Baking with the Cake Boss

Starred review from October 24, 2011
Valastro, owner of Carlo's Bake Shop in Hoboken and star of TLC's Cake Boss, gives would-be bakers a running start with this superb collection of recipes, tips, and decorating secrets. Valastro (Cake Boss: Stories and Recipes from Mia Famiglia) rolls up his sleeves and walks readers through the steps for making Rugelach, cream puffs, cannoli, and cakes before he breaks out the fondant, enabling readers to learn the fundamentals before attempting cakes that look like gift-wrapped presents or a Thanksgiving turkey. Inspired and engaging, Valastro provides instructions on piping frosting, trimming cakes, and making homemade pie crustâaugmented with step-by-step photos. His attention to detail proves even more useful by the time fans try making his more elaborate creations, such as the two-tiered "Animal Safari Cake," which features wild animals, piped trees, leaves, and a waterfall, and spans 13 pages. Approachable enough for the novice, but challenging enough for the experienced home baker, Valastro's collection is a terrific and accessible resource that budding bakers can grow with.

October 15, 2011

Leading up to his success on TLC's Cake Boss, Valastro was an apprentice in his family's Hoboken, NJ, bakery, limited to assembling pastries and baking only the simplest butter cookies. Tracing his own development, Valastro here provides a method for novice bakers to build the technical foundation needed to produce cookies, pastries, pies, tarts, and cakes. This accessible primer, which includes plenty of step-by-step photos and professional tips, will please fans who have dreamed of working alongside Valastro at Carlo's Bake Shop. The cake-decorating guidelines are suitable for beginners and clearly explain what tools are required. Aspiring bakers might also consider titles by Nick Malgieri, Flo Braker, and Rose Levy Beranbaum. [Twenty-city tour; see Prepub Alert, 5/23/11.]

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