Book Review

Sweet Utopia: Simply Stunning Vegan Desserts
By Sharon Valencik
Review by Tammie Ortlieb

I'm not much of a cook, but I do love to bake. And I am not one to settle for those cardboard excuses for vegan cookies. Sharon Valencik to the rescue with her latest, Sweet Utopia. Valencik, raised in a family of chef matriarchs and wielding rubber spatula and mixing bowl from the ripe old age of five, gives us nothing less than exquisite, scrumptious, delectable, divine. Her husband, the book's food stylist and photographer, has done grand justice to the recipes, yummy creations such as Sticky Toffee Pudding, Cocoa-Berry Cake with Berry Cream Frosting, and that famous mom of little kids stand-by, Chocolate Chippers.

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Sweet Utopia covers the dessert spectrum with cakes, cookies, pies, puddings, and mousses. I was surprised even to find some of the lacto-ovo favorites I had given up on. Once again I can enjoy Best-Ever Cherry Cheesecake, Chocolate-Pecan Paradise Pie, and the ever-loving Ice Cream Cake. And for my holiday trays, I might try my hand at some Nutty Biscotti or Gingerbread Guys. My greatest excitement, however, comes from once more having an assortment of birthday cakes to choose from - Simplest Rich Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting, Delicious Vanilla Cake, Ultimate Peanut Butter Cup Cake, or the gorgeous Almond-Raspberry Cake with Ganache and Almond Buttercream Frosting.

And, never fear, Valencik does not merely spit out the recipes and leave the home cook to her own devices. Each chapter contains a tips section devoted to helping the reader make the best dessert possible?the best way to store a vegan frosted cake, how to dress up puddings and mousses, how to manage cut-out cookie dough, and dealing with those pesky cheesecake ingredients. With these secrets for success, storage ideas, and hints on checking for doneness plus the ingredient and equipment suggestions, substitutions list, and conversions and equivalents tables, Sweet Utopia is a baking lover's must have. Buy it now!

Tammie Ortlieb is a freelance writer and adjunct instructor with a Master's Degree in Developmental Psychology. She resides in southwest Michigan with her omnivorous husband, four veg kids, and small menagerie of pets. Tammie writes for various vegetarian sources, mostly on being okay with your vegetarian self. She's a book nerd, a research nerd, a health nerd, and a huge glass of soymilk half full kind of creature. Visit her blog at www.middle-agedveganchick.blogspot.com.

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