The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts

by Pichet Ong, Genevieve Ko

When it comes to Asian desserts, most Americans think of fortune cookies. But, in fact, the Far East is home to a dazzling array of sweets rich with tropical fruits, crunchy nuts, aromatic spices, and, yes, even chocolate. In The Sweet Spot , renowned pastry chef Pichet Ong presents a collection of one hundred recipes for cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, puddings, ice creams, candies, and more. There are traditional Asian desserts with innovative twists, such as Sesame Balls, Mango Sticky Rice, and Almond Tofu, and classic American favorites, like Spiced Coconut Brownies, Banana Cream Pie, and Cream Puffs, livened up with Asian ingredients and cooking techniques. Eschewing the heavy use of butter and sugar, Ong instead highlights the vibrant flavors of Asia—jasmine, lychee, orange blossom water, passion fruit, yuzu, mangosteen, and sesame, to name just a few. And despite the complexity of flavors and textures, all of the recipes are easy enough to make in home kitchens, requiring minimal effort for maximum results. Dazzle dinner-party guests with elegant showstoppers—Thai Tea White Chocolate Tart, Coconut Cream Pie with Toasted Jasmine Rice Crust—or delight the family with simple weeknight treats—Pomegranate Sherbet, Ginger Oatmeal Raisin Cookies. The Sweet Spot includes lush color photographs of almost all of the finished dishes, and a foreword from legendary restaurateur and chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Savory Asian cuisine has been popular in America for years. Now it's time to embrace the enticing range of exotic desserts.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food

320 pages, Hardcover

First published June 1, 2007

Reviews

[Mikey ಠ◡ಠ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this because I want to make the Thai tea white chocolate tart but to be honest while I do see a few other recipes I’d like to try, this book doesn’t make me feel that excited about baking. I’m also kind of annoyed because the table of contents shows which category starts on which page but leaves you to flip through each category for a particular recipe you’re looking for. Not the end of the world by any means but it is a little irritating

[Yousseif Abdellatif · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honest take on The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts: I admire what it's trying to do more than how it does it. Pichet Ong takes on a huge theme, how a town reckons with a shameful chapter of its own past, and the scene at the memorial dedication, where nobody can quite look at the plaque, is powerful. But the story piles on too many voices, and I kept losing the thread. For readers who like big, serious books and don't mind effort. Skip it if you want something clean and focused.

[Yousseif Abdellatif · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pichet Ong brings an unflinching grit to The Sweet Spot: Asian-Inspired Desserts, showing that true power doesn't care about your morals, only about your compliance.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book for inspiration. One of my favorite pastry chef's (and now Executive Chef/owner at P*ONG)who's strength is combining the sweet and savory. Some of the recipes are spot on, but others you'll have to play around with. Like most formulas, your ingredients may be different so that's to be expected.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

I highly recommend the recipe for white chocolate green tea tart, only I substituted jasmine for green tea and dark chocolate for white.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The mango pudding was delicious, though I thought it was nothing like the mango pudding you would get at a dim sum place. I loved the creamy pudding texture of it with the small chunks of mango.

[Mrs. · Rating 4 out of 5]

LOVE this book, and I didn't expect to. Lovely photography, but best of all it has creative, inspired desserts that I can't find in my massive cookbook collection.