great books on baking

[phoebe]

I haven't baked a pie since my "life-changing" experience with apple pie last month. And I think the problem is that I haven't any good, basic baking books. May I please have some suggestions?

Thanks!

[Isa]

Not sure if you want a pie, cake or bread book so here's a bit of everything.

In The Sweet Kitchen: The Definitive Baker's Companion
by Regan Daley

The Good Cookie: Over 250 Delicious Recipes from Simple to Sublime by Tish Boyle

The Baker's Dozen Cookbook: Become a Better Baker With 125 Foolproof Recipes and Tried-And-True Techniques by Rick Rodgers

How to Bake: The Complete Guide to Perfect Cakes, Cookies, Pies, Tarts, Breads, Pizzas, Muffins, Sweet and Savory
by Nick Malgieri

The Art of the Tart: Savory and Sweet
by Tamasin Day-Lewis

Martha Stewart's Pies & Tarts
by Martha Stewart

The Bread Baker's Apprentice: Mastering the Art of Extraordinary Bread by Peter Reinhart

[shroomgirl]

(old) Joy of Cooking
Maida Heatter's Cookie Books
Le Notre Pastries
are a few I pull from and can be considered basic.

[bumblecook]

I wasn't very impressed by The Cake Bible from RLB and The Perfect Cake by Susan Gold Purdy.

I've just ordered Great Cakes by Carole Walter and
Faites votre pâtisserie by Gaston Lenôtre (I guess that would be the French version of Le Notre Pastries). Shroomgirl, what are your favorite recipes from Le Notre?

[shroomgirl]

I got rid of the Cake Bible...oh man what a disaster <repeatedly>

LeNotre....pastry creams, pate a chou, once in a very blue moon the broiche raisin rolls with pastry cream and bourbon soaked white raisins....country apple tart....caramel almond puffs....
I don't use it exstensively any more, just mainly the components to combine into my own creations....the country apple tart is phenominal and so easy.

Joy of Cooking is such a basic, the newer one doesn't have lemon bars...go figure.

[bumblecook]

Thanks, shroomgirl. Glad I'm not the only one who
doesn't like Cake Bible.

[phoebe]

Thanks guys!

These look great. I'll take a look at the Malgieri and the Daley first.
Of course my husband and I have both decided we need to lose a few pounds , so practicing will be a little difficult. But my colleagues probably won't mind being guinea pigs.

[Isa]

Reading cookbooks is calorie free as long as you don't lick the pictures.

[Ardge]

Originally posted by phoebe
I haven't baked a pie since my "life-changing" experience with apple pie last month. And I think the problem is that I haven't any good, basic baking books. May I please have some suggestions?

Thanks!

I may be a little biased, but I do have to say that the textbook assigned to my baking curriculum at school is outstanding. Professional Baking by Wayne Gislen, co-authored by the Le Cordon Bleu.

The recipes and information are VERY user friendly and there are many glossy pictures to help guide you. I just love it. Here it is listed on Amazon. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg...books&n=507846

As an added bonus, one of the advisory chefs listed in the back of the book is my Breads instructor and he is also a co-instructor for my Custards, Creams, and Fillings class. This can be a bonus for you too, because I can ask your questions directly!!!!!

RJ

[Brook]

I have been looking at ads for Professional Baking (by Wayne Gisslen) and the Professional Pastry Chef (Bo Friburg) online and can't determine the relative merits of each book. If anyone has familiarity with both books, I would really appreciate hearing your comments. I am not a very experienced baker and do not often bake for more than 10 people at a time, often it's for much fewer people! However, I like to try making new things and would like a comprehensive reference book for baking. Thanks.

[Ardge]

Originally posted by Brook
I have been looking at ads for Professional Baking (by Wayne Gisslen) and the Professional Pastry Chef (Bo Friburg) online and can't determine the relative merits of each book. If anyone has familiarity with both books, I would really appreciate hearing your comments. I am not a very experienced baker and do not often bake for more than 10 people at a time, often it's for much fewer people! However, I like to try making new things and would like a comprehensive reference book for baking. Thanks.

Brook,
I have them both and use them BOTH quite often. Gisslen's book in my school textbook. It has LOTS of color step by step photographs in almost every recipe whereas Friberg's has none except for a color photo section that makes you drool uncontrollably. There are many illustrations and templates, however. Both books are indispensable in my opinion.

Friberg's Pastry book is about twice as thick as Gisslen's. The recipes I've encountered in both have been nothing short of wonderful. I just made three batches of Cinnamon Ice Cream yesterday from Friberg's book. (Page 720)

My advice to you.... Get Both!!!!

If you have any specific questions, please feel free to ask. I will be happy to answer any you may have.

RJ

[kokopuffs]

The Professional Pastry Chef by Friberg

Is there any special reason to get the 4'th edition of this tome instead of the 3'rd edition? I mean, the cinnamon ice cream recipe intrigues me, really.

[Ardge]

Koko, I don't know the difference between the 3rd and the 4th edition. I have the 4th. I love it more than I can tell you. It really is a reference that I am lost without. I can also say the same about the Gisslen book too. These are great books.

RJ

PS...

Cinnamon Ice Cream

1 Quart of 1/2 & 1/2
2 Cinnamon Sticks
Vanilla bean or 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract

(If you don't have a vanilla bean, you can replace it with vanilla extract. That step comes in a bit)

Scald cream with the sticks (and bean if you're using one). Let infuse off of the heat for 30 minutes.

10 Egg Yolks
10 oz sugar
2 teaspoons of Cinnamon

Mix eggs, sugar, and cinnamon together in a stainless bowl. When cream is done infusing, slowly temper the cream into eggs, sugar, cinnamon mixture. (Remove the bean, leaving the seeds behind at this point if you've used one)

Cook over double boiler till nape' (I did it till it reached 165 degrees) while stirring constantly. Add two teaspoons of Vanilla Extract if you haven't used a bean at this point. Chill overnight. Remove cinnamon sticks and turn mixture in an ice cream freezer. Freeze when desired consistency is reached.

OH MY LORD. CAN YOU SAY "YUM"?

RJ

[kokopuffs]

Ooooo, thanks for the recipe.

What is meant by "nape"???

As far as the ice cream freezer goes, is there any particular brand that you'd recommend or not recommend?

Is the crank job by Donvier okay to use?

[Ardge]

Originally posted by kokopuffs
Ooooo, thanks for the recipe.

As far as the ice cream freezer goes, is there any particular brand that you'd recommend or not recommend?

Is the crank job by Donvier okay to use?

Koko, please note that I've edited the recipe.

There is a screwy procedure if you use a bean or not. I hope it makes sense.

I have a Cuisinart Ice-20. I have three freezer bowls too. These are extra money but needed because of the long refreeze time they have. One freezer bowl produces about 1 & 1/2 quarts. The recipe yields about 5 cups. About one quart too much for a maxed out batch in the Ice 20. I use two freeze cycles (two freeze bowls) per recipe. Otherwise you will just have to refreeze the bowl and finish it later in the day. I am too busy for that. LOL

RJ

PS - I never heard of the crank job by Donvier. Sorry.