From Publishers Weekly
"There are dozens of things that make the difference between a successful foray into the kitchen to bake and one that leaves you inclined to run to the store for your next dessert," breezes Brody (The Kitchen Survival Guide; Bread Machine Baking: Perfect Every Time, etc.). Her newest work easily covers all the essentials for baking bars, cookies, cakes, biscuits and pies: from buying equipment and preparing a pan to measuring ingredients, choosing among types of chocolate and storing the results. Each chapter begins with a "What Should I Do If..." troubleshooting list that addresses such concerns as how to thicken a runny fruit filling and how to make puffier cookies. Best of all, Brody provides completely foolproof recipes for such classics as Shortbread, Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting, and Pumpkin Pie and more unusual desserts like Flourless Chocolate Cake and White Chocolate and Cherry Bread Pudding. Her standards are impeccable (even Brody "shudders" to think of how much testing went into Emmy's Blue Ribbon Blueberry Muffins): cupcakes come out bakery perfect and Chocolate CheesecakeAwith its crust of Nabisco chocolate wafersAis sinfully easy to execute. This title is perfect for brides, mothers of young children and all other readers who want a no-nonsenseAbut funAall-in-one baking guide. (Nov.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Nothing says hearth and home for the holidays like the smell of something baking in the oven. Lora Brody's Basic Baking is a perfect introduction to the art and science of baking that serves to brighten the entire year, not simply the year-end festivals. Suitable for anyone looking for a comprehensive book of cookies, cakes, pies, muffins, and the like, Brody's detailed volume leaves virtually no question unanswered. Even experienced home bakers will profit from her detailed explanations of the science and technique of whipping cream, grinding spices, filling muffin tins, and making ingredient substitutions. This is a fundamental addition to any cooking collection. Its wealth of information makes it useful for reference.
Mark KnoblauchCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
See all Editorial Reviews