Zumbo: Adriano Zumbo's Fantastical Kitchen of Other-Worldly Delights

by Adriano Zumbo

A whirlwind tour through the whimsical world of Adriano Zumbo's sweet Willie Wonka-style inventions

Utterly irresistible and always unique, Zumbo's sweet treats feature bold flavor combinations with incredible design, and this stunningly illustrated collection takes readers on a journey beyond the chocolate factory to find out how to do it themselves. His melt-in-the-mouth macarons include Chocolate Salt and Vinegar, Kalamata Olive, Salted Butter Popcorn, Blackened Vanilla Bean, and Salted Milk Chocolate Caramel. Perfect pastries range from Pumpkin and Saffron Risotto Snail to Sticky Mango Danish. Incredibly creative cakes include Miss Marple Cake (orange, mascarpone, and maple), and Escape from a Colombian Rainforest (cherry, cola, and chocolate). These stunning desserts are broken down into many small steps, creating the perfect challenge for dessert makers who are ready for a challenge. Includes dual measures.

Genres: Cookbooks, Cooking, Food, Nonfiction

272 pages, Hardcover

First published September 1, 2011

Reviews

[Belinda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was quite disappointed with this book, I love Adriano and his pastries but the recipes in this book are insane! It would be more aimed at pastry chefs rather than your ordinary baker, so many ingredients that you wouldn't just have around your cupboard and so time consuming and each recipe are multiple pages long.. I bought this book and going through it I knew I could not produce the recipes in it so ended up taking it back. I'll just stick to buying his things instead of making them myself.

[Tosca Wijns-Van Eeden · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ingewikkelde recepten die er op papier heerlijk uitzien, maar die in de praktijk een hele dag in de keuken kosten om te maken, inclusief zoetstoffen als pectine en isomalt, dat hier in Nederland slecht verkrijgbaar is aangezien dat banketbakkers niveau is.

Leuk om te kijken en lezen, maar waarschijnlijk in de praktijk niet te maken.

[Gavin Dyne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book and many wonderful techniques and recipes. It not really for the home cook though, more for the dedicated pastry chef.

[Roxy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed with this book. It is really just for pastry chefs as most of the recipes are really detailed and loaded with ingredients like gelatine, pectin, inverted sugar... they are also extremely laborious to make. Multiple steps for each dessert and lots of time required. Half the recipes span over 2 pages each and would take almost an entire weekend to make. Although i am sure the finished product is amazing, it's just not something that most would bother with at home. Would have been better if he gave some simpler versions of some recipes that the average home cook could whip up in an afternoon, along with the super hard ones that everyone loves (like the V8 cake).

[P.D.R. Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

The most amazing, ridiculous collections of yummy cakes and biscuits and sweets by this Asutralian chef who loves to combine the most unusual flavours and ingredients.

Expensive, difficult and time consuming, but if anyone wants to make some fun sweet things for children, with children, or just because they want to fool around with edible gold leaf, this is a great collection of recipes. I'm waiting for summer to try to put together come of those jelly, cake, creme and filling type cakes!

A book just to enjoy even if you'll never make the recipes.

[Destiny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best baking/pastry cookbooks that has ever lived. The recipes are all so posh, elegant and they look delicious, for any baking lover this is a must get cookbook. I have just recently bought the book and I have re-read other the recipes, none of the recipes are simple, some of them would be difficult but some of the recipes an average baker could do, and they look so yummy!!!!!!

[Needmorebooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love the colour in this book! Have only made the basic macaron so far as i have not felt very adventurous but the instructions are detailed and surprisingly my first shot at macarons turned out perfectly!!
Can't wait to try out some of the cakes. The recipes require lots of patience but the results are worth it!!

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

These recipes are long, complicated in parts and have ingredients not available at every grocery shop. Don't grab this if you are a beginner and only know the minimum about baking. These recipes are challenging and completely worth it!! The creative genius of Adriano Zumbo is extremely admirable and *ah!* worthy.

[Brianna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great twists on different pastries, enjoyed reading it immensely.
Can't wait to try some of the recipes!

[Livia · Rating 4 out of 5]

So many amazing macarons & cakes I want to eat right now!! Gorgeous photos....the only problem - there's no way I could make any of the recipes! :(