Review of 'Dessert Designer' by Dana Meachen Rau

Description

Turn your boring desserts into fantastic works of food art. Learn to make cupcakes into bunnies or candies into shining stars. The best part of this book is learning it’s OK to play with your food!

For ages 9-13.

* Step-by-step instructions to create each project
* Cool projects! No baking required!
* Photos enhance the projects and appeal to readers of all ages
* In line with the popular food styling trend
* Great family activity

Advance Praise

"Dessert Designer is filled with sweet, creative ideas that are doable, even for the novice designer—and kids, too.”
-Rebecca French, author Sweet Home cookbook and sweet-home.com

**My Thoughts**

Creative cooking and baking is all the rage right now. Just turn on any food-related network and even some other mainstream channels. You can even find cooking shows playing alongside sports events in restaurants. This book helps even the youngest bakers and designers get involved in the current trends.

I love the gorgeous photography used to illustrate the book. I don't know that my own creations would ever look quite as good, but the pictures make you want to try your very best!

The Decorator's Toolbox is a great page. The photograph looks much like a real kitchen drawer or box would and helps you to identify what all of the tools are. You can go shopping with your parents to get anything that is missing. Maybe you can even get your own drawer in the kitchen, or your own dessert designs plastic box in which you can store your things.

The cupcake decorations appear to be the easiest and would require less adult supervision. The candies and the cakes are definitely much more complicated and will probably require some help. These creations would be perfect to make ahead of time for a party or other special event. Slumber parties just got more exciting, too, as you could plan to make these desserts with your friends! I am dying to try the rabbit cupcakes for Easter. I think I want to make the Polka Dot Presents for my next birthday cake.

As with any cooking project that you are sharing with friends and family, be aware of everyone's food allergies and/or sensitivities prior to creating and presenting them. Some modifications could possibly be made for some of those.

I received an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.      

Buy links: Amazon \ Capstone Young Readers

 

About the Author:

Dana Meachen Rau writes about many topics, including food! When she's not writing, she's being creative in other ways - especially in the kitchen. Sometimes she follows recipes, but other times she experiments with new flavors. And she doesn't need a special occasion to whip up a special dessert for her friends and family in Burlington, Connecticut.

Visit her website: http://www.danameachenrau.com/