[Risa]

Back to Great Cakes. I love this book for its simplicity. It's the best book to have when you find yourself with a couple of hours free and need to bake. This book has more homespun sensibilities than RLB's Cake Bible. The recipes are for those cakes that you make for family and close friends or for yourself when you aren't too worried about appearance but want something fast and tastes great. The cakes do look good, but the big wow factors are the texture and flavour. This review also works for her pie book although I've only borrowed that from the library. I own and love RLB books, but sometimes they're too fussy and scientific for daily home baking.

Bernard Clayton's New Complete Book of Breads is one of the first baking books I ever bought and it's the one that taught me to bake bread (other than sourdough which I only learned since catching the Kyle bug). It's a book of recipes rather than technique and there are lots of recipes. I think I've tried 25% of the recipes and I don't recall any major failures although the loaves I now make are much better than any of those I made in my teens. That's likely due to experience and learning over the years what good bread is supposed to taste and feel like. I'll have to try a recipe or two from this book again.

[Isa]

Thank you for that great list Wendy. I'm almost embarrassed to say I do not have any books on your list, I just can’t believe this... There is something missing in my bookcase.


I'll have to go through it in a virtual bookstore and see what comes up. I am intrigued by a few of your choices. Madame Chocolates has grab my attention. I'm dying to find a great book on candy and chocolate making.


I can understand the call of the cookbook. It's one I hear often. While in the hospital I kept telling myself as soon as I'm out I'm spend some of my gift certificates for a new cookbook. I can't wait to get to the store. Maybe tomorrow I'll have enough strength.


While writing this I'm trying to figure out what are my favourite books. Not an easy question to answer. The newest one is always my new favourite. Every book is there for purpose that's what makes it so hard to choose favourites. I'll have to thin about this very carefully...

[W.DeBord]

Isa, I'm sorry to read you've been in the hospital! I hope your much better now....?

Madame Chocolate is the nick name of a women who wrote a column in a Chicago area paper. Her book is about all chocolate desserts. I haven't made anything from it yet, but my Mother told me it was a good book.....

Can you reccomend any specific recipes from "Great Cakes" Risa?Thanks

[davewarne]

Hi,

I was surprised that Bill Barkers book made it to the States. I use it quite a bit as it mirrors my study at college. It's a little out of fashion now and the organising by recipe number can be a drag but I bet every one of those recipes was tested hundreds of times in his job. It's sad to note that he died shortly after retiring and writing the book.

Dave

[shroomgirl]

I've got Geisles, Pro 4 and don't use them AT ALL.
Hermes is super, interesting inside out puff pastry.
Love Regan Daily's "In the Sweet Kitchen"
Joy of cooking gives me basics I can then adulterate.
Cooking with Julia is not used much.
Flo Braker's either.
But I have about 4 or 5 of Maida Heatters...YES!!!
I use Wolfgang Pucks dessert recipes from an early book
L'Enotre pastries is terribly used and abused...the ice cream one looks new.
I use a home ec cake and candy book from the 50's for my homey baking.
Bernard Clayton's is ok, pastry one.
I like Nestle's chocolate chip book.
hmmmm.....
I sold my Rose Levy Berenbaum books.....just did not work for me at all...nothing!bleck.
Got about 100 chocolate pastry cookbooks...and interestingly enough there are five that are perpetually housed in my kitchen.
Maida Heatter's Cookie Book
Joy of Cooking
In the Sweet Kitchen
L'Enotre's Pastry
Wolfgang Puck's New French Cooking
Guess that means their my favs.

[W.DeBord]

Would you want to share which recipes you like in M Heatters cookie book? I have it, but haven't really done anything from it.

[shroomgirl]

Pecan Butterscotch icebox cookies, butterscotch brownies, senoritas (almond cookies), Santa Fe wafers, Texas Cowboy bars
Butterscotch thins, Oatmeal icebox
I make pecan butterscotch icebox cookie dough on a regular basis and have it in the freezer to slice whenever ordered....it's a gem.