.

SPRING:
Lemon Praline Torte

Toute Fraisies (strawberry cupcakes)

Ivoire Royale (beyond jaw-dropping; a vanilla infused sour cream pound cake w/ a white chocolate mousse, fresh berries, a whipped cream dress, and white chocolate curls on top!)

SUMMER:
Passion Fruit Ricotta Cake

Beau Soleil (thinly sliced juicy peaches, rosette-style, resting atop a hazelnut vanilla jocande cake infused w/ simple orange syrup and mascapone mousse w/ hazelnut praline crunch on the sides)

Diamond Head (a bittersweet chocolate genoise infused w/ rum simple syrup w/ vanilla bean custard and macadamia brittle)

Strawberry Shortcakes

Citronesse (a lemon cheesecake w/ lemon curd and swiss meringue)

AUTUMN:
Chocolate Tiramisu

Banana Cream Torte (banana cake w/ vanilla simple syrup, cream cheese frosting, and pecan dacquoise)

Blackberry Cheesecakes (darling mini-cheesecakes w/a pecan crust, sour cream top and blackberries)

Blood Orange Ricotta Cake (a powerful burnt orange presentation of a ricotta pound cake w/ blood orange simple syrup and curd, plus cranberry orange preserves and whipped cream)

WINTER:
Versailles (the alternate cover cake where a almond jocande is infused w/ a rum simple syrup, salted caramel mousse, and pistachio almond praline; the cake is then decorated on the sides with macarons, w/ which a delicate thin ribbon ties them all together, and the cake is topped with a simple yet delicate bouquet of white ranunculus w/green & gold berries)

Holiday Yule Log (this is a definite departure from the " wooded branch" cake you normally think of; this is made in a rectangular shaped cake pan w/ a chocolate-raspberry ganache, topped w/ shards of chocolate-almond tuile and raspberries; very different but beautiful)

Love is Chocolate (this is a bread pudding of croissants and a vanilla creme brulee mixture)

SAUCES

SOURCES

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

INDEX

I realize that this book might not be for everyone; it is intense and detailed. But for those who enjoy "beautiful baking", this would be a very wonderful companion for you or as a gift for someone who also enjoys "beautiful baking". Thank you so much Chef Krasne! Hope to visit your restaurant some day! Peace.

This book is like being given the manual on fabulous! As an avid Extraordinary Desserts fan I have long been curious as to the "how is that done" I experience regularly there. Now I know! I have already made two of the recipes in this book with stellar results. Karen Krasne I thank you!

I received my copy of Extraordinary Cakes almost 2 weeks ago, and fortunately had an excuse to try out a cake for my mother's birthday last weekend.

Format:

Introduction: includes a rundown on equipment, ingredients and techniques - I found pages 14-18 the most interesting as it included some step-by-step photos on specific techniques, I skimmed through the rest - though it looked clear and logically laid out.

Cake Recipes: divided by season - the cake recipes are comprehensive and clearly broken up into steps for cake/fillings/assembly/decor.

The photos are beautiful with pictures of finished cakes, along with a slice view of many of the cakes, but not all of them.

Recipes do not seem to be doubled up, if the base cake is the same as an earlier recipe, you will be referred back to that page - i.e. the ricotta pound cake used in the Tortamisu p.120, is found on p.57, similarly for recipes such as Chocolate Ganache. I don't mind this as these cakes are generally several day projects, and I am working on a specific section at a time anyway.

The bulk of recipes are layer cakes which are assembled in a cake tin with a removable bottom and then frozen overnight to allow for a solid, uniform cake structure and ease of construction/handling.

One con for me was the fact that the recipe ingredients are not listed in weight, which is my preferred option, but are instead given in volume. It wasn't a deal-breaker for me though, I would have bought the book regardless.

The format worked for me as, if you want to, you can easily use elements from various recipes to change things up - I just want to try a bit of everything!

My experience with the recipe/s & techniques:

For my mother's birthday I created a hybrid of two of the more basic layer cakes: Tortamisu p.120 & Chocolate Tiramisu p.105.

This cake was made/assembled/decorated over a 3 day period and included the following: Ricotta Pound Cake, Mascarpone Mousse, Chocolate Mascarpone Mousse, Espresso Simple Syrup, Toasted Cake Crumbs, Coffee Whipped Cream, Chocolate Ganache

My alterations: I used a 9" cake tin instead of a 10" tin. This just required a little more cooking time, I used fresh espresso instead of espresso powder, which I have never seen in Australia, though it is probably available somewhere.

For assembly, a cake tin with a removable bottom is recommended for many of the cakes - I do not have these & feel I can work around this. It worked fine for this cake, but I may have to be inventive for others where final topping is meant to be applied whilst in the tin.

The family verdict: fantastic, the ricotta pound cake is one I will make again, it had a great taste and remained moist & the mascarpone mousse recipes - yum! I was worried that freezing the assembled layers overnight would affect the flavour, but it didn't at all.

In summary -
Recipes: clear and easy to follow.
Recommend for: someone with baking experience who likes to be a bit adverturous in their baking and doesn't mind investing several days to make a cake, they will love it.

The cakes are truly special occasion - not something I could see myself making frequently due to the size, fat/sugar content, and expense. I wouldn't consider putting this much effort into making these cakes if I wasn't going to use top quality ingredients.

I already have my next "project" planned - the Raspberry White Chocolate Linzer Torte next as raspberries are in season here right now, and I have a birthday coming up in 2 weeks!

Helen