Sweet
on Vegan Dessert: My Sweet Vegan
Reviewed by Miranda Robbins:
 For
those of us who have been known
to skip straight to dessert, Hannah
Kaminsky has created My Sweet
Vegan, her debut volume of
tasty vegan treats. My Sweet
Vegan contains more than seventy
user-friendly recipes accompanied
by colorful photographs of the finished
products, adding eye-candy to the
list of sweet offerings. The cookbook
is full of completely original recipes
and photographs, which were finalized
by Hannah just as she was entering
her freshman year of college! The
book presents a variety of recipes
including breakfast-type items,
cookies, pies, cakes, and "miscellaneous
morsels."
Examples of Ms. Kaminsky's culinary
creativity are seen throughout every
section, most notably in the Green
Tea Tiramisu, Orange Dreamsicle
Snack Cake, and Baklava Tart. Also
impressive are the desserts that
are seemingly impossible to veganize,
like the Coconut Custard Pie or
the Lemon Curd Filling in the Poppy
Seed Cupcakes. But even with the
beautiful photos and originality
of the desserts, the book is not
without its shortcomings. The two
recipes I was most disappointed
with were the Butterscotch Blondies
and Maple Pistachio Cremes. The
Butterscotch Blondies lacked the
characteristic moistness in a brownie-type
bar and were slightly on the bland
side. The Maple Pistachio Cremes
are two cookies sandwiched about
a maple nut creme filling. These
were also quite bland. My Sweet
Vegan's strengths lie in the
pies, "cheese"cakes, and
the desserts categorized as "Miscellaneous
Morsels."
What My Sweet Vegan also
does well is to provide some great
resources for both the creator and
recipient of the dessert. Most notable
is the food allergy index for those
who crave their sweets sans
gluten, wheat, peanut, tree nut,
or soy. There are even notes about
useful substitutions to cater to
the absence of various allergens.
Additionally, the book features
an ingredient guide and a tool guide
for those who may be new to vegan
baking or just baking in general.
All throughout My Sweet Vegan
are the fun and witty touches of
the author. Hannah Kaminsky brings
a playful and vibrant energy to
the art of baking. This is the kind
of cookbook that reinvigorates culinary
exploration. If you feel affection
for vegan confections, then this
book will be a delightful addition
to your cookbook collection!
Vegan Outreach
P.O. Box 30865
Tucson, AZ 85751-0865
VO is a 501(c)(3) non-profit
organization; all donations
are tax-deductible. |
