What do you think?
Rate this book
Beach House Baking: An Endless Summer of Delicious Desserts
In Beach House Baking: An Endless Summer of Delicious Desserts, pastry chef Lei Shishak shares her most popular recipes for morning treats, cupcakes, crisps, cookies, pies, ice cream sandwiches, frozen pops, and beverages from her celebrated Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in the charming beach town of San Clemente, California.
At her shop, Chef Lei serves up familiar treats that offer so much more than a sweet dining experience. Inspired by her beach town location and her love of the sand-and-surf lifestyle, she creates high-quality, made-from-scratch desserts that transport you to the islands and resorts you’ve always hoped to visit. Get ready to hit the beach through one hundred recipes, including:
Daybreak Muffins
Light as a Kite Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Coco Hut Macaroons
Red, Red Wine Cupcakes
Sweet and Salty Beach Bod Brittle
Nantucket Ice Cream Sandwiches
Tropical Tea
And more!
Lei’s recipes in Beach House Baking are designed to take you on an island vacation, turning the task of baking into a virtual journey to a beachside paradise, filled with the sounds and aromas of the places you can go to just get away from it all!
At her shop, Chef Lei serves up familiar treats that offer so much more than a sweet dining experience. Inspired by her beach town location and her love of the sand-and-surf lifestyle, she creates high-quality, made-from-scratch desserts that transport you to the islands and resorts you’ve always hoped to visit. Get ready to hit the beach through one hundred recipes, including:
Daybreak Muffins
Light as a Kite Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Coco Hut Macaroons
Red, Red Wine Cupcakes
Sweet and Salty Beach Bod Brittle
Nantucket Ice Cream Sandwiches
Tropical Tea
And more!
Lei’s recipes in Beach House Baking are designed to take you on an island vacation, turning the task of baking into a virtual journey to a beachside paradise, filled with the sounds and aromas of the places you can go to just get away from it all!
240 pages, Hardcover
First published June 16, 2014
100 people are currently reading
803 people want to read
About the author
Lei Shishak
5 books33 followersLei Shishak is an established pastry chef who trained at the CIA in New York and worked at restaurants in Sun Valley and Los Angeles. Her formative years were spent working as Michael Mina’s pastry chef at the Stonehill Tavern at the St. Regis Monarch Beach in Dana Point, California. She is the founder of Sugar Blossom Bake Shop in San Clemente, CA. Along the way, she has been featured in People, Riviera Magazine, Sunset Magazine, Coast, the Los Angeles Daily News, Fine Living, and many more media outlets. She resides in Dana Point, California.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 10, 2017
I have a huugggeee sweet tooth so any cookbook with a pie or cake or chocolate on the cover will catch my eye.
I enjoyed Beach House Baking especially some of the author's original creations with catchy titles like Red, Red Wine Cupcakes and Sweet and Salty Beach Bod Brittle.
Nearly all of the recipes are easy to make, even for a sloppy and impatient baker like myself.
My only caveat is that the pictures could have been better. There are pictures on every page but most of them are intense close ups and the shots could have been better framed.
I enjoyed Beach House Baking especially some of the author's original creations with catchy titles like Red, Red Wine Cupcakes and Sweet and Salty Beach Bod Brittle.
Nearly all of the recipes are easy to make, even for a sloppy and impatient baker like myself.
My only caveat is that the pictures could have been better. There are pictures on every page but most of them are intense close ups and the shots could have been better framed.
June 17, 2018
Stawberry daiquiri cupcakes!
July 13, 2014
Just checked this out from the library, read it cover to cover and added it to my amazon list. I loved this book not only for the recipes, but also for the beach information and pairing. I can't wait to try the recipes. The photos and presentation of this book are well done. From the coffee table to the kitchen, this book will be a welcome addition to our house.
June 21, 2018
Great recipes.
Can't wait to try the recipes. They sound delicious! I also need to drive down to San Clemente (15 minute drive) and try these in person.
Can't wait to try the recipes. They sound delicious! I also need to drive down to San Clemente (15 minute drive) and try these in person.
June 22, 2020
It's ok
One recipe calls for 207 marshmallows...hmmmm ok. While there are a lot of recipes I won't make, there are some that sound really yummy.
One recipe calls for 207 marshmallows...hmmmm ok. While there are a lot of recipes I won't make, there are some that sound really yummy.
June 30, 2020
a wide range of baking desserts
July 13, 2020
There are wonderful color pictures and clear directions. Most recipes are good for a beginner with some complicated recipes for when you are looking for a challenge.
Some great looking recipes like:
- S'mores Cupcakes
- German Chocolate Getaway
- Surfin' PBJ
- Pint O'Guinness Cupcakes
- Tsunamis
- Dulce del Mar
- Watermelon and Champagne Raspberry pops
- Apple Jack Crisp
- Berry Burst Pie
- Blueberry Lavender Pie
- Chocolate Pillow Pie
Some great looking recipes like:
- S'mores Cupcakes
- German Chocolate Getaway
- Surfin' PBJ
- Pint O'Guinness Cupcakes
- Tsunamis
- Dulce del Mar
- Watermelon and Champagne Raspberry pops
- Apple Jack Crisp
- Berry Burst Pie
- Blueberry Lavender Pie
- Chocolate Pillow Pie
June 16, 2014
I received this book as a Goodreads Giveaway, and I am so very happy I did.
This is my new favorite cookbook. The recipes are clear with easily available and affordable ingredients. The pictures are beautiful, and unlike many cookbooks, achievable. But that's just the basics that would make a good cookbook.
This cookbook is fantastic. The author has wonderful introductions both to the cookbook and to each recipe. The introductions are informative and interesting and make all of the recipes that much more tantalizing. Not that they need help. With such amazing treats as Lovers' coffee cake, citrus and berry sangria, red velvet riviera cupcakes and ooey gooey pecan tartlets, I couldn't wait to start baking. Then my mother got her hands on it and also feel in love with the recipes. I think we're going to have to share from here on out (at least until I get her her own copy).
Some of the recipes we tried:
Daybreak Muffins: The day I got the cookbook, I happened to have some bananas ready to use. I was making them for myself and a diabetic, so I did cut down on the sugar in the muffins and used half the crumb topping. These muffins smelled amazing in the oven and tasted even better. Filling and delicious, a great muffin to start the day.
S'mores Cupcakes: I didn't get to try these. My mother made them for a bake sale and they sold quickly to amazing reviews. She actually gave one away to a woman riding the elevator with her who seemed to be having a bad day, and that woman, from another department, thought they were so good that she tracked down my mother to get more.
Surfin' P.B.J.: These cupcakes are so much fun! I used a store bought strawberry jam, but next time I hope to use something homemade. I brought them to a games event and everyone loved them. Not too sweet, and a perfect amount of peanut butter.
Red, Red Wine Cupcakes: These were supposed to have a blackberry mascarpone mousse, but I needed plain cupcakes for a decorating class. The cupcakes without the mousse were amazing, so I can only imagine how good they would be with the complimentary flavor of blackberries. I will make these again with the proper icing.
Coco Hut Macaroons: This is a very different way to make a macaroon, they are broiled rather than baked, and will now be my new go-to recipe.
This is all I've had time to make so far, but I plan to make Jamaican Rum Cupcakes with Spiced Whipped Cream Frosting this weekend, and can't wait to try so many other recipes now that the summer is starting, like The Ultimate Road Trip Cookie, Champagne Raspberry Frozen Pops, Hand-Crafted Ice Cream Sandwiches, and well, everything else in the book. I can't wait to try some of the gluten-free recipes because I've yet to have any luck with gluten-free cookies and everything in this cookbook is so easy that I'm confident they will be delicious.
I know this is a long review, but I cannot say enough good things about this cookbook. It is so fun, easy to follow, beautiful, delicious, and a must for any baker, no matter how experienced they are. There are recipes here I have never seen before and I look forward to trying everything.
This is my new favorite cookbook. The recipes are clear with easily available and affordable ingredients. The pictures are beautiful, and unlike many cookbooks, achievable. But that's just the basics that would make a good cookbook.
This cookbook is fantastic. The author has wonderful introductions both to the cookbook and to each recipe. The introductions are informative and interesting and make all of the recipes that much more tantalizing. Not that they need help. With such amazing treats as Lovers' coffee cake, citrus and berry sangria, red velvet riviera cupcakes and ooey gooey pecan tartlets, I couldn't wait to start baking. Then my mother got her hands on it and also feel in love with the recipes. I think we're going to have to share from here on out (at least until I get her her own copy).
Some of the recipes we tried:
Daybreak Muffins: The day I got the cookbook, I happened to have some bananas ready to use. I was making them for myself and a diabetic, so I did cut down on the sugar in the muffins and used half the crumb topping. These muffins smelled amazing in the oven and tasted even better. Filling and delicious, a great muffin to start the day.
S'mores Cupcakes: I didn't get to try these. My mother made them for a bake sale and they sold quickly to amazing reviews. She actually gave one away to a woman riding the elevator with her who seemed to be having a bad day, and that woman, from another department, thought they were so good that she tracked down my mother to get more.
Surfin' P.B.J.: These cupcakes are so much fun! I used a store bought strawberry jam, but next time I hope to use something homemade. I brought them to a games event and everyone loved them. Not too sweet, and a perfect amount of peanut butter.
Red, Red Wine Cupcakes: These were supposed to have a blackberry mascarpone mousse, but I needed plain cupcakes for a decorating class. The cupcakes without the mousse were amazing, so I can only imagine how good they would be with the complimentary flavor of blackberries. I will make these again with the proper icing.
Coco Hut Macaroons: This is a very different way to make a macaroon, they are broiled rather than baked, and will now be my new go-to recipe.
This is all I've had time to make so far, but I plan to make Jamaican Rum Cupcakes with Spiced Whipped Cream Frosting this weekend, and can't wait to try so many other recipes now that the summer is starting, like The Ultimate Road Trip Cookie, Champagne Raspberry Frozen Pops, Hand-Crafted Ice Cream Sandwiches, and well, everything else in the book. I can't wait to try some of the gluten-free recipes because I've yet to have any luck with gluten-free cookies and everything in this cookbook is so easy that I'm confident they will be delicious.
I know this is a long review, but I cannot say enough good things about this cookbook. It is so fun, easy to follow, beautiful, delicious, and a must for any baker, no matter how experienced they are. There are recipes here I have never seen before and I look forward to trying everything.
August 30, 2014
This was a freebie through Goodreads.
I love to cook, eat, collect and read cookbooks, watch cooking shows, all of it. This is my first cookbook from Lei Shishak. It is a lovely book with beautiful color photos of the dishes as well as beach scenes. Beyond baked goods there are some beverages, freezer pops, and ice cream sandwiches included (granted, the sandwiches have you baking the cookie part). In addition to desserts there are some breakfast items and several of them look better to me than some of the desserts.
Recipes that stand out to me as especially appealing are the Apple and Ginger and Pear Pie, which includes fresh ginger and orange with a crumble topping, Coconut Chai Tea Latte, Jamaican Rum Cupcakes (with mixed spices, coconut and molasses) and the Apricot Pistachio Rolls, made with a crescent shaped cream cheese dough. I find it intriguing that the Maple Pecan Sticky Buns include ricotta cheese in the dough and look forward to trying that out. The one recipe that seems truly original to me, and I can't get a feel for whether I will like or not, is the Candied Pumpkin Pie. The photo looks unlike any pumpkin pie I have ever seen - creamy, pale orange with small darker orange flecks.
For a novice baker the beautiful photography and styling of some of the dishes might seem a wee bit intimidating, but as a fairly experienced cook I can see that the majority of the recipes are actually reasonably basic and should not challenge most cooks too badly. There are a few, like the Maple Pecan Sticky Buns and Candied Pumpkin Pie, that might be a bit more work, but still not difficult for a seasoned baker. If you are looking for really challenging baking this is not your book. If you are looking for some good basic recipes I think it is an excellent option. Another plus is that most of the recipes make reasonable quantities: scones, muffins and cupcakes generally 6-12; cookies 1-2 dozen.
I have not yet had a chance to make any of these recipes but I feel confident the recipes are fairly easy and tasty. I'll try to update after I get a chance to actually make a few items.
I love to cook, eat, collect and read cookbooks, watch cooking shows, all of it. This is my first cookbook from Lei Shishak. It is a lovely book with beautiful color photos of the dishes as well as beach scenes. Beyond baked goods there are some beverages, freezer pops, and ice cream sandwiches included (granted, the sandwiches have you baking the cookie part). In addition to desserts there are some breakfast items and several of them look better to me than some of the desserts.
Recipes that stand out to me as especially appealing are the Apple and Ginger and Pear Pie, which includes fresh ginger and orange with a crumble topping, Coconut Chai Tea Latte, Jamaican Rum Cupcakes (with mixed spices, coconut and molasses) and the Apricot Pistachio Rolls, made with a crescent shaped cream cheese dough. I find it intriguing that the Maple Pecan Sticky Buns include ricotta cheese in the dough and look forward to trying that out. The one recipe that seems truly original to me, and I can't get a feel for whether I will like or not, is the Candied Pumpkin Pie. The photo looks unlike any pumpkin pie I have ever seen - creamy, pale orange with small darker orange flecks.
For a novice baker the beautiful photography and styling of some of the dishes might seem a wee bit intimidating, but as a fairly experienced cook I can see that the majority of the recipes are actually reasonably basic and should not challenge most cooks too badly. There are a few, like the Maple Pecan Sticky Buns and Candied Pumpkin Pie, that might be a bit more work, but still not difficult for a seasoned baker. If you are looking for really challenging baking this is not your book. If you are looking for some good basic recipes I think it is an excellent option. Another plus is that most of the recipes make reasonable quantities: scones, muffins and cupcakes generally 6-12; cookies 1-2 dozen.
I have not yet had a chance to make any of these recipes but I feel confident the recipes are fairly easy and tasty. I'll try to update after I get a chance to actually make a few items.
May 21, 2014
I won Beach House Baking: An Endless Summer of Delicious Desserts through goodreads and has happy to find a really good basic dessert recipe book one of the best I have seen in a long time. Lei Shishak has taken a lot of the old time favourite recipes that have been passed down through the generations and combined it into one book. I like that it has lots of recipes that my grandmother and her friends used to make but never gave up there take on them. It is nice to see a book that has regular ingredients that can be found in any store and that they economical and easy to make.
I liked that the book used cocoa powder instead of baking chocolate and I also liked that some of the recipes used oil instead of lard or butter. Finally a recipe book that makes baked donuts instead of fried. It was nice that some of the recipes were heart-healthy, gluten-free or vegan so if you are making them for a gift you can take that into account. The pictures of the food and scenery were inviting.
I bake most weekends and I can't wait to make some of the cupcakes and cookies with the girls. They do look intriguing I did want to make some of those icings right away especially the Coconut Pecan frosting and the Tropical Carrot Cupcakes with Ginger frosting.
As with all cook books even a favourite there will be a few recipes that someone does not like, for me it was the pumpkin pie recipe thought it needed more spice but it was nice that Lie Shishak put in how to make Crispy Toasted Pumpkin Seeds with the pie recipe.
This is a very good book it has tasty, delicious, economical recipes that anyone could make. I recommend this book for your self and as a shower gift for future couples or as a gift for the student going away to school who likes their sweets and wants to bake.
I liked that the book used cocoa powder instead of baking chocolate and I also liked that some of the recipes used oil instead of lard or butter. Finally a recipe book that makes baked donuts instead of fried. It was nice that some of the recipes were heart-healthy, gluten-free or vegan so if you are making them for a gift you can take that into account. The pictures of the food and scenery were inviting.
I bake most weekends and I can't wait to make some of the cupcakes and cookies with the girls. They do look intriguing I did want to make some of those icings right away especially the Coconut Pecan frosting and the Tropical Carrot Cupcakes with Ginger frosting.
As with all cook books even a favourite there will be a few recipes that someone does not like, for me it was the pumpkin pie recipe thought it needed more spice but it was nice that Lie Shishak put in how to make Crispy Toasted Pumpkin Seeds with the pie recipe.
This is a very good book it has tasty, delicious, economical recipes that anyone could make. I recommend this book for your self and as a shower gift for future couples or as a gift for the student going away to school who likes their sweets and wants to bake.
June 17, 2014
I won this cook book as a giveaway at goodreads no spoiler alert..I am not going to give away these recipes unless you are a guest at our place.
I would like to thank author and Chef Lei Shishak and her publisher Skyhorse for this beautiful book And the opportunity to use these recipes to entertain.
Wow! Don't walk, RUN to get this new summer beach house cook book. It is a good size and shape to have right at where you prepare & bake. I love that don't you? This beautifully photographed cook book shows you everything possible to enjoy the food served by you this summer. From any number of breakfast starter to go with that first cup-pa in the morning on the porch (lover's coffee cake), to tea and scones ( aged cheddar, bacon, and scallion) midday to get out of the heat , and drinks, coolers (citrus and berry sangria) throughout the day. (Where's my blender?) You can literally go from page one in each section, and entertain those guest that always seem to 'show-up' at the beach house. Clear and concise recipes, easy to follow directions. I loved the section of pie crust! This all you need this summer to entertain! And we all do EASY, don't we?
I have (watermelon) pops in right now and I am going to shop to make one of those ice cream sandwiches. (deluce del mar) And while I am at it something for morning! (Lemon ricotta pie) I can't wait...
Thanks again to author and Chef Lei Shishak and publisher Skyhorse for this great new cook book for beach hoses! Sincerely, Katherine Hawk
I would like to thank author and Chef Lei Shishak and her publisher Skyhorse for this beautiful book And the opportunity to use these recipes to entertain.
Wow! Don't walk, RUN to get this new summer beach house cook book. It is a good size and shape to have right at where you prepare & bake. I love that don't you? This beautifully photographed cook book shows you everything possible to enjoy the food served by you this summer. From any number of breakfast starter to go with that first cup-pa in the morning on the porch (lover's coffee cake), to tea and scones ( aged cheddar, bacon, and scallion) midday to get out of the heat , and drinks, coolers (citrus and berry sangria) throughout the day. (Where's my blender?) You can literally go from page one in each section, and entertain those guest that always seem to 'show-up' at the beach house. Clear and concise recipes, easy to follow directions. I loved the section of pie crust! This all you need this summer to entertain! And we all do EASY, don't we?
I have (watermelon) pops in right now and I am going to shop to make one of those ice cream sandwiches. (deluce del mar) And while I am at it something for morning! (Lemon ricotta pie) I can't wait...
Thanks again to author and Chef Lei Shishak and publisher Skyhorse for this great new cook book for beach hoses! Sincerely, Katherine Hawk
August 4, 2016
I received this book as part of the First Reads Giveaways.
The good:
The book is gorgeous - beautifully illustrated, with VERY tempting recipes and clear instructions. I am not a hugely experienced baker, but even I can see myself turning out many of these recipes without too much difficulty. The recipes don't look boring at all - in fact, I like how she takes a pretty standard recipe and adds a twist that makes me think, "wow, I really want to try that!" Bourbon in brownies, apple and ginger crisp, blueberry and lavender pie, even biscotti made with Andes mint candy. Yum.
Not all of the book involves baking. There are drinks and frozen pops too. And I love her recommendations for baking equipment.
The not so good:
Lei Shishak owns a bakery in San Clemente, California, on the beach. She presents this book as a collection of recipes for "summer baking." When you live in a year-round temperate climate as Lei does, that's not an oxymoron. However, I can't begin to imagine turning on the oven in my tiny NYC apartment kitchen for any reason during the summer - it's hot enough already!
So, this summer I will be trying out some of the frozen pop recipes. I'll save the baking for the fall when things cool down a bit.
The good:
The book is gorgeous - beautifully illustrated, with VERY tempting recipes and clear instructions. I am not a hugely experienced baker, but even I can see myself turning out many of these recipes without too much difficulty. The recipes don't look boring at all - in fact, I like how she takes a pretty standard recipe and adds a twist that makes me think, "wow, I really want to try that!" Bourbon in brownies, apple and ginger crisp, blueberry and lavender pie, even biscotti made with Andes mint candy. Yum.
Not all of the book involves baking. There are drinks and frozen pops too. And I love her recommendations for baking equipment.
The not so good:
Lei Shishak owns a bakery in San Clemente, California, on the beach. She presents this book as a collection of recipes for "summer baking." When you live in a year-round temperate climate as Lei does, that's not an oxymoron. However, I can't begin to imagine turning on the oven in my tiny NYC apartment kitchen for any reason during the summer - it's hot enough already!
So, this summer I will be trying out some of the frozen pop recipes. I'll save the baking for the fall when things cool down a bit.
June 9, 2014
I love to bake. I fell in love with baking long before I fell in love with cooking, so this book was definitely calling my name!! Now, I love sweets like most people, but I have to admit that I'm definitely more of a savory-type person. I really appreciated the savory side of this book as well as the sweet. The Aged Cheddar, Bacon and Scallion Biscuits were the first to call out my name (Oh, my! You have to try these!), and the blueberry scones are on my menu for tomorrow morning. I know the Surfin' P.B.J. cupcakes are going to be a huge hit with my family, and my girls loved the snicker doodles!!
On a personal preference side, while I love having a photo for every recipe, the style of the cookbook (type font, large lettering, etc.) reminds me more of a kids cookbook. Not to my taste, but the recipes help make up for that. Also, this is a baking book, so the frozen pops and the beverages--especially the alcoholic ones!--seemed completely out of place.
Over all, this is a great little baking book that about anyone could find something to enjoy!
I received a copy of this book from Skyhorse Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
On a personal preference side, while I love having a photo for every recipe, the style of the cookbook (type font, large lettering, etc.) reminds me more of a kids cookbook. Not to my taste, but the recipes help make up for that. Also, this is a baking book, so the frozen pops and the beverages--especially the alcoholic ones!--seemed completely out of place.
Over all, this is a great little baking book that about anyone could find something to enjoy!
I received a copy of this book from Skyhorse Publishing for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 22, 2014
Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book as part of goodreads first reads, I was not compensated for my review.
This is a beautifully written cookbook - exactly what I like in these with a picture for very recipe, ingredients nicely placed on the edge of the page and concise, easy to follow directions. A fun little bonus is that each recipe starts with a fun little story kind of a "behind the recipe" idea.
I haven't had a chance to make any of the recipes yet but I'm sure my niece, nephew, and I will enjoy making several of these this summer and many summers to come!
This is a beautifully written cookbook - exactly what I like in these with a picture for very recipe, ingredients nicely placed on the edge of the page and concise, easy to follow directions. A fun little bonus is that each recipe starts with a fun little story kind of a "behind the recipe" idea.
I haven't had a chance to make any of the recipes yet but I'm sure my niece, nephew, and I will enjoy making several of these this summer and many summers to come!
June 24, 2014
I have enjoyed this cookbook. I plan to make many of the desserts like the peanut butter cookies, lemon recipes, and many more. The only thing I did not like is that the cupcake pan recipes did not state if we need to use a specific size pan for the recipe. The recipe may say there are 8 servings but not mention if the servings are the small, medium or larger cupcake pans. This was my only dislike. I think it is a great cookbook overall. I will use it often. Thank you.
June 18, 2014
I won this book through goodreads giveaway and I'm glad that I did. It has many scrumptious recipes and I can't wait to try them out this summer. My girls were also looking through it with me and they can't wait to bake (and eat) some cookies, cupcakes and all the many things they saw.
Beautil pictures and easy to follow recipes. If you like to bake it would make a nice addition.
Beautil pictures and easy to follow recipes. If you like to bake it would make a nice addition.
October 17, 2016
This is one cookbook that i will buy. 99% of all the items in this book i will make, i will eat. Everything in this book is manageable and very doable. I want to see more by this person.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews