Staff Picks: Best Baking Books!
by emjane
Whether it’s always “Baking Season” in your kitchen (like it is in mine!) or you ramp things up this time of year, a good recipe is the perfect –erm – recipe for a treat! Use your oven to heat up your home, and check out these great books chock-full of recipes you’ll find yourself returning to again and again!
Cook’s Illustrated Baking Book| Request Now
My mom and I often joke about recipes from Cook’s Illustrated: “They’re fussy, but worth it.” And those “fussy” recipes are a great way to learn the ins-and-outs of baking. Often procedures specified in recipes by Cooks can elevate your other go-to bakes as well! This cookbook also does a great job of explaining why you should follow certain steps as you bake. It’s always nice to learn something (and get rewarded for it with sweets at the end!)
My go-to Brownie recipe comes from Cooks Illustrated, and can be found in this cookbook and is reposted on epicurious: Classic Brownies. Just note, in every oven I’ve owned, it takes an additional 15 minutes or so to reach the desired doneness.
The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum | Request Now
Making cakes from scratch can be intimidating – especially because you usually make them to share with other people and can’t cut a slice out ahead of time to make sure they’re up to your standard! But you’re in great hands with this classic by Rose Levy Beranbaum. She’s got a recipe for just about any cake you can imagine with clear and specific ingredient lists and steps.
We’ve all heard “Baking is a science, cooking is an art” and of all baking, I think cakes are the most scientific (which is perhaps the nicer way to say “least forgiving”). When people go wrong with cakes, it’s nearly always because they aren’t following the directions to a tee. Be sure you’re adhering to the recommended temperatures of ingredients, and it is absolutely worth investing in a kitchen scale to measure your ingredients by weight.
I’ve been happy with every recipe I’ve tried from my loved copy of The Cake Bible – here’s a favorite reposted on epicurious: White Velvet Cake.
The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook by Deb Perelman | Request Now
Recipe blogger Deb Perelman is the only food blog where I actually read the paragraphs above the recipe because they often contain useful tips and insight into the recipe creation (and, as a side-bonus, she’s a good writer!). Her first collection, The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook is filled with amazing recipes, and, even better, every recipe in it is also on her blog, making them easy to share with friends after they rave about what you created! But it’s worth noting that the cookbook itself makes a great gift – I received my copy from friends and have gifted it to others as well!
I can’t limit myself to just one recipe to share from this, because there are two different pages my copy of the book falls open to.
One favorite is Brownie Roll-Out Cookies which are fabulous on their own, but even better as the cookie base for homemade ice cream sandwiches.
And I can’t get through a fall without making the utterly decadent Apple Cider Caramels. If your grocery store still has refrigerated apple cider on hand, do yourself a favor and don’t wait until next fall to mix up a batch!
Zingerman’s Bakehouse by Amy Emberling | Request Now
Can you highlight baking books in Ann Arbor without featuring something from Zingerman’s? (Perhaps, but it wouldn’t be advisable). We’re fortunate to reside among bread loyalty and while it sure is convenient to swing by the bakehouse and pick up a loaf, there’s a real satisfaction in making things yourself!
One favorite in this cookbook is the French Baguette – as you can see from the recipe, a LOT goes into making these delicious crusty treats. This is a recipe worth reading over a few times before starting it, but if you are able to follow the steps, you’ll end up with something delicious!
Honorary mention? It’s not in this cookbook, but I’m still working on mastering the Zingerman’s Roadhouse Donut! The flavor is always amazing – personally I just need to work on my frying!
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