Desserts in Jars

Book excerpt: Some desserts in jars are baked or otherwise prepared right in the jar, while others are spooned into jars. Either way, the sparkling and pretty vessel and the appealing treat it holds make for a beautiful presentation. Olmanson's clever and cute desserts are at once playful and well-crafted, appropriate for a kids' birthday one weekend (Peanut Butter Cup Cupcakes) and a grown-up gathering, the next (Neapolitan Cakes). The book includes chapters on cakes, pies, crumbles and cobblers, quick breads and frozen indulgences like Strawberry Lemonade Granitas. Desserts in jars are fun to make and, of course, to eat, and they are especially suited for gift-giving. They store, travel and stay fresh well, and even can be delivered with a lid on the jar and with gift tags, ribbons, and other embellishments. Olmanson devotes a special chapter to as-yet-unbaked mixes, with the flour, brown sugar, and so on attractively layered in the jar, a timeless idea now undergoing its own revival.