What’s for Dessert: Simple Recipes for Dessert People

“Asking ‘what’s for dessert?’ is more than a nightly routine, it’s a personal exercise,” writes YouTube culinary star Saffitz (Dessert Person: Recipes and Guidance for Baking with Confidence) in this scrumptious dessert collection. The mouthwatering options—easy apple galette, classic sundae bombe, and cocoa-chestnut brownies among them—are beginner friendly, and Saffitz is mindful of bakers’ time, space, and budget limitations; none of the recipes require a stand mixer, and many have a considerable shelf life (the crystallized Meyer lemon bundt cake, if well wrapped and stored at room temperature, keeps for up to one week and will “improve in flavor and texture over the first couple of days”). Many of the chilled and frozen desserts incorporate coffee or fruit, as with a tiramisu-inspired icebox cake that calls for instant coffee granules, and a panna cotta that includes Fuyu persimmons. Pastry offerings provide unique takes on familiar treats, notably with doughnuts made of sour cream cake and finished with chocolate, strawberry, or vanilla frosting. Helpful tips include how to bake with “less anxiety” (visualize the process from start to finish before attempting a recipe), and the step-by-step instructions with photos will be a boon for novices. This is a no-brainer for home bakers in need of reliable and delicious go-tos. Agent: David Black, David Black Agency. (Nov.)