Book review: Achu Kurian’s Cakes, Desserts, and more is about recipes, tips and more

Moist apple, tangy mango, sour cream coffee, nutty banana and date ‘n’ walnut are just some of the fascinating cake flavours in the cookbook – Cakes, Desserts, and more – by Achu Kurian. The recipes are simple to follow, and the ingredients easy to find in local markets. But what takes the cake are the handy tips and tricks – the author’s learnings of over three decades – in the first few pages, even before you get to the recipes. She tells you how to measure the commonly-used ingredients, explains their importance, warns about steps that people generally get wrong – all to ensure perfect baking.

What’s the cherry on this cake? A variety of icing recipes, to literally top it all! True to its name, the book also has a range of desserts: pudding, soufflé, pie, cheesecake... you name it! And for your to master your party menu, there are recipes for party snacks — both sweet and savoury — and also, thirst quenchers! Quite a mix, right?

A few glossy pages in between – food pictures – deserve a special mention, for they are a visual delight. All in all, the book can bridge the gap between you being an amateur baker to an impressive one.

Title: Cakes, Desserts, and more
Author: Achu Kurian
Publisher: Westland
Price: Rs 499