The Dessert Game
This cookbook is all about – you guessed it! Desserts! It is one of the most versatile dessert cookbooks I own and is extremely good value for money. It covers not just basic dessert skills but a wide variety of beautifully plated desserts as well. If you love creating gorgeous food or have a sweet tooth, then this cookbook is a must for your bookshelf!
Review
The Dessert Game is split into different “levels”, much like a video game. It is split into three main levels. The idea is that as you cook through the different recipes in the book, your skill level increases as well. With later recipes building upon the skills learnt from earlier recipes. This will then give you the confidence needed to tackle the harder recipes at the end of the book. Alternatively, if you are already a confident cook, you can jump back and forth from different desserts recipes. A lot of thought was put into the layout of book.
The book starts off with a breakdown of the construction of a dessert. Reynold covers the basic flavour components of a dessert. This includes fruits to provide acidity, creme elements to provide rich mouthfeels and of course chocolate which provides flavour and also structural integrity to many dishes. Each main section is then further detailed with tried and true flavour pairings or how to change thing up by adding textural elements like nuts or slightly different flavour profiles by adding liqueurs.
Personally, I have cooked many of the recipes included in The Dessert Game, from across all three levels. I can say the results produced are consistent and delicious. However I did find I had to do a little bit of tweaking with oven temperatures or times in some recipes. For example, the Brownie recipe and the Burnt Basque Cheesecake. That being said, that is a common issue for all cookbooks as ovens can be extremely temperamental and everyone uses a different brand.
Reynold Poernomo
Reynold Poernomo, was a favourite to win both MasterChef Australia season 7 and also MasterChef Australia: Back to Win. He is often referred to as the Dessert King and is the co-founder of the world famous dessert bar, KOI, in Sydney.
I was lucky enough to have met Reynold, during the pressure test he set for MasterChef Australia season 14, of which I was a part of. It was truly an honour to cook his signature dish – NOI. Reynold was genuine, easy to approach and you can truly feel his passion for desserts. More often than not, I find beautiful desserts unfortunately boring in taste, flavour and textures. However, NOI was not only a feast for the eyes but also for the palate as well. The flavours were delicately balanced and worked in harmony with each other. Cooking for Reynold was truly a once in a lifetime opportunity!
Should you buy The Dessert Game?
I definitely think The Dessert Game is a great addition to any cook’s collection. The recipes included will help you hone your pastry skills and rewards you with delicious delights. It also provides a good foundation for you to start creating your own plated desserts. There are a wide array of skills taught in cookbook. Including how to form chocolate twigs, branches and mushrooms, microwave sponge and how to produce beautiful layered desserts and cakes. One of my favourite things about this cookbook is actually how great the basic recipes for tarts, curds and diplomat cremes are. These basic skills can apply to any other desserts. Reynold’s recipes are definitely versatile, practical and consistent.
I can proudly say almost everyone in MasterChef Australia season 14 owned a copy of The Dessert Game, including the returning Favourites! There are tips and tricks for every chef and cook to learn from in this cookbook.
Reynold has not been stingy at all with his cookbook! It includes many of his past signature dishes include Moss, White Noise and Onyx. Additionally, there are beautiful images and photography by Jeremy Simons that explain everything step-by-step. The Dessert Game will help you level up your dessert skills and inspire you to create your next sweet masterpiece.
