Baking Illustrated
by Cook's Illustrated Magazine Editors
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Book Reviews of Baking Illustrated
Book Review: excellent recipes but way too much high-falutin' information
Summary: 3 Stars
Whereas most recipe books would call for "3 garlic cloves, minced," this book calls for "3 medium cloves, pressed through a garlic press or minced (about one tablespoon." Wheras most recipes call for salt, this one asks for kosher salt or table salt. "Flour" becomes "bread flour"; "grated Parmesan cheese" becomes "finely grated Parmesan cheese"; "olive oil" becomes "extra-virgin olive oil." There is simply too much high-falutin' information that is not needed. Even worse, the instructions repeat things several times, over and over again, which might be fine if you have the education of a sixth grader but which becomes grating for the rest of us who, indeed, can follow directions. Furthermore, the directions are written in this semi-friendly, semi-formal, afraid-to-offend-anyone-by-being-too-brief style that comes off sounding like a chiding school marm. The book is well-laid out and sensible with clear ingredients lists and the like. Some of the steps have far too many sub-steps to be considered just one step. And in many instances, the recipe tells you to turn back to other pages for the directions for forming dough or something similar, causing you to have one, two or three bookmarks throughout the book for one recipe. The recipes themselves rate four and a half stars; the delivery a dismal two stars, hence the three star rating given.Book Review: Great Book, Great Recipes, But Does Contain Typos
Summary: 5 Stars
I recently purchased this book and I am a big fan of Cook's Illustrated. Their recipes are reliable and usually some of the best. They tend to focus on the basics or classics, so do not look for five star recipes inside. This book has some amazing research, notes and helpful hints. If you want the best scratch white or yellow cake, look no further. Who knew the pastry method of mixing flour and butter first, then liquids would produce a tender crumb?
The bad, as mentioned below, is that there are some glaring typos in this book. I am sure there are some upset bakers who have probably at the worst ruined their creations as a result. I will not repeat the two listed from the previous reviewer, but the one I found was in the "Yellow Layer Cake." I already had this recipe, so I knew something was wrong when I glanced through it. It should read 2 1/4 cups of cake flour sifted, not 1 3/4. It even states 2 1/4 in their explanation of what makes a good yellow cake. I really wish they had a place on their website to look up misprints and typos in their publications. Their editor should be fired because this is not a cheap book.
I am still giving this book 5 stars, it is a classic, just make note of the errors.
Book Review: An awesome baking cookbook!
Summary: 5 Stars
It has become the only book I reach for. The description of their research and testing gives a very clear picture of how the recipe will turn out. After a few recipes I can tell from the description if I need to make any adjustments for personal tastes. But, you don't need to read the description, you can skip that and go straight to the recipe.
Some have said that they're too particular on the ingredients, that's the point! A change in the ingredients changes the outcome. So, follow their suggestions or make changes for personal preferences (expecting a different outcome than their description).
Personally, everything I've made from them has been a hit. Outstanding Pecan Pie and Pecan Sandies - have to make them every holiday now. (Try the Triple Chocolate Chunk Pecan Pie variation - Delicious!) Perfect biscuits - I don't have to wade through 20 biscuit recipes to find a great biscuit! The lace cookies are great - something I mixed up at the last minute this holiday, but they came out like I'd been making them for years!
Overall, well worth the cost (I'd pay double for this content) and excellent results-
Book Review: Basic Baking 101, 201, and just a swatch of baking grad school
Summary: 4 Stars
Well, here's what goes down. There are baking books, and there are books on how to bake. This is the latter to a great degree -- the recipes almost take a back seat to the extensive discussions on technique that make a Cooks Illustrated book what it is. And it lives up to the "illustrated" moniker too -- technique illustrations are everywhere.
This book does come up short in a few areas. The bread sections have no coverage of sourdough, for example, a peculiar oversight that would seem to require a second edition. Information on ingredients isn't hard to find in the index, but it is scattered throughout the book, something that gives its closest competition, The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion, a bit of an edge in that regard. And the everpresent issue of Cooks Illustrated overlap does obtain here. But this remains a top-notch baking book and required reading for anyone who wants a recipe that works. If in doubt, buy both this and the King Arthur book together -- you won't regret either one.
Book Review: "A" for the Techniques Presented
Summary: 4 Stars
When I have questions about the technical details of cooking and baking, Cooks Illustrated is one of my resources. I was very excited to get this book, but I have to admit that I wanted more.
I wanted this cookbook to be the only baking reference I needed. While it's comprehensive, it's not complete. However, I must say that the techniques and info the book presents live up to what we expect from Cooks Illustrated.
I enjoyed the recipes given, but I wanted more (I admit I'm greedy.) I think there are only two recipes for rolls.
The common baking problems section is excellent.
I'm a Southern girl at heart, so I do take some offense to the way traditional Southern recipes are altered to change the very flavor and texture that make them Southern. I do realize that this is all subjective, so I make my own adjustments and write them in the book.
This is an excellent book for novice and perhaps intermediate bakers. I am looking for a second and hopefully final book to complete my library and I've found it in The Cake Bible.