Sweet Enough

Alison Roman is sneaky. Under the guise of promising really simple desserts that feel oh-so-contemporary, she’s leading hesitant or inexperienced bakers to do the things that serious bakers do.

Those serious baker things include paying attention to seasonal fruits, learning to bake with what’s on hand, and measuring by weight (she also provides volume measurements for the resolutely old-fashioned).

Using seasonal fruits means you can turn out tiny strawberry galettes with flaky caramelized crusts. Or blitz some watermelon or cantaloupe to delicate chunkiness with some lemon juice, the freeze it and top with berries.

Baking with everyday pantry items lets you serve a cottage cheese cake (yes, you read that correctly) topped with fresh fruit. Or you can elevate simple rice pudding by toasting the rice first.

Of course, if you’re already a comfortable baker, then you’re probably wondering if this will expand your repertoire. Consider:

• Creamy cauliflower galettes
• Salted pistachio shortbread
• Breakfast seed cake
• Tahini caramel

Lots of style and flavor.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.