Susan Champlin did an amazing job seeing this book through the entire process even as she was making a major change with a cross-country move from L.A. to New York. Susan still managed to balance all of the facets of the work, as well as the opinions of all the (very opinionated!) editors, production people, and others involved here, without losing her cool—or her moving van. She is an adept and skilled editor, and a gentle guiding force … and was also much better at deadlines on this project than I was. (That’s why you hire people like Susan.)
I’m especially excited by the look of this book, which is just as beautiful, lush, and satisfying as you would expect a Bon Appétit desserts cookbook to be. Con Poulos was our gifted photographer, and captured not just the gorgeous finished desserts (though, of course, there are plenty of those), but also what inspires us as cooks: the excitement—and, yes, the fun—of the dessert-making process itself. Our talented design director, Matthew Lenning, lent his opinions and advice whenever I needed an expert sounding board, and I thank our photo editor Bailey Franklin—a man with a keen eye and much-appreciated natural calm—for his help during the photo-selection process. Arthur Mount’s excellent illustrations clarify techniques throughout the book, and all of the elements are beautifully brought together in Jenny Barry’s terrific, user-friendly design.
David Black, our agent extraordinaire, continues to impress me with the seeming ease of launching every project he helps create for us. We are lucky to have him, and his confidence in Bon Appétit helps me to focus and to think not just about the present project, but also into the future. He is a valued colleague and friend.
Working with the publishing team at Andrews McMeel has been a dream—starting with their enthusiastic reaction to our concept and continuing every step of the way through the creation of this beautiful book. I am in awe of Andrews McMeel president and publisher Kirsty Melville, who is a devoted foodie—talk about bonding with someone instantly—and a publishing maven who combines big-picture vision with amazing attention to detail (also, like Victoria, a busy mother of two and an enthusiastic home cook). Project editor Jean Lucas coordinated this massive project and kept us on track with seemingly endless patience, and I thank her.
I do have a few more personal notes. Si Newhouse, Chuck Townsend, John Bellando, and Tom Wallace continue to lead our parent company, Condé Nast, with diligence and care in the rapidly changing and sometimes confounding business of magazines, the Internet, and beyond. Paul Jowdy is our brilliant and talented leader on the business side as publisher of the magazine. His unwavering support and enthusiasm for what we do—and who we are—is appreciated beyond measure.
I owe eternal thanks to Paige Rense for reinventing Bon Appétit in 1975, and to Pat Brown for hiring me way back when (1978 to be exact) as an editorial assistant who apparently showed some promise. First Marilou Vaughn and then Bill Garry, in particular, helped me refine my skills, expanded my horizons, taught me to think and to challenge myself, and, basically, provided a career that became my life. During our almost twenty years together, Bill gave me great freedom to work with others inside and outside the magazine to help him shape it; I had many key roles and responsibilities even before I became editor-in-chief in 2000.
Finally, love and appreciation to my family: my mom, Ina Lieb (whose brownies, short-bread, and pumpkin pie are still the gold standard), sisters Cara and Devra, nephews, nieces, in-laws, and friends—blessedly, for I am very blessed—too numerous to mention here by name. But most of all to Paul Nagle, who continues to inspire and support me, always with love and care.
— Barbara Fairchild, editor-in-chief
When I was growing up, we had dessert every night.
It wasn’t something that I really ever thought about, it just was. All of my schoolmates had dessert every night, too, not to mention a little something sweet at lunch every day. Of course, there was always a treat of some sort offered when my mom’s friends came over for coffee and when she and Dad played bridge every week, and certainly something special when she hosted a dinner party. We always made cupcakes for school bake sales, and we had a big cookie-making night at holiday time to make gifts for the neighbors and our teachers, with plenty left over for us and anyone who might unexpectedly drop in.
But the weeknight selection was not to be ignored. The simpler desserts came up in rotation a lot: raisin-, nut-, and cinnamon-stuffed baked Rome apples; lime Jell-O studded with bananas; cut-up fresh fruit with a little sour cream on top. My mom was a good cook and baker—she still is—and so we also had wonderful apple pies in the fall; terrific brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and shortbread in the winter; and fresh fruit cobblers and shortcakes in the spring and summer. And at my grandfather’s house in Maryland, my sisters and I took turns churning unforgettably good peach ice cream in a hand-cranked, salt-filled ice-cream maker.
Yes, I still have something after dinner every night, but times have changed and so have desserts. Many are lighter, certainly many are quick, and seasonality and local sourcing are more important than ever. Flavors that once would have seemed exotic—cardamom, pomegranate, lavender, chili-spiked chocolate—are exciting additions to the modern dessert repertoire. During the week, I still keep it simple. I’ll have fresh berries with a little Greek yogurt, a perfect Honeycrisp apple, or a buttery piece of shortbread. On weekends, I might make something grander for a dinner party (Red Wine and Pear Brioche, anyone?), or create a luscious new ice cream in my little electric churn. My philosophy is simple: A good dessert is all about that little hit of sweet that gives any dinner its official wrap-up and launches us into the rest of the evening.
It has been said that the soul of a baker is much different than the soul of a cook. Dessert making is more exacting and precise, and although there is a little room for improvising in some instances, generally it’s best to stick to the recipe. That’s where this book comes in. Each of the more than six hundred recipes here has been tested and retested by the experts in the Bon Appétit kitchens to guarantee sweet success every time. In addition to the recipes, you’ll find notes that let you know what to expect from each recipe; extensive tips and sidebars offering do-ahead suggestions and test-kitchen secrets; step-by-step illustrations to guide you through preparation; and thorough chapters on stocking your pantry, buying the most useful equipment, and mastering the essential techniques of dessert making. We want this to be your ultimate dessert resource, guidebook, and helpmate in the kitchen, whether you’re an enthusiastic beginner or a confident cook looking for some new ideas and tricks.
Bon Appétit Desserts has been a long time coming. After more than three decades of publishing recipes for cakes, cookies, pies, tarts, cheesecakes, ice creams, and so much more, we’ve been able to pack a lot of info and expertise into these pages. This gorgeous book truly is what we say on the cover: the cookbook for all things sweet and wonderful. Nothing provides the satisfaction, gets the attention, or creates memories like a great dessert. And there is little more in life that you can ask for than that.