Malika Ameen

I love the way Malika talks about spices and cooking! [b:Sweet Sugar, Sultry Spice: Exotic Flavors to Wake Up Your Baking|28046687|Sweet Sugar, Sultry Spice Exotic Flavors to Wake Up Your Baking|Malika Ameen|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/book/50x75-a91bf249278a81aabab721ef782c4a74.png|48048263] is a gorgeous collection of recipes as well as an Intro to Spices course.

The recipes are surprising and refined, and can easily be followed to a delicious outcome, but that is not all of the value inside. The author instructs on how to bake with spices and how spices can bring excitement and sensuality to your food, encouraging you to cook confidently and create new dishes with the assistance of spices.

Also included are an illustrated glossary of spices, food sourcing resources, and explanations of different types of sugars and flours. I really like the information on how to store dishes, and how to prepare recipes ahead to easily obtain the same results as freshly made dishes. Often this extremely helpful information is not present in cookbooks.

The chapter titles are romantic and poetic, and recipes are sorted according to the feelings and sensations that they invoke. In every recipe, she has highlighted one spice, either the star of the dish, or an important supporting spice. Her devotion to spice is reflected passionately in her writing and her recipes. "A spice can tempt with just a whisper," indeed!

I made the Blush Brioche Tart, which is strawberry and rhubarb on mascarpone on brioche, and is as delicious as it sounds. Also, it was surprisingly easy, and the best brioche that I have ever made! Here is a selection of recipes that jumped out and grabbed my imagination, with the chapter in which they appear:

Spicy & Warm
*Angel Food Cake with Raspberry Chipotle Glaze
*Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake

Floral & Aromatic
*Peach Buttermilk Popsicles
*Swirled Cherry Sweet Rolls
*Pomegranate Milk Chocolate Scones

Bright & Fresh
*Lemon Verbena Chiffon Cake
*Fudgy Passionfruit Truffles

Savory, Earthy & Nutty
*Apricot Almond Financiers
*Chewy Chocolate Devils

Complex & Mysterious
*Gingerbread Cream Pear Ribbon Bread

Highly recommended for those who like having fun while cooking, because of the new and adventurous dessert recipes and because I really enjoyed the author's writing.


**eARC Netgalley**… (mais)