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A Good Bake: The Art and Science of Making Perfect Pastries, Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and Breadsat Home: A Cookbook
From the James Beard Award nominee who redefined American baking, a comprehensive baking bible for the twenty-first century, with 120 scientifically grounded recipes for sweet and savory baked goods anyone can master.
Melissa Weller is the baking superstar of our time. As the head baker at some of the best restaurants in the country, her takes on chocolate babka and sticky buns brought these classics back to life and kicked off a nationwide movement.
In A Good Bake, Weller shares her meticulously honed, carefully detailed recipes for producing impossibly delicious--and impossibly beautiful--baked goods. A chemical engineer before she became a baker, Weller uses her scientific background to explain the whys and hows of baking, so home cooks can achieve perfect results every time. Here are recipes both sweet (Pumpkin Layer Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream and Brown Sugar Frosting) and savory (Khachapuri with Cheese, Baked Egg, and Nigella Seeds); beloved classics (Croissants and Chocolate Babka) and new sure-to-be favorites (Milk Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies)--as well as Salted Caramel Sticky Buns, of course . . . all written and tested for even the most novice home baker to re-create.
With gorgeous photographs by the award-winning Johnny Miller, and tutorials that demystify all of the stuff that sounds complicated, like working with yeast, sourdough starters, and laminating dough Weller's book is the one guide every home baker needs.
Melissa Weller is the baking superstar of our time. As the head baker at some of the best restaurants in the country, her takes on chocolate babka and sticky buns brought these classics back to life and kicked off a nationwide movement.
In A Good Bake, Weller shares her meticulously honed, carefully detailed recipes for producing impossibly delicious--and impossibly beautiful--baked goods. A chemical engineer before she became a baker, Weller uses her scientific background to explain the whys and hows of baking, so home cooks can achieve perfect results every time. Here are recipes both sweet (Pumpkin Layer Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream and Brown Sugar Frosting) and savory (Khachapuri with Cheese, Baked Egg, and Nigella Seeds); beloved classics (Croissants and Chocolate Babka) and new sure-to-be favorites (Milk Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies)--as well as Salted Caramel Sticky Buns, of course . . . all written and tested for even the most novice home baker to re-create.
With gorgeous photographs by the award-winning Johnny Miller, and tutorials that demystify all of the stuff that sounds complicated, like working with yeast, sourdough starters, and laminating dough Weller's book is the one guide every home baker needs.
496 pages, Hardcover
Published November 17, 2020
87 people are currently reading
561 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
February 6, 2024
To anyone who is really into baking and wants to know step by step how the methods are implemented, this is the best cookbook around. The author is a chemical engineer turned chef and learned some great tips at every restaurant she worked in. I especially appreciated her explanations on why certain things happened and what to do in order to fix it. Having gotten really into sourdough during the pandemic, I loved seeing her sourdough recipe iterations. Her explanations are solid and thorough. If you follow her method to the letter you cannot go wrong. I'm so excited to try out her pie recipes when the summer rolls around and berries aren't so expensive because I now know SO much of what I usually do wrong. I checked it out of the library but I think this might be one I'll actually invest in because it is so good at explaining the mysteries of pastry. If you're just a baker in passing this may not be the book for you, it can really get into the nitty gritty (as much as a cookbook can get). But if you are looking for a textbook like reference for all your baking questions, look no further.
April 13, 2023
My boyfriend picked this book up for me at a used book shop because I am an aspiring professional baker and he thought it looked like a good resource. I immediately went through and settled on the Ricotta Chocolate Chip Pound Cake for the first recipe that I would try. The one and only deviation that I made from the recipe was blending my ricotta with an immersion blender rather than a food processor. Every other instruction I followed to a T, including scooping all the batter into a single 9x4 loaf pan and leveling the top with an offset spatula. Within five minutes of going into the oven, the cake had begun to rise and spill over the sides of the parchment lined pan, landing on the bottom of my oven and burning/stinking up my kitchen. There is absolutely no way that this recipe was tested properly — it looks almost identical to several recipes that I found online, the only difference being that there is 367g of ricotta added. That’s a whole lot of mass to add to a cake and expect it to still bake in the same size pan, but clearly whoever wrote this book didn’t consider or care about that. This monstrosity is still in my oven and I have no idea if it will even be edible but my expectations are quite low. I’m pretty sad as I had bookmarked several other recipes I was initially excited to try (cranberry cream cheese babka, cinnamon swirl sour cream bundt cake, double chocolate croissants, etc.) but now I’m afraid to even attempt them because I can’t afford to be wasting ingredients on poorly tested recipes. Everyone involved in the publishing of this book should be ashamed of themselves: if you are going to put out a book that claims to be a guide to “the art and SCIENCE (emphasis mine) of making perfect pastries, cakes, cookies, pies and breads at home,” you should make sure your recipes don’t suck. Now I know why this was in a used bookstore I suppose. For anyone who wants an actual useful resource re: home baking, reach for anything by Claire Saffitz, Dorie Greenspan or Tara Jensen and leave this one on the shelf.
June 26, 2021
A Good Bake was, hands-down, the most condescending, impractical cookbook I've ever read.
It seems marketed to the home baker, yet many of the recipes are seven to eight page essays involving everything from traditional French techniques to the care and keeping of sourdough.
I'm willing to make homemade Oreo and from-scratch pizza dough, and like finding uncommon recipes, like Snipdoodles. I was open to the idea of making some of the more difficult pastries in this book.
That being said, I found this book's tone to be a bigger problem than its actual content.
A Good Bake talks about how few people know that homemade graham crackers exist, and explains in detail what gelatin is and how you need to rehydrate it. The average home cook, perhaps, wouldn't know these details, but I think the author underestimates the average chef. And I'm pretty certain at least ninety-five percent of individuals picking up a 450-page baking tome know that graham crackers do not, necessarily, have to come from a factory.
The book also has an extreme emphasis on perfectionism, assuming that its readership, if it will take time to make such elaborate desserts from scratch, will want to make them absolutely flawlessly.
Combine the tone with the fact that the recipes involve many pieces of specialty equipment and peculiar ingredients, and you get a recipe for discouragement and hopelessness.
The tone, combined with the impracticality of the recipes, made this cookbook the most disappointing I've read in years. I tried the chocolate chip cookie recipe, in hopes that perhaps the resulting sweets would change my mind, but they were nothing special.
Very glad I borrowed this one from the library.
It seems marketed to the home baker, yet many of the recipes are seven to eight page essays involving everything from traditional French techniques to the care and keeping of sourdough.
I'm willing to make homemade Oreo and from-scratch pizza dough, and like finding uncommon recipes, like Snipdoodles. I was open to the idea of making some of the more difficult pastries in this book.
That being said, I found this book's tone to be a bigger problem than its actual content.
A Good Bake talks about how few people know that homemade graham crackers exist, and explains in detail what gelatin is and how you need to rehydrate it. The average home cook, perhaps, wouldn't know these details, but I think the author underestimates the average chef. And I'm pretty certain at least ninety-five percent of individuals picking up a 450-page baking tome know that graham crackers do not, necessarily, have to come from a factory.
The book also has an extreme emphasis on perfectionism, assuming that its readership, if it will take time to make such elaborate desserts from scratch, will want to make them absolutely flawlessly.
Combine the tone with the fact that the recipes involve many pieces of specialty equipment and peculiar ingredients, and you get a recipe for discouragement and hopelessness.
The tone, combined with the impracticality of the recipes, made this cookbook the most disappointing I've read in years. I tried the chocolate chip cookie recipe, in hopes that perhaps the resulting sweets would change my mind, but they were nothing special.
Very glad I borrowed this one from the library.
March 11, 2021
Disappointing, poorly edited. I did try a few recipes. Not impressed. Not all recipes had pictures. Not clear what recipes went with some of the pictures. She may be a great chef, but she needs a better editing team. One recipe I tried called for 1 1/4 cups of dried apricots and converted to 23 grams...! Really, how did that get through the editor.
October 27, 2024
Another book I would buy
November 11, 2020
A Good Bake: The Art and Science of Making Perfect Pastries, Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and Breads at Home by Melissa Weller; Carolynn Carreno is currently scheduled for release on November 17 2020.
In A Good Bake, Weller shares detailed recipes for producing delicious, and beautiful, baked goods. A chemical engineer before she became a baker, Weller uses her scientific background to explain the whys and hows of baking, so home cooks can achieve perfect results every time. Here are recipes both sweet (Pumpkin Layer Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream and Brown Sugar Frosting) and savory (Khachapuri with Cheese, Baked Egg, and Nigella Seeds); beloved classics (Croissants and Chocolate Babka) and new sure-to-be favorites (Milk Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies)--as well as Salted Caramel Sticky Buns, all written and tested for even the most novice home baker to re-create. With photographs by the award-winning Johnny Miller, and tutorials that demystify all of the stuff that sounds complicated, like working with yeast, sourdough starters, and laminating dough Weller's book is a comprehensive guide.
A Good Bake is a great look at the science and detail that can make or break our bake. I love getting down to the reason my muffins did not rise, or a loaf of bread did not turn out quite like I expected- even when I swear I did everything right. I am also the type of baker that after I do the same recipe a few time I like to switch up ingredients or eyeball amounts, and knowing what the key ingredients do for the final product, this kind of information is extremely helpful in having those experiments turn out successfully. Weller starts by giving the basic advice that we all know, but rarely follow- a careful reading of the recipe and planning of the bake based on its details. She goes on to explain some of the common pitfalls, tools and ingredients, and of course the tools and terms of the trade. While some more experienced bakers might just skip over this bit, I will admit to simply skimming it in most cookbooks, but I found it well worth a more thorough read in this case. I found the recipes to be very detailed, and nicely organized. I liked the bits of extra information included in the recipes about how or why something happens or is important. Although, I will admit that I could have done without the information about where she came up with a recipe or I also like that the measurements are given in both common cups and weights, giving even those unable or unwilling to make the switch equal opportunity to enjoy the recipes. I found the variety of recipes, and the ideas included to be informative. I thought the photographs were a great match, and liked that there were some step by step photographs- which I found very helpful particularly with the shaping of some bread. No matter how good the phrasing is, sometimes a good picture is key to understanding the way a twist, plait, or fold is meant to go. A well written and informative cookbook that covers the hows and whys of a good bake.
A Good Bake is a great cookbook for bakers that like knowing the science involved in getting the perfect bake.
In A Good Bake, Weller shares detailed recipes for producing delicious, and beautiful, baked goods. A chemical engineer before she became a baker, Weller uses her scientific background to explain the whys and hows of baking, so home cooks can achieve perfect results every time. Here are recipes both sweet (Pumpkin Layer Cake with Salted Caramel Buttercream and Brown Sugar Frosting) and savory (Khachapuri with Cheese, Baked Egg, and Nigella Seeds); beloved classics (Croissants and Chocolate Babka) and new sure-to-be favorites (Milk Chocolate and Raspberry Blondies)--as well as Salted Caramel Sticky Buns, all written and tested for even the most novice home baker to re-create. With photographs by the award-winning Johnny Miller, and tutorials that demystify all of the stuff that sounds complicated, like working with yeast, sourdough starters, and laminating dough Weller's book is a comprehensive guide.
A Good Bake is a great look at the science and detail that can make or break our bake. I love getting down to the reason my muffins did not rise, or a loaf of bread did not turn out quite like I expected- even when I swear I did everything right. I am also the type of baker that after I do the same recipe a few time I like to switch up ingredients or eyeball amounts, and knowing what the key ingredients do for the final product, this kind of information is extremely helpful in having those experiments turn out successfully. Weller starts by giving the basic advice that we all know, but rarely follow- a careful reading of the recipe and planning of the bake based on its details. She goes on to explain some of the common pitfalls, tools and ingredients, and of course the tools and terms of the trade. While some more experienced bakers might just skip over this bit, I will admit to simply skimming it in most cookbooks, but I found it well worth a more thorough read in this case. I found the recipes to be very detailed, and nicely organized. I liked the bits of extra information included in the recipes about how or why something happens or is important. Although, I will admit that I could have done without the information about where she came up with a recipe or I also like that the measurements are given in both common cups and weights, giving even those unable or unwilling to make the switch equal opportunity to enjoy the recipes. I found the variety of recipes, and the ideas included to be informative. I thought the photographs were a great match, and liked that there were some step by step photographs- which I found very helpful particularly with the shaping of some bread. No matter how good the phrasing is, sometimes a good picture is key to understanding the way a twist, plait, or fold is meant to go. A well written and informative cookbook that covers the hows and whys of a good bake.
A Good Bake is a great cookbook for bakers that like knowing the science involved in getting the perfect bake.
February 9, 2021
I haven't actually tried any of these recipes yet so I may come back and increase the rating. For now, it is only low because almost every bread requires a sourdough starter which I find annoying. At least I can try some of the cookies and pies and cakes. Photos in this are gorgeous, and the recipes are incredibly detailed.
April 22, 2021
I was disappointed in this book. I would say it is aimed for those who already have master level baking skills. She is thorough in explaining her techniques and the whys and wherefores, but I think most people looking for home baking skills don't want to go through the length of these processes for one loaf of bread, or a layer cake. There are special tools required, special flavorings to be purchased. Recipes with fillings face the same problem. You are already following several pages of recipe for a donut and then you are going to make blood orange jam to pipe into it? Personally? Judging from the photography, I thought all of the crusts were overbaked and could potentially taste burnt or bitter. I saw little that I would want to replicate, although I am going to try her chocolate cookie recipe and her chocolate chip ricotta loaf. I also love seeing an extremely thin baker in the pictures, making you wonder if she even eats this stuff. I think this book has an audience, but it would be a small one.
January 21, 2021
So many recipes! Savory and sweet, breads and cakes, plain doughs and everything you could possibly do with them - this is a very comprehensive cookbook! The instructions are quite long, but they're very detailed - there's no vague wording left up to interpretation, which, when you're trying to bake a perfect bread, is super annoying. No, everything is very thoroughly explained, which is incredibly useful, especially if you're new to baking. Love the variety and the detail.
August 15, 2020
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this review copy!
I am extremely impressed, in an overwhelmed sort of way. The detail, the instructions, goes on for pages. And pages. If you wanted to learn how to make these sorts of items, I'm certain this is the book for you!
However, the difficulty level makes me want to curl up in the corner and eat Twinkies in my despondency, because this is obviously all I am worthy of.
I am extremely impressed, in an overwhelmed sort of way. The detail, the instructions, goes on for pages. And pages. If you wanted to learn how to make these sorts of items, I'm certain this is the book for you!
However, the difficulty level makes me want to curl up in the corner and eat Twinkies in my despondency, because this is obviously all I am worthy of.
December 19, 2020
This book seems like it would be right up my alley. Written by an engineer and professional baker. I love to know all about the scientific reasons about why things do or don’t work in baking and cooking.
However, in terms of recipes, there was not much here I think I would want to make, so this is not a book I will be buying for my keeper shelf. Which makes me sad.
However, in terms of recipes, there was not much here I think I would want to make, so this is not a book I will be buying for my keeper shelf. Which makes me sad.
February 6, 2022
I checked this out from my local library specifically to make the pineapple rum chess pie after flipping through it. The overall layout design of the book is so frustrating that after making two recipes I have no interest in diving deeper into the book.
The pineapple pie has one picture of the whole pie, one picture of the pie with a slice cutout, and one picture of a slice of the pie on three different pages. The written recipe takes up three pages, with extensive directions on how to blind bake the pie crust, even though the crust recipe itself is printed at the beginning of the pie section 30 pages away. The directions for blind baking the pie take up half the written text that's spread out across three pages, and with the pictures in between each page I was constantly flipping back and forth to make sure I had the right ingredient amounts and I was on the right step. The ingredient list itself takes up 1/3 of a page, and I found the way it's spaced makes it difficult to read. The recipe before it for sweet potato pie has a picture of the whole pie, a picture of a slice of the pie, and then a picture of just the parchment paper covered in burnt filling that sat underneath the pie while it was baking on three different pages. There was nothing from picture to picture in these two recipes that showed anything different that would require multiple pictures of the same thing (e.g. showing technique or what different steps in the process should look like), they just feel like filler or like someone couldn't decide on one so they threw them all in. Although some recipes do have pictures showing the steps in the process, many of the recipes in the book are the same as the two pie recipes with multiple unnecessary pictures. The picture used at the back for the author photo has an almost identical picture taking up a full page elsewhere in the book. Meanwhile a significant amount of the recipes don't have pictures at all. Why not omit some of the duplicates and add pictures to other recipes? Wouldn't a picture of a finished product be more useful than a burnt up piece of parchment paper?
The pie itself was just ok. It didn't have as strong of a pineapple flavor as I was expecting and I wouldn't make it again. The other thing I made were the tahini white chocolate cookies. The recipe has no pictures and the two pages it takes up are next to each other so it didn't require flipping back and forth. I bought brown rice flour specifically for them, which I'd never used before. They were good and I may make them again for the sake of using up the brown rice flour, but I don't think they are worth making if the flour isn't something you normally have on hand.
Overall the recipes aren't ones that I wouldn't be able to find similar variations of in other baking books, so dealing with the frustrations I had with the layout are not worth it for me.
The pineapple pie has one picture of the whole pie, one picture of the pie with a slice cutout, and one picture of a slice of the pie on three different pages. The written recipe takes up three pages, with extensive directions on how to blind bake the pie crust, even though the crust recipe itself is printed at the beginning of the pie section 30 pages away. The directions for blind baking the pie take up half the written text that's spread out across three pages, and with the pictures in between each page I was constantly flipping back and forth to make sure I had the right ingredient amounts and I was on the right step. The ingredient list itself takes up 1/3 of a page, and I found the way it's spaced makes it difficult to read. The recipe before it for sweet potato pie has a picture of the whole pie, a picture of a slice of the pie, and then a picture of just the parchment paper covered in burnt filling that sat underneath the pie while it was baking on three different pages. There was nothing from picture to picture in these two recipes that showed anything different that would require multiple pictures of the same thing (e.g. showing technique or what different steps in the process should look like), they just feel like filler or like someone couldn't decide on one so they threw them all in. Although some recipes do have pictures showing the steps in the process, many of the recipes in the book are the same as the two pie recipes with multiple unnecessary pictures. The picture used at the back for the author photo has an almost identical picture taking up a full page elsewhere in the book. Meanwhile a significant amount of the recipes don't have pictures at all. Why not omit some of the duplicates and add pictures to other recipes? Wouldn't a picture of a finished product be more useful than a burnt up piece of parchment paper?
The pie itself was just ok. It didn't have as strong of a pineapple flavor as I was expecting and I wouldn't make it again. The other thing I made were the tahini white chocolate cookies. The recipe has no pictures and the two pages it takes up are next to each other so it didn't require flipping back and forth. I bought brown rice flour specifically for them, which I'd never used before. They were good and I may make them again for the sake of using up the brown rice flour, but I don't think they are worth making if the flour isn't something you normally have on hand.
Overall the recipes aren't ones that I wouldn't be able to find similar variations of in other baking books, so dealing with the frustrations I had with the layout are not worth it for me.
January 9, 2023
Melissa Weller is a James Beard Award nominated baker who initially trained at the French Culinary Institute. She went on to perfect her craft at such places as Babbo, the Sullivan Street Bakery, Per Se, and Bouchon Bakery in New York City.
Throughout the book, Weller shares the evolution of many of her recipes and provides us with meticulous details on how to execute every step. We are also privy to why she uses certain ingredients and methods in the recipes and what makes them work.
Many of the recipes are multi-step with recipes within recipes and can take several hours to prepare, although the actual hands-on time is much less. You will enjoy this book if you have extra time on your hands and really want to delve into a baking project. Once I got into the swing of things, I enjoyed baking the recipes immensely. While they can be long with many steps involved, the steps themselves are not overly challenging.
The photography is by Johnny Miller and there are some truly beautiful photos captured within the book. There is not a photo of every recipe, so be prepared if you’re more of a visual learner.
A great addition to any serious baker’s bookshelf, this book from the ‘sticky-bun queen’ is a true keeper.
Some of the recipes I tried:
Six-Strand Challah Loaf
Cardamom Cinnamon Buns with Buttermilk Glaze
Classic Croissants (these were AMAZING!)
Salted Caramel Stick Buns
Johnny Cash's Mother's Pineapple Rum Chess Pie
Throughout the book, Weller shares the evolution of many of her recipes and provides us with meticulous details on how to execute every step. We are also privy to why she uses certain ingredients and methods in the recipes and what makes them work.
Many of the recipes are multi-step with recipes within recipes and can take several hours to prepare, although the actual hands-on time is much less. You will enjoy this book if you have extra time on your hands and really want to delve into a baking project. Once I got into the swing of things, I enjoyed baking the recipes immensely. While they can be long with many steps involved, the steps themselves are not overly challenging.
The photography is by Johnny Miller and there are some truly beautiful photos captured within the book. There is not a photo of every recipe, so be prepared if you’re more of a visual learner.
A great addition to any serious baker’s bookshelf, this book from the ‘sticky-bun queen’ is a true keeper.
Some of the recipes I tried:
Six-Strand Challah Loaf
Cardamom Cinnamon Buns with Buttermilk Glaze
Classic Croissants (these were AMAZING!)
Salted Caramel Stick Buns
Johnny Cash's Mother's Pineapple Rum Chess Pie
March 17, 2021
This book was received as an ARC from Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.
I loved this cookbook and reading about Chef Melissa's background. I am very familiar with Nancy Silverton's Brand La Brea Bakery and giving how Melissa's passion grew and grew the more she studied, made me want to dive into these recipes and explore myself. All of the photos taken really brought life to the pastries and they look so delicious like they were just popping off of the page. This definitely will be a future cooking demo book because if everyone can make at least one of these recipes, they can make anything. I can't wait to try the Chocolate Babka and the Khachapuri with Cheese and I know everyone will go crazy for them and will want more and more.
We will consider adding this title to our TX Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
I loved this cookbook and reading about Chef Melissa's background. I am very familiar with Nancy Silverton's Brand La Brea Bakery and giving how Melissa's passion grew and grew the more she studied, made me want to dive into these recipes and explore myself. All of the photos taken really brought life to the pastries and they look so delicious like they were just popping off of the page. This definitely will be a future cooking demo book because if everyone can make at least one of these recipes, they can make anything. I can't wait to try the Chocolate Babka and the Khachapuri with Cheese and I know everyone will go crazy for them and will want more and more.
We will consider adding this title to our TX Non-Fiction collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.
November 9, 2022
A Good Bake: The Art and Science of Making Perfect Pastries, Cakes, Cookies, Pies, and Breads at Home: A Cookbook weighs almost four pounds. You will gain far more pounds eating what you bake from it.
Melissa Weller does a good job of guiding a home baker through her recipes, some of which are quite complicated. I can't say that I haven't seen many of these recipes in other books, but Melissa Weller has put a different spin on them. I also appreciate the complementary non-baking recipes: hot chocolate, jams, salted honey butter. Yum.
Of course, I always appreciated measurement in weight instead of/as well as volume. There are loads of pictures of finished product as well as those that visually instruct.
4 Stars for A Good Bake.
Melissa Weller does a good job of guiding a home baker through her recipes, some of which are quite complicated. I can't say that I haven't seen many of these recipes in other books, but Melissa Weller has put a different spin on them. I also appreciate the complementary non-baking recipes: hot chocolate, jams, salted honey butter. Yum.
Of course, I always appreciated measurement in weight instead of/as well as volume. There are loads of pictures of finished product as well as those that visually instruct.
4 Stars for A Good Bake.
February 27, 2022
This book is definitely better suited as a reference than for browsing. I like that each recipe includes two methods for measuring, and the photos detailing each step of more advanced techniques are great. "A Good Bake" would be a good fit for visual learners.
The written instructions for the recipes are not easy to follow. They are written in large paragraphs instead of discrete steps and are not easy to refer to when baking.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.
The written instructions for the recipes are not easy to follow. They are written in large paragraphs instead of discrete steps and are not easy to refer to when baking.
Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.
April 17, 2022
I’ve checked this book out a few times from the local library. I enjoy baking and learning how things work. The author was a chemical engineer before she became a baker. She explains why things work in her recipes, but it’s not technical so anyone can follow along. The recipes have both volume and weight in grams which is a big plus, since I weigh all my ingredients. There is quite a selection offered in “A Good Bake”. I’ll be adding this to my personal baking collection. I would recommend anyone who is interested in baking to give this title a look.
February 5, 2021
I would have enjoyed this cookbook more in a different season of my life, but the current one contains an infant and a 4 year old. I am likely not going to make any of the recipes at this time (maybe the brownies. maybe), although I would love to revisit this book in a few years and try out many of the recipes in the breads (sourdough brioche? yes please!!) and pastries. I did like reading the introductory bits!
August 8, 2021
Gorgeous photos—especially the one of the iced chocolate babka on pp. 102-3 (also on the cover but not as impressive there). OMG! Also enjoyed her introductions to the recipes that include some science. This is quite an amazing & voluminous tomb but sadly, I don’t have the stamina to make any of these meticulous and time consuming recipes; I am drooling and craving pastries, though!
August 20, 2021
When you pick up an almost 500 page baking book you get excited. Until you open it and realize that some echoes don’t have any pictures, some have 4. Some recipes are 7 pages long. I swear some of these recipes I’ve made before and were on. One. Single. Page.
That was a letdown. Sad but it’s a library book so it’s one I definitely don’t need to buy cause I won’t make a thing out of it.
That was a letdown. Sad but it’s a library book so it’s one I definitely don’t need to buy cause I won’t make a thing out of it.
January 9, 2021
Love the explanations of the science behind the baking in this book. I also appreciate that there is a “master class” at the beginning of each section that gives an overview of the common elements for that type of baked goods. Can’t wait to try some of the recipes, especially laminated pastry.
January 12, 2021
An excellent bread book but well beyond what I want to do. I was also disappointed to see some recipes included two full page color images while many others had none. Poor design there. fwiw the book is extraordinarily heavy.
March 11, 2021
the book would be perfect, once they fix all the typos
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A very good combination: Baking science all of us can understand and a splendid collection of recipes....A baker’s must!
Dorie Greenspan
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A very good combination: Baking science all of us can understand and a splendid collection of recipes....A baker’s must!
Dorie Greenspan
September 29, 2023
This is a hard category of cookbook to excel in as there are so many great books. But this is one of them. The time and detail taken to explain the how is much appreciated. The master classes are awesome and worthwhile. The recipes are fantastic.
February 24, 2021
I'm not sure you could ask for a more comprehensive book on baking all things delicious - both sweet and savory.
March 30, 2021
Has some good bakes in it but it is not a graat cook book. Too many errors/omissions
April 21, 2021
Gosh this book is everything an accomplished baker should get hid/her hands on !
May 25, 2021
Too much sourdough focus, and the recipe format bothers me a little.
June 4, 2021
A candidate for an a baking guide.
October 6, 2021
the science behind baking
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews