Rating: 
Summary: Toothachingly, heartbreakingly pretty.
Review: Claudia Fleming's desserts possess charms that are immediately apparent to both the eye and the palate; in fact, one of Claudia's greatest strengths is that she addresses whimsy and mathematics in equal measure. Also, she has managed to come up with the most consistently delightful sounding recipes I have ever encountered in a dessert cookbook. The fantastic photography helps.However, I choose the precise, fastidious and in many ways, highly inflexible world of pastry-making when I want to escape the overwhelming pressure to improvise with my supper. I like the never-fail promise of a good piecrust recipe and all. Which is why I dislike having to nip, tuck, and make alterations when I am dealing with pastry and the whole thing is clearly going pear-shaped. Many of Claudia's recipes, though they were _all_ invariable divine, required modifying to varying degrees.
- Hazelnut Torte was dry and there was far too much batter left over.
-Gingersnaps were yummy, but if you live near a Whole Foods market and you haven't tried their brand of Gingersnaps yet, save yourself some time and trust me; they are far superior.
-Buttermilk Panna Cotta was WONDERFUL.
-Caramel Ice Cream tastes good because it has 12 egg yolks in it. I suppose anything would taste good with that much abandon applied to it, but is that surprising? Still, really good stuff.
-Chocolate Brownie Cookies are the best thing to happen to the cookie since the chocolate chip. And Claudia makes the chocolate chip look like a dirty joke from outer space. WOW!
-All berry desserts are not worth trying unless you have access to truly superior berries. Claudia has a passion for combining fruit, vegetables and chocolate with herbs and spices, and if the fruit is not potent and overpowering in aroma and flavor, the desserts end up tasting like a faceful of basil or tarragon or lemon verbena. As was the case with my strawberry shortcakes. And my bing cherry cheesecake. And my meringue. Hmm. In other words, these are not recipes to help you make the best out of a mediocre crop. And, if you're anything like me and you prefer to eat your best fruit fresh, unadulterated, and out of hand, then that won't leave much left for these tantalizing desserts. Bottom line: my guests were impressed with the innovative presentations and the utterly unique philosophy behind these desserts. I was happy as a clam up until the point where I was eating them, and half if the time I felt disappointed with what I was tasting, given the amount of work I put into these recipes. If you have great access to great produce, then this book will be indispensable to you. Plus, it makes for great bedtime reading.
Rating: 
Summary: Claudia is great
Review: Claudia's receipes are the best. She makes everything so easy to recreate at home. Her ingredients are easy to find and easy to work with. My kids all have their own favorites. My son especially loves her blueberry cornbread cake. He had it at the restaurant and has been waiting for this book so we can make it at home. Thanks Claudia --- it's great!!
Rating:
Summary: A special book from a special pastry chef
Review: I bought this book because I have been a fan of Claudia Fleming's ever since I first ate at Gramercy Tavern. Her desserts are absolutely astounding. Even if you never eat there, you will be able to approach the experience if you cook from this book.
The book has the high quality I expected. It is beautiful enough to sit on your coffee table, with gorgeous photography and print. But you really will cook from it and enjoy the results, because the recipes are precise, well-written and obviously are aimed for someone who's going to be cooking at home.
The person who would most enjoy this book compared to other dessert books is probably the knowledgable dessert/pastry cook who's way beyond chocolate chip cookies, but Fleming conveys her enthusiasm for desserts of all kinds.
Some other special touches: the recipes are organized by flavor ("tropical fruits"; "stone fruits"; "cheese, milk, and cream"; ) not by "cakes", "cookies" etc. There are wine pairing suggestions. And there's a section on "composed" desserts made up of recipes earlier in the book.
Open your mind and your tastebuds to a special book from a special pastry chef!
Rating:
Summary: Terrific Recipes I Can't Wait to Use Again
Review: I don't usually write reviews but I have to in this case because Fleming's book has exceeded my expectations. I got it as a Christmas gift, and have since made about half a dozen of the recipes for a dessert party I had for my birthday last month. They were all superb, and while some were a little more complicated than others, all were definitely worth it. The party was a huge success, mostly due to Fleming's desserts, which disappeared before any of the others I made. From this book I made the panna cottas (almost too easy), chocolate caramel tarts (they were a lot of work but such a hit), caremelized pineapple (easy), maple flan (turned out perfect), chocolate brownie cookies (a cinch), and goat cheesecake with candied kumquats (very easy, gorgeous). I recommend this book to anyone who loves making desserts and isn't a complete beginner.
Rating:
Summary: SO GOOD!
Review: I love this restaurant & have always loved the desserts. I was skeptical about buying the book because most restaurant cookbooks I have purchased never have my favorite recipes from the restaurant. This one has them all & then some!!! My favorite is the warm chocolate ganache cake!!! This cookbook is great & the recipes are easy enough to follow!
Rating: 
Summary: Looks wonderful but recipes haven't turned out spectacular
Review: I purchased this book based on the reviews and while I agree that the combinations are innovative and the pictures are great, I have not been impressed with the results. The instructions are clear and pretty easy to follow but I've made three things from this book already and they all turned out either too sweet, too rich or just so-so. I will continue to try recipes from this book and I am hoping I have better results.
Rating:
Summary: Incredible Edibles
Review: I was so totally amazed by this book! I like to read and peruse cookbooks as a hobby and I definitely didn't expect this one to be anything above the ordinary. So many celebrity pastry chefs do their own books these days and for the most part, you can't really use the books because the recipes are so complicated and unrealistic. The author of this book did make the same indulgence but she only put it in the last chapter (a short one at that). It certaintly wasn't the focus of the book. This book shows recipes that could actually be prepared and had beautful photographs as well. There are dessert ideas I would of never thought of and I swear, I will never think of vegetables in the same way again. Truly, an outstanding book!
Rating:
Summary: THERE'S AN ERROR!!!
Review: In the recipe for the Lemon Lime Souffle Tart (Pp. 79-80) the ingredients for the filling call for 2 cups plus 2 tablespoons of sugar but the directions only give instructions for 10 tablespoons of the sugar (5 used in Step 5 and 5 used in Step 7). There is no accounting for when to use the remaining sugar which sits lonely in its bowl. If you follow the directions step by step sequentially, all you will have is wasted time, energy, and a mess to clean up along with a baked crust that yearns to be filled. Claudia Fleming, Melissa Clark and Random House should be ashamed that they couldn't bother proofreading this book, or at the least posting a notice with sale with a correction.
Rating:
Summary: Rachel Hoffman
Review: One of the best pastry book! I have made half the recepies on the book. My favorite are cornmeal-nut biscotti the espresso-orange panna cotta and the chocolate caramel tarts.Very easy to follow you will realy enjoy this book!
Rating:
Summary: Fresh Collection for the Finishing Gourmet Touch
Review: Organized by major influence, i.e. Berries; Stone Fruits; Figs, Melons and Grapes; Apples, Pears and Quinces; Citrus Fruits; Tropical Fruits; Vegetables; Nuts; Herbs and Flowers; Spices; Sweet Essences; Cheese, Milk and Cream; Chocolate; and the finale: Signature Composed Desserts. Impressed by the creativity and sophistication of intense flavors here, e.g. Tamarind-Glazed Mango Napoleons which burst with the richness of mango, enhanced by basil, mint, tamarind and lime; Carmelized Brioche Puddiing with Blackberry Cream and Fresh Blackberries; Lemon-Poppy Seed Shortbread; Pistachio Nut Brittle; Lavender Creme Brulee; Chocolate Biscotti with Pistachios and Sour Cherries. Her idea of "Composed Desserts" is creative and inspires the home gourmet to experiment with fixing and matching desserts in texture, warm to cold, etc. I've made up one of my own using these recipes and it turned out wonderful. This is fun feature of the book. This selection is well presented, with nice photography, clear instructions, advise on techniques, sources, etc. What sets this collection apart is the sophistication of intense, clean flavor combos, e.g. Bay Leaf Flan. This likely isn't for every cook, but will be a turned-to resource for discriminating gourmets who desire to set before their guests a unique and tasteful ending to a meal that will leave a memorable taste and impression.
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