Illustrated Step-by-Step Baking

December 1, 2011
This massive guide to baked goods features color photographs to maneuver both novices and experienced home bakers through successful execution of an exhaustive range of oven products. Sweet and savory breads, rolls, cakes, pastries, cheesecakes, tarts, and pies all appear with straightforward instructions. Each recipe begins with symbolic representations of the number of servings, preparation time, baking time, and freezer-storage data. Although the book exhibits a slight bias toward British baked goods (treacle tart, sticky pudding, Cornish pasties), these recipes display a grand range of ethnic items from tortillas, churros, and pizza to filo pies and beef Wellington. Bretherton offers variations on many standard themes, elaborating apple tarte tatin with pear and peach versions. She carefully sorts through all the recipes to break out useful inventories of picnic items, party specialties, chocolate pastries, and quickly prepared baked goods. There is even a list of recipes that motivated children can successfully tackle.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)