Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi is straight up, chock-full of innovative and delicious food combinations that I would like to Accio straight into my mouth. Ottolenghi cookbooks never fail to disappoint and this one just follows suit. It is full of sweet, yummy, wonderful (insert your adjective here) sounding food and gorgeous, lush photography. Poor food photography is one of my biggest cookbook (and Instagram...) pet peeves. Sweet has food that looks like if you were like Mike Teavee in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and able to reach into the screen and grab the food, you would not be disappointed. I lost the thread on that, but you know what I mean.

In terms of the nitty gritty, Sweet is broken down into 7 major sections ranging from cookies to cheesecake to tarts and pies. There is an incredibly helpful Baker's Tips and Notes that broke down various steps even further. This like water ganache and the importance of resting (the food, though I'm sure this doesn't need clarification) are explained clearly and thoroughly. Following that is a section on the ingredients with explanations of what they are and recommended alternatives for the harder to find ones. Recipes also have tips on tools, timing and storage. No stale cookies here!

The real meat of course is the recipes- which are all meat free. You've got your basics, like Chocolate and Pecan Cookies (take a Pecan you'll see they sound pretty good! *crickets*) and Chocolate Peanut Butter S'mores. Then you have fancies like Apple and Olive Oil Cake with Maple Frosting, White Chocolate Cheesecake with Cranberry Compote, Fig and Pistachio Frangipane Tartlets, and Apricot and Thyme Galettes with Polenta Pastry. Let me say that louder for those of you in the back- POLENTA PASTRY! To quote Fancy Nancy, "Isn't that just marvelous?" (That's a fake quote but I'm sure she has said something like that. Also, when I said basics before, I was lying, there is nothing basic about these recipes.

Thank you Netgalley and Ten Speed Press for the ARC!

The recipes all look fantastic, however they are a little labor-intensive for a more casual cook. The recipe I tried did not come out as well as I hoped, and I have had many successes with past recipes from Yotam Ottolenghi. Baking is a very different art, however, and not my passion.

As a long time fan of Yotam Ottolenghi, it was a pleasure to read and savor Sweet which he co-produced with Helen Goh. What can you expect when two perfectionists get together to provide recipes and information which we can take into our own kitchens? Truth be told, I'm personally more fond of savory than sweet, an oddity for a person who bakes sweets every few days, and until reading Ottolengi's instruction to bake and rebake the same recipe, I was one who did indeed bake once and then move on to the next recipe. Family, friends and neighbors send their thanks, because they reap the rewards of my efforts. What I especially like about Sweet (in addition to the baked products) is the very complete instruction and history of recipes which often pay homage to others.
Like other books by this author, having a single copy is not enough, so I get it for the Kindle and a hard copy as well.

It has taken me so long to review this because I have been too busy making the recipes to type up a review. Lol. The recipes are so original and unique you won't find them in other cookbooks. They are wonderful treats to bring to parties, potlucks, picnics, I made the Banana Cakes with Rum Caramel for our Church picnic and they were an absolute sensation. I also made the Passion Fruit Cheesecakes with Spiced Pineapple for an anniversary party and was actually asked if I was a baker by trade!

Some recipes are more difficult than others but all can be completed by an experience level as long as you take your time to read and follow the instructions. Some of the recipes include more exotic ingredients that may cost a bit more but the flavors are extraordinary and worth a few more dollars in my opinion.

Any cookbook by Ottolenghi is technically proficient and reliable. You know these recipes will have been properly tested. However quite a few recipe collections are well-tested but they are as dull as a row of tents but this is not the case here. Sweet is fun, lively, and utterly mouth-watering with an introduction which makes it clear that sugar, when honestly declared, is not the enemy, rather it is sugar deceptively presented which has the potential to cause dietary harm. I am glad Ottolenghi highlights this instead of capitulating to neurotic clean eaters.

I really love this book and I have already made a couple of things from it: the custard yoyos with rhubarb cream and the barley pots were amazing.

This gorgeous dessert cookbook by Yottam Ottolenghi has tons of drool-worthy recipes and photographs of the desserts. The book is separated into several categories, including an entire chapter on cheesecakes and another one on epic desserts. The directions are clear and easy to follow (although some of them are a bit daunting!), Ottolenghi's easy, charming, confident style shines through, encouraging you to try the recipes and giving you lots of options along the way. If you like desserts, especially ones that will surprise and delight your guests, this is definitely a book you need!

Wanna gain 500 pounds? With award winning cookbook author and restaurateur’s dessert cookbook, Sweet: Desserts from London's Ottolenghi, you’ll have no trouble accomplishing your goal! The variety of desserts contained in this excellent cookbook is mind boggling, and takes the concept of dessert to a much higher level.

If you have visited one of the Ottolenghi shops in London, you’ll be excited that you can make these incredible desserts at home. There are five locations in London, most of them offering take-out only rather than tables, and the dishes change often. The Notting Hill location was close to our hotel, so that’s the one I visited; it was wonderful. You never know what will be featured on any given day, but you will know that the dishes will be freshly made, innovative, and mouthwatering. While the shops feature incredible appetizers, salads, and main dishes (some of these recipes are in Ottolenghi’s other cookbooks), the desserts are fantastic. Dessert aficionados will love to make some of these desserts at home.

The biggest problem with the book is deciding which dessert to start with. If you have tasted one in London, you’ll want to make that one, but otherwise you’ll find that there isn’t even one recipe that you won’t want to make. I started with the Middle Eastern Millionaire’s Shortbread which was scrumptious and addicting. Next, since I had rhubarb from my garden and blueberries from the farmer’s market, I made the Rhubarb and Blueberry Galette – Yum! The Custard Yo-Yos with Roasted Rhubarb Icing were quite easy, and didn’t last long enough to see how they keep over a period of time. Several of the cookie recipes like the Soft gingerbread tiles with Rum Butter Glaze, Gevulde Speculaas, and Not-Quite-Bonnie’s Rugelach will be featured on my Christmas Cookie trays this year – these cookies are not only delicious, but very attractive.

These recipes are for real desserts, not shortcutted, and most take an investment of time and highest-quality ingredients. The recipes, however, are well-written, concise, and easy to understand. They require real baking skills, but aren’t difficult, so anyone can prepare picture-perfect desserts.

If you are a dessert lover, and enjoy preparing showstopper desserts at home, you’ll want to pick up a copy of this book. It also makes an excellent gift for friends and family who bake.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Already a fan of Ottolenghi and having recently been to Ottolenghi in Islington, London and sampled some of their exquisite, heavenly sugary treats, I was chomping at the bit to get my hands on this book to replica some of my favourites. Drooling with anticipation, I started to flick through the pages........

There are all sorts of sweet recipes in here, desserts, confectionery, ice-creams and cakes for breakfast lunch and tea to name just a few. Whilst preparation of some may be time consuming, these recipe all look so utterly devine that you will be spoilt for choice and won't know which one to make first. Detailed background descriptions of each one and the photos simply serve to enhance the recipes further still. The use of Middle Eastern and exotic spices and flavourings, all make for originality. There are also old favourites in here, many with exciting and interesting twists on the original recipes.

These sumptuous recipes serve to make sweet treats feel rather exotic and extra special. A book full of pure yumminess and extravagance. I fail to see how anyone could ever be disappointed by it. I had high hopes for this book but even I couldn't have predicted just how good this would be. Just wow!

Hot chocolate and lime pudding anyone? That's what I'm now off to try.

Many thanks to Netgalley who provided me with this ARC. I chose to read it and give a voluntary and unbiased review.

Another beautiful cookbook from Ottolenghi! I expected nothing less and could not wait to look through this book and cannot wait to have this on our library's shelf! Another winner!

After reviewing so many cookbooks, I've realized that I look for 3 top specific things to get excited about: layout/design of book, ease of instructions, and new recipes. This book met all three things wonderfully: the photos, and layout of the book made it easy to be drawn in, the recipe instructions are broken down simply, and I was excited to try different recipes (rhubarb icing, cat's tongues, Gevulde Speculaas, etc.). I've also realized that I'm a lazy baker, and any recipe that looks remotely frustrating, I'll skip over. This book makes me want to be a better baker, to achieve the picture-perfect desserts within the book.

5+++++ stars.
Loved this book so much that I have already preordered my hardcover version and thank you very much netgalley and Ten Speed Press for the ARC and the opportunity to review. My eyes are glazed over and I am drooling at the mouth. Very impressive selection of Sweets. Loved English and New Zealand influences at work here. Beautifully photographed desserts with clear and concise recipes that are laid out in a friendly and warm narrative manner.
Truly Dessert Heaven!

I am torn between wanting to shake my fist at the sky because it is just too good and wanting to sit in a quiet corner with my copy of Sweet: Desserts from London’s Ottolenghi by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh.

Did that sound a bit dramatic? Good. I read cookbooks the way some people read romance novels and I’ve been fortunate enough to have access to some amazing books. But seldom do I page through a cookbook that makes me exhale and think wow. I’ve been thoroughly impressed with Ottolenghi’s other cookbooks but if the length of my ‘To Make’ list is the litmus test? This one is something special, even by Ottolenghi’s previous standards. I am in awe and incredibly humbled, intimidated even, at the thought of trying to duplicate some of these lovely sweets.

OK, enough fawning. Let’s get down to business.

My list is long. I have family coming in from out of town in July and I think I might make the Chocolate and Peanut Butter S’mores for them. In the meantime, I believe that I’ll start with the Ginger Crème Caramel and the Campari and Grapefruit Sorbet.

My ‘To Make’ List
Custard Yo-Yos with Roasted Rhubarb Icing
Soft Gingerbread Tiles with Rum Butter Glaze
Chocolate and Peanut Butter S’mores
Saffron, Orange, and Honey Madeleines
Lemon and Raspberry Cupcakes
Coffee and Walnut Financiers
Lemon and Semolina Syrup Cakes
Chocolate Guinness Cake with Bailey’s Irish Cream
Rum and Raisin Cake with Rum Caramel Icing
Beet, Ginger, and Sour Cream Cake
Take-Home Chocolate Cake
Coffee and Cardamom Pound Cake
Lime Meringue Cheesecakes
White Chocolate Cheesecake with Cranberry Compote
Passion Fruit Cheesecakes with Spiced Pineapple
Roasted Strawberry and Lime Cheesecake
Chai Brûlée Tarts
Rolled Pavlovas with Peaches and Blackberries
Gingerbread with Brandy Apples and Crème Fraîche
Ginger Crème Caramel
Yogurt Panna Cotta with Basil and Crushed Strawberries
Campari and Grapefruit Sorbet
Woodland Meringues
Spiced Praline Meringues
Chocolate Coated Ruby Red Grapefruit Peel

I was incredibly excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of Sweet by Yotam Ottolenghi and Helen Goh. Though I don´t personally own any of Ottolenghi´s other books, I have tried his recipes before and am a huge fan of his work. I was so interested to hear about Ottolenghi´s take on pastry and dessert recipes. In the age of gluten-free, sugar-free and fat-free, I was thrilled to read that the ingredients selected for each recipe were chosen because they made the recipe more delicious, not because they would fulfil a certain criteria.

What touched me the most about this cookbook, was that Ottolenghi and Goh write with such passion and love of food. The recipes seem to be lovingly put together and each one uses a myriad of ingredients, to those easily found in the kitchen cupboard to the more exotic and unusual flavours such as gooseberry and prunes. The pictures are beautiful and quite inspirational as well as the anecdotes which accompany each section.

I would love to try the recipe for Chocolate banana ripple cheesecake and Custard Yo-Yos with roasted rhubarb icing. This book would work well for both the beginner and expert baker, as there are simple and more complicated recipes. It is also incredibly helpful that there are always detailled information at the start of each section about what equipment is required to complete the recipes and at the end of the book there are notes on certain techniques.

Thankyou to NetGalley for letting me read an advance copy of this wonderful recipe book. I have already started to recommend it to my friends and it will be a great present for family at Christmas time.

Incredibly Delicious! is how I would describe this book! Beautifully photographed, there's something in here for everyone. While I believe this is for a more advanced baker, a novice could work their way through this as the directions are pretty clear. This is one of those must have books where you can keep it handy! There's such a wide variety of different sweets to make with delicious results. I made the Gevulde Speculaas! Divine! I also made the Custard Yo-Yo's with Roasted Rhubarb icing!! What a unique delicious treat!! This will definitely be in my kitchen bookshelf!

Just when I thought I have enough Ottolenghi books along came sweet. I loved this book and look forward to owning a hard copy. So many delectable recipes with wonderful explanations and stories. This book is a winner!

Ottolenghi's recipes are guaranteed to be unique, scrumptious and a euphoric gastronomical experience. What sets him apart in is foray into a cookbook dedicated to the sweet, is his curation of flavors, textures and colors. Whether a touch of saffron or sprinkle of fresh herbs, these recipes are sure to deliver and be unlike any recipes you know.

It's another Ottolenghi cookbook yes and it totally lives up to the hype. This time around we have Helen Goh contributing and Ottolenghi couldn't have picked a better partner for this book.

The layout is spectacular. The recipes are drool inducing. The photographs are beautifully done.

I cannot wait to get a physical copy of this one!

Thanks to Ten Speed Press and NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Yotam Ottolenghi has done it again. His approach to food is "abundance, inclusion, and celebration", and the recipes in this book reflect that philosophy. If you are familiar with his other cookbooks, you know how amazing they are. Sweet is no exception. It's written with Helen Goh, an Australian chef at his restaurant Ottolenghi in London. I was a little surprised to see a dessert cookbook from him, but I understood after I read the preface where he explains his love for meringues!

The recipes range from Middle Eastern flavors to English tea time favorites, and there are recipes for every taste, from a simple chocolate chip cookie to a more complicated pistachio roulade. They've all been tested extensively, and some are actually on the menu at Ottolenghi.

From the first time I opened the book, I had a list of recipes I wanted to cook. They all sounded amazing, and every recipe has a story. The directions are concise and easy to follow. I made the following recipes, and thoroughly enjoyed every one.

Pecan Snowballs
Rum and Raisin Cake with Rum Caramel Icing (wow!)
Rhubarb and Strawberry Crumble Cake
Lemon and Poppy Seed Cake
Yogurt Panna Cotta with Basil and Crushed Strawberries

I highly recommend this book. It's a winner, and would make a great gift for cooks and dessert lovers.

Thank you to Netgalley, Ten Speed Press, Yotam Ottolenghi, and Helen Goh for the chance to read and review this ARC;

Are you a self-proclaimed sweet tooth holder? Then, this is the book for you.

From the cover to the first pages sumptuous desserts are leaping out off of every page at you. The authors are lovely, laughing, smiling and look to be heart-deep enjoying the creations of their confectionaries every single time you see them, and through all the ups and downs of the story that brought them to where they are now.

The 'sweetheart' of the book is, of course, the recipes and you will find yourself salivating at the titles, the pictures and the recipe ingredients. My first and fastest recipes for this book are going Soft Date Bars, "Anzac" biscuits, Baked Ricotta Cheesecake, Chai Tarts, Yogurt Panna Cotta with Crushed Raspberries, and Compari & Grapefruit Sorbet.

This is definitely on my list for giving all my favorite chefs as gifts this year!