This all-new and gorgeous edition of Better Homes and Gardens Baking (the
first major all-purpose BH&G baking title published since 1998) is a
compendium of irresistible cookies, brownies, cakes, pies, cobblers,
pastries, and breads—from everyday sweets to special-occasion
show-stoppers. It has everything you need to bake fuss-free and with
delicious results for bake sales, cookie swaps, birthday parties,
holiday tables, or just because you’re in the mood to bake. You'll find:
More than 400 recipes for luscious baked goods such as Cinnamon Rolls (with four fun shape variations), Raspberry French Silk Pie Bars, and Herbed Boule More than 250 photos showcase the recipes and clarify techniques Chapter-opener features with classic recipes that teach secrets to baking success Make-It-Mine recipes with choices to help you adapt to your taste, convenience, and occasion Make-It-Mini guides to help bakers turn out scrumptious sweets in smaller sizes This will surely be the go-to baking reference and inspiration for years to come. |
My mother was not a cookbook collector, recipe hoarder, coupon clipper, or gourmet cook when I grew up. She had two cookbooks, one being the old fashioned Better Homes and Gardens. Every year at Christmas time she would spend hours creating the same recipes to hand out to everyone on Christmas plates – Banana Bread (she makes the best ever, a secret is self-rise flour instead of all purpose for hers), chocolate fudge, peanut butter fudge, mint brownies, coconut balls, date balls, and snowballs (which I found out since are also known as Russian tea cakes.) Almost all of her recipes came from Better Homes and Gardens.
Thinking the instructions weren’t fancy enough, even the recipe pages are decorated with background photos and art. It’s awesome, really. I wonder how their chocolate chip cookie recipe measures up to my beloved toll-house cookie recipe? I’m especially curious to try the Soft Maple Sugar cookies! I’m so picky on sugar cookies already but these look delicious. Maple icing too? Yum!
I love their chapter on decorated cakes, especially the make-it-mine mini birthday cake ideas and cheeseburger ice cream cake. I have made a Big Mac cake before but never with ice cream. The burger part turns out to be the chocolate ice cream and the fries are part of the food. How great does this look?? Their cakes are all easy to do without having to purchase special molds, which is a nice change for some fancy, creative cakes such as the lollipop one.
It’s normal – and I expected – for them to have chapters on stuff like cakes, cookies, pies and tarts,
My favorite section ended up being “Coffee Shop.” Not because I want to make these for coffee, but because I have an obsession with baby desserts and having them with tea and for tea parties. I’ve found some of the most delicious recipes in the world doing that, trust me. The ones they have here are pretty good too and in the same vein, although I suppose they use the title coffee shop since that’s the more popular drink.
Did all my mom’s recipes from the book make the cut and carry through? Sadly, no. For the size of the book they of course can’t fit all the recipes in there that were in the original. Plus, there are more than triple the pictures and detailed instructions in this edition. I did spot her banana bread, using all purpose of course as before, but they’ve now added the twist of cinnamon. I missed the sight of her other Christmas classics, but at least I have her recipes handed down for those.
Overall a great recipe/dessert book from a cookbook publisher I trust. Since it’s baking, they of course don’t have it filled with the newer, modern low fat editions. They do make a note at the beginning on ways you can cut down on fat in any recipe you create at home, which is to me more useful than just providing it in the recipes themselves. This leaves the option for the creator.
The most intriguing, unusual recipe I found that looks delicious, a bit difficult, and to wow people: Opera cake.
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