Ms. Ojakangas is a James Beard Hall of Fame Inductee

The author has kindly shared these recipes:

• ricotta Cranberry custards
• maple pecan pies (mini pies)
• swedish almond tarts (sandbakkelser)

In Petite Sweets, author and James Beard Hall of Fame inductee, Beatrice  Ojakangas, offers small desserts that are large in taste.  Whether you are sampling a miniature dessert - be it a tart, mousse, cream or custard - so that you may sample more than one delicious treat, or if you are keeping calories down by having just that toothful of sweetness after a meal, Petite Sweets gives you a wide variety of tempting but tiny recipes to sweeten the end of a meal or create a memorable party.  As Ojakangas states, " "Downsizing desserts to bite-size servings solves the problem of the 'one and four syndrome (one dessert and four forks) or the 'sliver syndrome' (I'll have a sliver of this and a sliver of that) and offers your guests neat little one- or two-bite dessert packages."

Ojakangas begins with tips and suggestions on how to downsize your favorite desserts into sweet little bites, on the equipment needed, on ingredients, and on how to plan the dessert menu. (She always includes something chocolate!). 

The book is divided into six main chapters:

Little Cakes
Petite Pies and Tarts
Fruit and Berry Desserts
Mousses and Chilled Desserts
Creams, Custards, and Frozen Desserts
Pastries and Sweets

The luscious, sweet recipes are written with Ojakangas trademark flair ease of use, combining simplicity with thoroughness in a direct, easy-to-follow manner.   The reader will be tempted by Angel Cakes with Lemon Sauce served in tiny round or heart-shaped pans, possibly Coconut Rum Butter Cakes baked in miniature bundt pans.  A fresh Lime Pie can be baked in a muffin tray or in tiny 2-ounce ceramic cups, while Chocolate Truffle Tarts can be made in any shape tiny tart tins.

"Always something chocolate," states Ojakangas, and she offers Chocolate Espresso Mousse served in glass or ceramic shot glasses, or Mocha Rum Pots de Creme served in a coffee cup, possibly small Chocolate-Dipped Almond Biscotti, or tiny Chocolate Hazelnut Eclairs, each perfect for the end of a satisfying meal.

Holiday desserts lead to the "sliver syndrome," which often lead to overeating as 'slivers' can be large.  Holidays will never be the same with small sweets garnishing the table.  Try a Creamy Pumpkin Mini Mousse or Pumpkin Cream Pots to bring a favorite holiday flavor to the end of the feast, or deck your table with Ricotta Cranberry Custard, or Mini Maple Pecan Pies. 

In this beautifully presented book, color photographs by Roger LePage illustrate ways to serve the tiny treats that will satisfy the sweet tooth.

James Beard Hall of Fame Inductee

About the Author: Beatrice Ojakangas is a cookbook writer, recipe and food product developer in Duluth, Minnesota. She began her food writing career as a food editor for Sunset Magazine. In 2005, she was inducted into the James Beard Cookbook hall of fame, and in 2007, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters from the University of Minnesota. She starred in a five-part series on holiday baking for the TV Food Network called The Bakers Dozen. She was a featured guest on Julia Child's series Baking with Julia. She also appeared on Martha Stewart Living Television. She has written numerous articles for many of the nations leading magazines including Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Woman's day, Family Circle, Cooking Light and others. Petite Sweets is her 27th cookbook.

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