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Classic Stars Desserts: Favorite Recipes by Emily Luchetti

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Renowned pastry chef Emily Luchetti has updated and compiled 150 of the best recipes from her hugely popular (and out of print) treasures Stars Desserts and Four-Star Desserts into one delectable cookbook. Those familiar with Emily's irresistible recipes will be thrilled to rediscover their favorites in a new, indispensable collection. And for those who have yet to enjoy these timeless treats, here's the chance to taste such unforgettable delights as rich chocolate French Silk; sweet, tart, and buttery French Apple Tartlets; and decadent Poached Pears with Walnut Cream. From puddings, pies, and cakes to cookies, candies, and confections, these sweets have stood the test of time. Tips on ingredients and equipment plus expert wine pairings for each recipe make Classic Stars Desserts a baking classic.

312 pages, Hardcover

First published April 5, 2007

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About the author

Emily Luchetti

9 books4 followers
Emily Luchetti, executive pastry chef at Farallon and Waterbar Restaurants in San Francisco, is recognized around the world for her award-winning sweet creations. With five cookbooks to her credit and numerous awards, including a 2004 James Beard Award, patrons can always count on a delectable, exotic and innovative end to their meal.

Emily has been executive pastry chef at Farallon since 1997 when the restaurant opened. She has been executive pastry chef of Waterbar since it’s opening in 2008. Her history with Farallon and Waterbar’s co-owner Mark Franz spans more than 20 years when they were both part of the opening team of Stars Restaurant in San Francisco. It was at Stars that Emily began her Bay Area cooking career as a line cook, working her way up to lunch chef and eventually stoking her passion for desserts. She was named executive pastry chef at Stars in 1987, a position she held through July 1995. During that time Emily was also the co-owned StarBake, a retail bakery, with Jeremiah Tower.

Emily has written many cookbooks: Stars Desserts (HarperCollins, 1991), Four Star Desserts (HarperCollins, 1995), A Passion for Desserts (Chronicle Books, 2003), and A Passion for Ice Cream (Chronicle Books, 2006). She created the dessert recipes for The Farallon Cookbook (Chronicle Books, 2000). Her first two books were rereleased as Classic Stars Desserts in 2007. Her latest book is The Fearless Baker (Little, Brown and Company, 2011).

Since the debut of her first book, Emily has passionately taught baking to dessert lovers across the country so that people can obtain the same enjoyment she does from creating something with her hands and providing delectable treats to others to savor. Fundamental to her passion for baking is the belief that desserts increase the social experiences and interactions of friends and family as they linger around the table. Emily Luchetti and her recipes appear regularly in national newspapers and magazines and she has been featured on numerous news programs and The Food Network’s The Ultimate Kitchen, Sweet Dreams, Cookin’ Live with Sara Moulton, Sara’s Secrets and The Martha Stewart Show. She was the co-host of the PBS Series The Holiday Table.

Emily graduated from Denison University in 1979 with a BA in Sociology. Following graduation, she attended the New York Restaurant School and worked in various New York establishments (including David Leiderman’s Manhattan Market and The Silver Palate), building her resume and sharpening her culinary skills prior to moving to the Bay Area. She currently resides in Sausalito.

In addition to the James Beard Award, Emily received honors including the 1998 San Francisco Focus Magazine Pastry Chef of the Year, the 2001 Women Chefs & Restaurateurs Golden Whisk Award and the 2003 Food Arts Magazine Silver Spoon Award. In 2009 The San Francisco Chronicle named her one of 20 Visionary Chefs in the Bay Area. She is currently Vice Chair of The James Beard Foundation.

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14 reviews3 followers
July 20, 2010
So far this cookbook is 4/4 of recipes I've made from it. Yum!
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