A beautiful new edition of “the greatest dessert book in the history of the world” (Bon Appétit), featuring 175 timeless recipes from Gramercy Tavern’s James Beard Award–winning pastry chef.
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The New York Times Book Review • The Atlantic • Food Network
Claudia Fleming is a renowned name in the pastry world, acclaimed for having set an industrywide standard at New York City’s Gramercy Tavern with her James Beard Award–winning desserts. With The Last Course, dessert lovers everywhere will be able to re-create and savor her impressive repertoire at home.
Fleming’s desserts have won a range of awards because they embody her philosophy of highly satisfying food without pretension, a perfect balance for home cooks. Using fresh, seasonal ingredients at the peak of their flavor, Fleming creates straightforward yet enchanting desserts that are somehow equal to much more than the sum of their parts. She has an uncanny ability to match contrasting textures, flavors, and temperatures to achieve a perfect result—placing something brittle and crunchy next to something satiny and smooth, and stretching the definition of sweet and savory while retaining an elemental simplicity.
The Last Course contains 175 mouthwatering recipes that are organized seasonally by fruits, vegetables, nuts, herbs and flowers, spices, sweet essences, dairy, and chocolate. In the final chapter, Fleming suggests how to combine and assemble desserts from the previous chapters to create the ultimate composed desserts. And each chapter and each composed dessert is paired with a selection of wines.
Recipes include Raspberry–Lemon Verbena Meringue Cake, Blueberry–Cream Cheese Tarts with Graham Cracker Crust, Cherry Cheesecake Tart with a Red Wine Glaze, Concord Grape Sorbet, Apple Tarte Tatin, Chestnut Soufflés with Armagnac-Nutmeg Custard Sauce, Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Sauternes Gelée, Warm Chocolate Ganache Cakes, and more.
Beautifully illustrated with more than eighty color photographs throughout, The Last Course is a timeless, one-of-a-kind collection filled with original recipes that will inspire dessert enthusiasts for years to come.
Praise for The Last Course
“While I must admit to being particularly partial to Claudia’s Buttermilk Panna Cotta, every dessert in The Last Course made me salivate. Claudia’s inspired recipes are so beautifully transcribed that even the most nervous of home cooks will feel comfortable trying them and will be a four-star chef for the day.”—Daniel Boulud
“The Goddess of New American Pastry.”—Elle
“It’s easy to see why these recipes—whimsical without being silly, daring without ever losing their focus on flavor—have won Fleming a reputation as one of today’s most talented pastry chefs.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
“The greatest dessert book in the history of the world . . . I bought this the day it came out and stole from it relentlessly for many years.”—Brooks Headley, Bon Appétit
“While I must admit to being particularly partial to Claudia’s Buttermilk Panna Cotta, every dessert in The Last Course made me salivate. Claudia’s inspired recipes are so beautifully transcribed that even the most nervous of home cooks will feel comfortable trying them and will be a four-star chef for the day.”—Daniel Boulud
“The Goddess of New American Pastry.”—Elle
“Claudia Fleming brings new life and a fresh approach to classic recipes. Her techniques are simple to follow, yet her artistry shines through every page. This is a wonderful addition to one’s repertoire of delicious, soul-satisfying desserts.”—Thomas Keller
“The true beauty of this book is that it makes home cooks feel like pastry chefs. . . . Fleming gave me the confidence to tackle projects I might not otherwise have thought possible.”—Tim Mazurek, Saveur
“Claudia Fleming is a rare breed of pastry chef: She makes desserts you actually want to eat.”—Nancy Silverton
