Completely innovative recipes that are on trend: Levy has cracked open a completely new approach to “sugar-free” baking, with recipes that are decadent and sophisticated, while also being “feel-good.” These are not bland, boring desserts, they are pastries from a former pastry chef with exacting standards. The book will appeal to health-conscious home cooks who came to Sweet Laurel and other “healthy-but-delicious” baking books.

Gorgeous package: We are planning a hip and inviting package that shows off this fresh way of baking and says, “Baking without sugar is cool.” In addition to 60 stunning 4-color photos, there will be illustrated sidebars that feature the “star” fruits Levy uses often in these recipes.

Author with strong credentials and connections: Levy is a former pastry cook at Babbo who trained under James Beard Award−winning Gina DePalma. He also worked as Caroline Kennedy’s private chef and has other influential friends, including Christian Louboutin and Chris Fischer (Amy Schumer’s husband and cohost of Amy Schumer Learns to Cook).

Brian Levy is a pastry cook who previously worked at Babbo, where he was mentored by James Beard Award−winning pastry chef Gina DePalma. Outside of the kitchen, he also studied architecture at Yale.

Author Residence: Washington, Connecticut

“Good and Sweet is a treasure trove of genius ideas and inspiration, as well as great desserts; a much-needed and brand new (but not daunting) baking education for all of us!” - Alice Medrich, five-time James Beard Cookbook Award-Winning author

“Brian Levy’s Good and Sweet is an inspiring book full of sweet recipes that use the natural sweetness from fruits, grains and whole food ingredients to make delightful pastries and desserts. I can tell you that having worked with Brian, he is thoughtful, creative and attends to every detail in his cooking and baking. From sticky toffee pudding to butterscotch pots de crème to breakfast coffee cake with berry jam and cinnamon streusel Brian creates delicious recipes that are good for you too. I am looking forward to making the sweets in this lovely book.” – Melissa Weller, author of A Good Bake

“Brian Levy has captured the soul satisfying delight of desserts without adding demon sugar to the mix. Carefully calibrated formulas bring out all the natural flavors of his ingredients and the textures are equally appealing in these recipes. Our palates are changing, and Good & Sweet charts the path forward.” - Bill Yosses, author of The Sweet Spot

“This book is amazing! Brian Levy showcases bold and unexpected flavors alongside comforting favorites in a whole new fruit-sweetened light. There are clever techniques throughout, like folding whipped cream into rice pudding to give it a gorgeous ethereal texture, along with so many others. From Loaded Breakfast Cookies to Fudgy Chocolate Spoon Cake this book is packed with enticing recipes, and gorgeous photos that will make you want to dive right in.” - Yossy Arefi, author of Snacking Cakes and Sweeter off the Vine

“Blessedly bucking the current trend towards new and alternative sweeteners in the baking aisle, Brian Levy turns to naturally sweet whole foods—fresh, dried, and freeze-dried fruit, grains, nuts, even vegetables—to give us a truly game changing collection of desserts and sweets. Crafted with skill, imagination, and a fine palate for flavor, these new recipes will instantly become part of our repertoire, as avid home bakers and professionals alike. I’m already planning desserts with Brian’s brilliant new pastry crusts, caramel sauces, and applying his deconstructed white chocolate strategy and so much more…Good and Sweet is a treasure trove of genius ideas and inspiration, as well as great desserts; a much-needed and brand new (but not daunting) baking education for all of us!” - Alice Medrich, five-time James Beard Cookbook Award-winning author of Gluten-Free Flavor Flours and Gluten- Free Holiday

“In Good and Sweet, Brian Levy has brilliantly freed bakers from the slavish adherence to refined sugar.  Instead, the natural sweetness of both fresh and dried fruits is used to advantage in tempting and creative recipes.” - Nick Malgieri, author of How to Bake

“Levy’s mission here isn’t ’healthy’ baking, but rather to create recipes that aren’t focused around the ingredient that might be missing [i.e., sugar], but instead what they might gain from using alternative ways to sweeten.” - Lukas Volger, author of Snacks for Dinner and Start Simple and contributor at Epicurious