Michaels Desserts: Sweets for a Cause

by Michael Platt

Overview

Debut cookbook from Michael Platt, a teen baker, social entrepreneur, and food-justice advocate. Featuring 45+ dessert recipes for cupcakes, cookies, snacks and more, served up with valuable life lessons—Michaels Desserts goes beyond baking and triumphs amidst autobiographies and other inspirational books for black teen boys.

Combining a fun cookbook with Michael’s mission to bring awareness to food and poverty, Sweets for a Cause will quickly become a favorite teen baking book that builds skills in the kitchen, celebrates history, and inspires activism. The desserts recipes collection includes Michael’s signature Freedom Fighter Cupcakes themed around figures from the history of civil rights and activism—Martin Luther King Jr., Grandpa Kitchen, José Andrés, Maya Angelou, Malala Yousafzai, Rubin "Hurricane" Carter, Harriet Tubman, and more—as well as chapters on pies, tarts, cakes, snacks, and breads. Each dessert features stunning photography, a list of ingredients, easy-to-do step-by-step instructions, and insightful tips from Michael that will make baking tons of fun.

Truly a cookbook for all ages, whether baking with kids or wanting to support Michael’s incredible mission, adding Michael’s Desserts: Sweets for a Cause to your collection will bring hope to heart and tasty treats to your table. For teaching your teenager to bake—or for those whose kids cook already—Michael serves up sweet recipes for desserts and a drive towards social activism!

Paperback; 128 pages; 7.5 in W by 9.5 in H.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781684620470
Publisher:	Mixed Media Resources LLC
Publication date:	11/01/2021
Series:	Our Tomorrow
Pages:	128
Sales rank:	484,901
Product dimensions:	9.40(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.50(d)
Age Range:	7 - 17 Years

About the Author

Michael Platt is on a mission to end food insecurity. A teen baker, social entrepreneur, and food-justice advocate, he's been baking since he was nine but has been interested in the challenges of inequality, food, and poverty since learning about the March on Washington at age six. Michael’s teen baking business, Michaels Desserts, has a 1-for-1 model which donates a dessert to someone in need for every one sold. With this model, Michael has served hundreds of people. Michael appeared as one of the best kid bakers in the country in season 4 of Kids Baking Championship on Food Network and has been featured in Ted Talks, Good Morning America, CNN, Washington Post, People.com, Guideposts, the Rachael Ray Show, and more. He's a member of the Kashi Crew, a group of kid cooks who worked with Kashi to create a new line of cereals and snack bites called Kashi by Kids. He also appeared on BYU tv's feel-good show Operation Awesome, taking a look at how kids are changing the world every day in 2021. Michaels Desserts is his first cookbook. Visit him at michaelsdesserts.com and michaelcplatt.com.

Read an Excerpt

Hello, my name is Michael Platt. I'm a sixteen-year-old entrepreneur. And I love baking and cooking.

My love affair with food started at home. Spending time with loved ones in the kitchen, with those sweet and savory smells filling the house...it's so special. My family is passionate about cooking. At our family dinners, everyone makes their specialty dish and many of the recipes have a story behind them. The stories are either about the origin of a recipe or how it was passed down through the generations. Sharing stories and sharing food just makes you feel good.

With so much love for food around me, I soon fell in love with baking. The first dish I ever baked was a layered chocolate cake, the kind that comes in a box. I was nine years old. My grandma Sarah helped me, but she let me take the lead. Since I made that first cake I have never looked back. My favorite part about baking is the finishing touches. I am amazed every time I see how the icing and decorations come together, turning a cupcake into a piece of art. And then it's also about the feeling of accomplishment. You have something that starts with eggs, flour, sugar, and other ingredients and it ends up being a delicious baked treat. It's basically chemistry and I love science. Baking is really just the cooking version of science.

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

Kids Can Help Solve Big Problems! 13

Getting Started 18

1 Freedom Fighter Cupcakes

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Sweet Potato Pie Cupcakes 28

CURE Epilepsy Coconut Caramel Cupcakes 30

Grandpa Kitchen Golden Milk Cupcakes 32

No Kid Hungry French Toast Cupcakes 34

José Andrés Arroz Con Leche Cupcakes 36

Harriet Tubman Mint Chocolate Cupcakes 38

Leah Chase Butter Cake Cupcakes 40

Malaia Yousafzai Carrot Halwa Cupcakes 42

Booker T. Washington Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes 44

I Nelson Mandela Malva Pudding Cupcakes 46

2 Pies & Tarts

Sweet Potato Pie 50

Brown Sugar Pie 52

Chocolate Pie 54

Coffee Chocolate Mousse Pie 56

Key Lime Pie 58

Lemon Meringue Tart 60

Peach Cobbler Tart 62

Chess Pie 64

Coconut Cream Pie 66

Mixed Berry Pie 68

Pecan Pie 70

Mini Apple Pies 72

Apple Hand Pies 74

Pumpkin Pie 76

Blueberry Pie 78

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie 80

Jam Tarts 82

Fruit and Custard Tart 84

Pop Tarts 86

3 Cakes

Vanilla Cake with Chocolate Icing 90

Pineapple Upside-Down Layered Cake 92

Caramel Cake 94

Oreo Cake 96

Chocolate Chocolate Cake 98

Coconut Cake 100

Pound Cake 102

Strawberry Shortcake 104

4 Snacks & Breads

Beignets 108

Cinnamon Rolls 110

Sour Cream Donuts 112

Sticky Buns 114

Coffee Crèmè Brûlée 116

Cinnamon Apple Nut Muffins 118

Pecan Granola 120

Scones 122

Gingerbread 124

Index 126

Editorial Reviews

Platt offers a primer explaining necessary tools that may not be readily available in every kitchen and includes insight on recipes where extra adult help may be needed (frying beignets) or where beginners are likely to have better luck starting (jam tarts). But the real prize in this gem is Platt's narrative. He shares personal connections to recipes that have been passed down in his family and provides background on the themes of his signature Freedom Fighter Cupcakes. His own story of determination and social consciousness puts the icing on this cake.” —Shelf Awareness
 

From the Publisher

12/01/2022

Gr 8 Up—Michael Platt, the founder of Michaels Desserts and the nonprofit PLLATE, brings readers a cookbook with a mission: ending hunger. The book opens with a history of Platt and his philanthropic efforts. Platt got his start baking after an epilepsy diagnosis and, passionate about ending food insecurity in his community, started Michaels Desserts. For every order Michaels Desserts receives, the business donates an equal amount of baked goods to local shelters. Building on that success, Platt founded PLLATE, which creates snack packs for kids facing food insecurity. The extensive introduction concludes with an inspiring call to action for any kid who wants to make a difference. Platt then discusses bakeware basics before delving into the recipes, which are divided into four sections: Freedom Fighter Cupcakes, Pies & Tarts, Cakes, and Snacks & Breads. A highlight is the Freedom Fighter Cupcakes, each of which are named after someone from whom Platt draws inspiration, such as Malala Yousafzai Carrot Halwa Cupcakes. Each recipe has a full-page accompanying photo and most also include a blurb with interesting facts about the ingredients, historical context, or Platt's personal connection to the recipe. VERDICT The combination of delectable desserts and inspirational messaging makes this a must-purchase for teen cookbook collections.

School Library Journal