Kyotofu: Uniquely Delicious Japanese Desserts

Bermensolo, who owned the now-closed restaurant for which the book is named, and Dunn (Glazed, Filled, Sugared, and Dipped) here focus on Japanese desserts that are slightly adapted for the North American pantry and palate. Kyotofu opened in the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood of Manhattan in 2006, introducing Bermensolo's unconventional take on Japanese desserts. She explains her approach and the history of these kinds of sweets in her introduction. Recipes are organized by ingredient, not by dessert type, with sections on soy, miso, green tea, sesame, rice, and yuzu. Many of the recipes, such as dark chocolate brownies with miso, ginger mousse, or jasmine milk chocolate sweet tofu, can easily be created by a home cook using ingredients that would be found in a well-stocked pantry. Others, such as black sesame "rare" cheesecake, spring anmitsu, or passion fruit mochi ice cream, require more unusual ingredients, a higher level of skill, or both.