Kyotofu, Uniquely Delicious Japanese Desserts by Nicole Bermensolo is a breath of fresh air in a snickerdoodled filled world. Not that there is anything wrong with snickerdoodles but it is so refreshing to find a dessert cookbook that provides us with wonderful new content. Nicole founded Kyotofu Bakery in 2006 in New York City and closed the bakery to focus on a wholesale operation to sell her products nationwide. Not only are the recipes exciting but many of the ingredients used in these desserts carry nutritional benefits. The author states that she lost over eighty pounds since she began eating Japanese desserts as a regular part of her diet. Bonus!
First off, Bermensolo provides us with a recipe for gluten-free flour that she states is better than anything else out there and uses this cup for cup blend for all their their gluten-free treats. The recipes are then divided by ingredient: soy, miso, green tea, sesame, rice and yuzu.
There are so many wonderful looking recipes in this book and even a recipe for chocolate chunk cookies (no snickerdoodles though). The standout recipes to me are Kinako Waffles with Chinese Five-Spice Cream, Warm Persimmon Mochi Chocolate Cake, Chocolate Souffle Cupcakes with Shiro-an Cream, Matcha Creme Brulee, Tokyo Tiramisu, White Sesame Biscotti, Black Sesame Shortbread, Ginger “Okayu” Rice Pudding, Winter Citrus Tart, Yuzu Cheesecake and Nashi Pear Crumble. Honestly, I could list every recipe – the photographs are beautiful and the recipes all sound delicious.
Thanks to Nicole and Running Press for sharing the recipe for the Yuzu Cheesecake, Shiro-an Cream, and Black Sesame Tuile.
Random Number Generator picked #19 Jean Cho – Jean please email your address to icywit@gmail.com
GIVEAWAY: Special thanks to Running Press and Dalyn Miller Public Relations – who have offered one of you a copy of this fantastic cookbook. The giveaway is open to U.S. and Canada! Leave a comment here telling me the most exotic dessert you have ever eaten. A random winner will be chosen on June 30th! Good luck.
I once attended a mushroom foraging and cooking workshop. They made a delicious dessert using some type of jelly mushroom. Delicious!
The most exotic dessert I have ever made and eaten is a cheesecake made with Delice de Bourgogne. It’s one of my favorite cheesecakes now, but a rare indulgence.
Delicious mochi ice cream
Most exotic dessert? That’s hard. Would it be the mochi balls I ate in my hotel room with friends? Or something exotic from Wild Sweets that took three days to make? I cannot decide, so I’ll let you pick!
I suppose the most exotic i have had was in Guatemala, at the hotel. Combo of different fruits, pastry and cream.
Exotic dessert? Probably I’ll have to think about this question. 🙂
I have never had an exotic dessert but my Pina Colada Cheesecake is amazing. Coconut, pineapple, and sliced almonds.
I have not had an exotic dessert, but some of these comments have me very intrigued!
I’ve never had an exotic desert, but the best desert I ever had was in Europe. It was real Black Forest Cake smothered in rich heavy cream. It was heaven.
My desserts have always been sort of basic. I had one once made with nitrogen. The restaurant inMontclair is no longer there but this was the coolest dessert I’ve even seen.
My dessert making is limited at most. Basic cakes, cookies and some muffins.
The most exotic desert I have had was tiramisu, which wasn’t terribly exotic at all and I didn’t even like it. 🙂 I’ve never really focused on deserts at all, but I spent many years in Japan and if there are deserts I can appreciate, they’d be from Japan. I love their flavors and textures.
I’ve never been very exotic but one of the best desserts I ever had was a meringue topped with cherries in a sauce. It was delish!!
These all sound amazing…I’ve been waiting for this cookbook for forever! Most exotic dessert would probably be wagashi in Japan using herbs.
Dulce de leche is about as exotic as I have gotten. Need to try some new things.
Probably matcha ice cream or chai tea ice cream.
I am amongst those who have not had anything that I would consider an exotic dessert. I guess the closest I have gotten would be a table side service of cherries jubilee. I really like the idea of the desserts in this book possibly being a little healthier than most flour and sugar laden traditional desserts.
I haven’t eaten anything exotic that’s why I want this cookbook.
would love more ideas on non-gluten desserts and way to use Kanten and other plant based/seaweed based thickeners!
I don’t know if its really exotic but the best dessert/pastry I have ever had was a sfogliatelle from a bakery in NYC.I still dream about that thing!
Baklava and Tiramisu are about as exotic as I’ve ever gotten when it comes to dessert.
I think the most exotic dessert I’ve eaten was a strawberry kind of smothered in anko and wrapped in mochi. Pretty tasty!
The most interesting dessert I’ve had was cherry blossom flavoured mochi. I’ve also tried a buffalo wing-flavoured cupcake.
The most exotic dessert I ever had was Patbingsu, smoothly shaven snowflake ice topped with heaps of azuki beans, matcha cake and matcha ice cream!
Yummy! 🙂
Ginger Creme Brule.
When working in Italy, one of the other chefs asked me if I wanted to try his new dolce. It looked like some kind of granita or gelato, but it had a lot of something green in it. One spoonful and I knew that green stuff was basil and spices. I quickly ran out to the kitchen garden and spit it into a paper towel. Spent the rest of the day drinking tons of water to remove that taste.
Hmmmm the most exotic dessert I have ever eaten would have to be a fois gras and quince jelly donut at a restaurant in San Francisco a few years ago.
Mahlabi milk pudding