A really good one that shows you and gives you recipes for making desserts for just two people. This would be good for a new couple or for when all of your children have left the house. I found it to be a very good book.

This is a great cookbook that would be a perfect wedding shower gift. I know my neighbors won't be real happy that this book shows smaller portions baking and cooking. I usually send half my desserts over to them. This book contains 115 recipes that are yummy, chapters for how to equip your kitchen, how to work with chocolate, dough and much more. There are two indexes that classify recipes by ingredients and what you're hungry for. Nicely illustrated and organized. I received a copy of this ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I think this cookbook would have been better if it was an actual book instead of a kindle ebook since there were really no photos to speak of, however, I still enjoyed it and I liked the variety of dessert recipes offered in small, perfect portions.

Dessert Cooking for Two: 115 Perfectly Portioned Sweets for Every Occasion, by Robin Donovan is the perfect cookbook for empty-nesters, newlyweds, and singles, since the recipes make only two servings. The cookbook includes almost every kind of dessert, including cookies, cakes, puddings, frozen specialties, pies, and other pastries. There are desserts for casual dining, as well as for special dinners for two. The instructions are well-written and succinct, so they can be made successfully by almost anyone. The main drawback for preparing tiny portions of desserts is that in many of the recipes you have to open cans or packages and use only a small amount – what do you do with the leftover ingredients? Many of the desserts are quick and easy, but there are some that are just as much work as if making a larger dessert – readers will have to decide if it is worth it to work that hard in the kitchen and end up with such a small amount.

While most of the recipes are mouthwatering, it is very unfortunate that there are only photographs at the beginning of each chapter, and so most of the dishes aren’t pictured. It’s hard to find an excuse in this modern age for not including photos of each recipe. Even though there are a few drawbacks, the recipes are good enough that this book is worth having on the cookbook shelf.

As it's just my husband and me, I appreciated being able to have recipes that were smaller in scale because recipes for desserts are usually made for a crowd.

That said, I agree with other reviewers that the lack of photographs was a huge negative. At my library when a new cookbook arrives from the vendor we will quickly spread the word if it lacks enough photos, as we know those books won't check out much. Hopefully the finished product will have more photos, but as it stands this really takes the rating down considerably for me and my patrons.

3 out of 5

**OMG! I cannot believe that these reviews haven't been done! I am so sorry they are so late!!!**

First, I received this book as a kindle advanced copy from NetGalley. Being single and an avid baker I usually freeze or bring extra baked items to work. I was excited to order. The recipes seemed interesting. I would only use a few. I was terribly disappointed there were no photos or more directions. I really wouldn’t recommend buying online.

There are so many cookbooks that are geared towards cooking for two, but there are hardly any that focus on the true star of dinner - dessert! This book satisfies any sweet tooth with easy to follow directions for amazing desserts. I have made a few and cannot wait to make more!

Dessert Cooking for Two by Robin Donovan is a delectable cookbook dedicated not only to desserts but small portion desserts – perfect for two people. The recipes are presented in an easy-to-follow format and the ingredients are not complicated or very unusual (i.e. you probably already have them in your pantry).

With 115 “perfectly portioned sweets” there is something that will appeal to everyone. I was particularly drawn to the Strawberry Clafoutis (sounds so elegant!) and everything chocolate. I especially appreciate the suggestions regarding what to do with leftover ingredients. Very helpful. The index, also is very easy to use, with the recipes organized by flavor as well as ingredients, so you can use those aforementioned leftovers.

Since each recipe also includes the approximate amount of time it takes to prepare, it’s easy to fit one of these recipes into a busy schedule. Or, when you are desperate for something sweet and just don’t want to wait! I’m looking forward to working my way through this book, one recipe at a time.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

I love this cookbook. I love this cookbook so much I am going to buy the paperback version of it so I can have it easily at hand. As a single person this is the perfect solution to have a sweet treat without having to make a whole batch of something. I can't wait to make more of these desserts. This book is both great for single people, for couples for anyone who wants just a sweet treat without making a lot. They also taste really yummy!!



*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

The recipes in this book are specifically designed for smaller batches (i.e., "for two"). As a single-person household, this was an attractive concept for me. There are some really unique ones, including Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet, Blackberry Vanilla Bread Pudding, Lemon White Chocolate Truffles, and Mimosa Cupcakes with Champagne-Orange Buttercream. There are also basic ones for things like chocolate chip cookies and brownies--over 100 recipes total. Most recipes are uncomplicated and utilize smaller "vessels" (e.g., mini loaf pans or ramekins). Instructions are clear and easy to follow.

But, there is one big negative: there are very few photos of the actual desserts! Typically there is one photo per chapter (and six chapters of recipes). And, the photos that are included are very "artsy" with the dessert off-center and nearly lost in the background. As someone who has to visualize things before doing them, this is a huge negative. And, most of today's population is used to seeing visuals of everything. There is plenty of white space on each page for a small photo. I realize that adds to the production costs, but I think it would be worthwhile. I, for one, will not purchase a cookbook that doesn't have photos of nearly every recipe.

What a great cookbook! The material is well written and presented in an easy to follow manner. I look forward to trying out several of these recipes.

Since there are only two of us in the household and we both love treats, even though we really are not supposed to. Dessert Cooking for two is perfect though because then I don't end up making enough for 6-8 people. Then if we don't eat it all, although hubby takes care of most of it, it goes to waste. I am diabetic so I really need to watch the sugar. I do love sweets though so I like to have something once in awhile.
The first section of the book is how to cook for duos, how to portion, what equipment to use, how to shop, pantry staples. Then there is how to make use of leftovers and storing. The next section is skills and techniques. Techniques for eggs, working with pastry dough and decorating.
The recipes include anything from cookies, brownies and bars to frozen treats. There are 155 recipes, handy kitchen hacks, which is fun and good to know. So this cookbook is one way to get rid of packaged sweets and have fresh and flavorful desserts.
The recipes have concise and easy to read instructions, tips and some have equipment hacks. There are a lot of the recipes that I will be making. I love the ease of which I can find what I am looking for, via the table of contents.
Love sweets, don't want to make a lot? Then give this one a try! I love it!!
I received a copy of this book for review purposes only.

Oh so yummy! Beautiful pictures and wonderful recipes. Thanks NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for an honest review!

Yummy!

Dessert Cooking for Two is one of the best cookbooks that I’ve read in some time. My boyfriend and I LOVE dessert but it’s hard to justify 5 layer creations for two people.

What I loved most about this book was that the author didn’t cop out by presenting mug cakes or flavorless no bake options....from pies to candy, all of the major sweet groups were represented. In addition, cookbooks with practical tips on storage, prep time and ideas on what to do with that spare egg yolk are appreciated.

In all of my cookbooks, I love pictures. My only complaint is there weren’t enough. I want to see the ooey gooey in all of its melty, crunchy sweet and salty glory. It’s a prefect gift for newly married couples to singles wanting a quick fix!

(What follows comes from my baking blog, JennyBakes, which I will link to below. That link goes live 8/5/19..)

It can be difficult to bake for just two people. If you make a cake, it feels like you have obligated yourself to each eat half that cake! I was poking around the cookbook section of NetGalley and encountered Dessert Cooking for Two: 115 Perfectly Portioned Sweets for Every Occasion by Robin Donovan, so I requested it for review. I'm not sure why the author decided to call it "dessert cooking" rather than baking but what you'll find inside are baked goods galore. I went with a simple recipe - peanut butter cookies. The recipe makes just six small cookies, enough for each person to have three, unless one of those people dumps three of them on the floor while taking their picture. (If said cookies in said picture appear cracked or otherwise damaged, this may have occurred and should not be connected to a flaw in the recipe but rather the baker.)

[Picture]

This recipe is a good one to have on hand because it is made of items usually found in your pantry, can be easily adapted to be lower sugar (see my notes at the end,) and comes together and bakes quickly.

[Recipe]

Notes from JennyBakes:

In the interest of baking something my husband would actually eat, I decided to finally experiment with the Swerve sugar substitute I had bought at Fresh Market. I bought the powdered sugar kind, and just decided it would do well enough. I used the same amount but I think my dough was a little more dry than the recipe would have been otherwise.

Ten minutes was at least 1 minute too long, but this might also relate to my Swerve experiment.

Other recipes I marked to try in this cookbook:

Whipped Lemon Ricotta Mousse
Frozen Raspberry Hot Chocolate
(those super cute)Ice Cream Sandwiches

I received an arc from NetGalley for an honest review. I love a simple cookbook that makes it easy for me to create just a few of something so that I won't eat the entire batch is a short period of time. Love this!

With the older population growing, this book is very timely. Sometimes you just want “a little” dessert but don’t want to make a dessert that’s meant for a 9x13 pan. And naturally the first thing a cook will think when reading the title is this means buying all new cookware. The author very wisely makes suggestions for how to hack your equipment and ingredients to fit. Plus there are measurement conversions in the back. Very well done and easy to use.
I received an arc from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Dessert Cooking for Two by Robin Donovan. Oh Yum! So many delicious recipes from which to choose. Just the right size for the two of us. Very well presented with helpful hints and substitutions that could be used. Recommend getting a print copy so that the recipes will be easier to follow.......it's being released in August 2019.

Thank you to the publisher, author, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

Great premise - to do small batch baking, both so that things aren't on hand to be overly tempting but also so it is easier to try lots of new recipes. Recipes are labelled as quick, no-bake, mini equipment, and/or lightly sweet. A how-to section discusses mini equipment and offers hacks if those are things you do not have on hand. There is also info on how to use leftover ingredients and how to store finished goods. A chapter on techniques and skills offers great explanations of many baking/dessert recipe instructions in more detail.
Recipe sections are cookies/brownies/bars, cupcakes and cakes, pies/tarts/crumbles, pastries and confections, puddings/custards/cremes, and frozen treats. Equipment needed is called out at the top, along with quantity produced, prep time, and cook time. Recipes usually end with a tip, either related to prep or ingredients. I wish there were more photos, there was typically only one at the beginning of a section. The recipes all sound appealing, lots of familiar items and flavors. I know it is not the point of this book, but what if one of these items ends up being a favorite, or you're having people over for dinner or something - a little info on whether a recipe could be scaled up and how to do so would have been great, rather than having to keep remaking batches of something.
I received an ebook ARC in exchange for an honest review.