The Italian Baker, Revised: The Classic Tastes of the Italian Countryside--Its Breads, Pizza, Focaccia, Cakes, Pastries, and Cookies

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Who can resist bruschetta rubbed with garlic and drizzled with olive oil, almond-studded biscotti dipped in coffee or wine, and, of course, a thin-crusted pizza with fresh, sweet tomatoes and tangy mozzarella? These Italian classics that Americans know and love are just the beginning; there are a wealth of other equally delicious breads and sweets waiting to be discovered.
 
In this groundbreaking classic—now thoroughly updated for today’s modern kitchen—Carol Field introduces artisanal doughs and techniques used by generations of Italian bakers. Every city and hill town has its own unique baking traditions, and Field spent more than two years traversing Italy to capture the regional and local specialties, adapting them through rigorous testing in her own kitchen.
 
Field’s authentic recipes are a revelation for anyone seeking the true Italian experience. Here’s a chance to make golden Altamura bread from Puglia, chewy porous loaves from Como, rosemary bread sprinkled with coarse sea salt, dark ryes from the north, simple breads studded with toasted walnuts, succulent fig bread, and Sicilian loaves topped with sesame seeds.
 
The Italian Baker is the only comprehensive book, in English or Italian, to cover the entire range of Italian baking, from breadsticks and cornetti to focaccia, tarts, cakes, and pastries. There is even a chapter on using leftover bread—with recipes ranging from hearty Tuscan bread soup to a cinnamon and lemon-scented bread pudding.
 
Winner of the International Association of Culinary Professionals Award for best baking book, The Italian Baker was also named to the James Beard Baker’s Dozen list of thirteen indispensable baking books of all time. It has inspired countless professionals and home cooks alike. This latest edition, updated for a new generation of home bakers, has added four-color photography throughout, plus new recipes, ingredients and equipment sections, source guides, and weights. One of the most revered baking books of all time, The Italian Baker is a landmark work that continues to be a must for every serious baker.

Price: $35.00

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Good Home Baking: How to Make Your Own Delicious Cakes, Cookies, Pastries and Breads

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From pastries to cakes, bread to biscuits, this book shows you how easy it is to do your own baking. In a world filled with preservatives and additives, home baking provides you with one of the healthiest, tastiest and cheapest ways of giving you and your family a treat. The mouth watering recipes in this book cover the basics - such as wholesome bread, delicious cakes and tray bakes (some with as little as three ingredients) - as well as a range of special treats for celebrations. As well as a vast recipe section, Diana includes in-depth techniques for perfectly risen cakes, the softest loaves and the crispest shortbread (as well as many more) that will ensure your tins are packed with goodies all year round. When home baking is this easy and tasty, why buy ready made?

Price: $26.00

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The Craft of Baking: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets with Ideas for Inventing Your Own

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Book Description
James Beard Award—winner Karen DeMasco, who first came to national attention as the pastry chef of Tom Colicchio’s Craft, Craftbar, and ’wichcraft restaurants from 2001 to 2008, approaches the art of baking in a unique way. Building on the savory cooking philosophy of using seasonal ingredients to create dishes with pure flavors, Karen makes acclaimed desserts that are both simple and elegant. Now, she shares her secrets and techniques in her first cookbook, The Craft of Baking, designed to help home bakers think imaginatively in order to expand their repertoires with new and fresh combinations.

Using the bounty of the seasons as inspiration and Karen’s clear instructions, both beginners and experienced bakers will find it easy to let their creativity take the reins. Learn how to make Karen’s celebrated sweets, such as Apple Fritters with Caramel Ice Cream and Apple Caramel Sauce, White Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream, and Raised Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts. Then check out the tips on "varying your craft" to transform Grandma Rankin’s Cashew Brittle into Pumpkin Seed Brittle and to alter a cobbler recipe to make Rhubarb Rose Cobbler in the spring or Mixed Berry Cobbler in the summer, for example. Karen’s suggestions for "combining your craft"–such as serving Almond Pound Cake with Apricot Compote and Lillet Sabayon–reveal how easy it is to take desserts to the next level.

Karen’s ingenuity is boundless. All types of sweets, from muffins and scones to pies and cakes to ice creams and custards, are her mediums for exploring flavors. With Karen’s simple techniques, unique flavor combinations, and inventive ideas, The Craft of Baking will change the way you think about baking and equip any home cook with the skills and creativity to create amazing, one-of-a-kind desserts.

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From The Craft of Baking: Back-to-School Raspberry Granola Bars

These nutty fruit cookies are perfect for a lunch sack, last-minute bake sale, or early autumn picnic. They are quick to put together with pantry staples and everyone seems to love them.

Ingredients

• 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
• 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 cup raspberry preserves

(Makes 16 bars)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

Spread the pecans on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Cool the sheet completely on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and pecans. Pour in the melted butter, and using a wooden spoon, mix together until well combined.

Transfer about two thirds of the dough to the prepared baking pan. Press the dough evenly into the pan, forming a firmly packed layer.

Using an offset or rubber spatula, spread the preserves over the dough. Evenly sprinkle the remaining dough over the preserves.

Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the top is golden brown and fragrant, about 40 minutes. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely. Then cut into 2-inch squares.

The bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Price: $35.00

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The Perfect Recipe Baking Book: 50 Foolproof Recipes for America's Classic Cakes, Pies, Cookies, and More

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Fifty well-tested, classic recipes for delicious baked goods include such all-time favorites as coffee cake, peanut butter cookies, zucchini bread, blueberry muffins, and apple pie. 30,000 first printing. Tour.

Price: $12.95

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Cake Baking Tips for Yummy Cakes

Cakes like a bit of care and attention, just follow a few simple rules to improve your cakes...General: Follow the cake recipe strictly as even a small deviation can alter the end result. Leave experimentation until you feel confident with the recipe... and then have some fun playing around with it! It is particularly important to be precise with raising agents. Don't be tempted to add a little extra for good luck. The extra may cause the cake to rise too much and then go flat.Sieving: I have never done this, but heard it makes the cake extra-light if you sieve the flour twice. Not strictly necessary, but worth trying if you have time.Mixing: When you are mixing the cake batter, do not overmix. Mix everything in well, but stop as soon as the mixture looks evenly combined. I like to whisk my batter and find this works well, but always keeping an eye on the batter. I use a spoon to stir my carrot cake and fruit cake mix because they are too thick to whisk.Baking: Make sure the oven is pre-heated to the correct temperature before the cake goes in. Usually cakes needs turning halfway through baking time, but if your oven bakes super-evenly, there is no need. if you turn the cake, do it as quickly as possible so that the oven door isn't open for too long... and don't open the oven door any more than you need to (once to turn the cake) or the cake may go flat as they are sensitive to oven changes.And finally... a simple recipe for lemon cake to try: Lemon Cake350 ml soya milk170 ml vegetable oil200g caster sugar½ tsp vanilla essence2 tablespoons grated lemon zest350g plain flour3½ teaspoons baking powder1. Pre-heat oven to 175C/350F/Gas 4.2. Grease a 7 inch round tin (or for a traybake use a tray about 10" x 8").3. Place the soya milk, oil, sugar, vanilla and lemon zest in a large bowl and whisk thoroughly.4. Measure out the flour and baking powder. Give a good stir to combine.5. Sift the flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix well to combine. Whisk if necessary).6. Pour the mixture into your tin and bake for 50-60 minutes (7" cake) or 35 minutes (traybake) or until a cocktail stick comes out clean.7. Top with icing and sprinkle grated lemon zest on top to decorate and also enhance the lemony flavour.

Cake Books - Recipes and Ideas For Wedding Cakes

Are you a cake decorator looking for inspiration? Do you want to know how to make your own wedding cake? Are you a bride who would like to check out the latest trends and get new ideas that will wow your guests? How about a baker searching for great cake recipes and techniques?My advice to you is to start with the old standby Wilton books which are are a great resource. The basics are covered on how to make a wedding cake and what cake decorating supplies you will need to make them with. Plus there are lots of photos of wedding cakes and all occasion cakes to look at for ideas.An all time favorite cake book for inspiration is a book called Cakewalk by Margaret Braun. Her cake ideas are unconventional and artistic. Her book is so beautiful that you can use it as a coffee table book. A book that should be in every bakers library is The Bakers Manual by the late Joseph Amendola who was a beloved teacher at the Culinary Institute of America since the 1950's. I have an old beat up copy of the manual from the 70's and refer to it often. There is a new updated version on the market now, maybe It's time I get one. The book is written for the student as well as professionals.Three of the best books for recipes and ideas for wedding cakes in my opinion are The Cake Bible by Rose Levy Berenbaum, A Piece of Cake by Susan Purdy and The Simple Art Of Perfect Baking by Flo Braker. Each book has fantastic recipes and ideas for cakes. From how to bake the cakes, construction and boxing them for delivery and mailing as well.Now if you are a complete foodie or know someone that is then Larouusse Gastronomique is the perfect gift to give yourself or someone else. It will answer every question you have ever had about anything cooking or baking related, including historical facts. The world's Greatest Cookery Encyclopedia is chock full of information and so heavy you could use it as a form of weight training every time you go to pick it up.

The best recipes for wedding cakes are cakes that are firm yet moist. If you wanted to use a less firm cake I do have tips for you.
Always work with a very cold or frozen cake when putting a tiered cake together
Use a filling that will firm up when cooled such as a buttercream or a mousse that contains butter.
Avoid creamy and slippery wet fillings or frostings or you may end up with a cake wreck on your hands.
If you would like to learn more about cake books, recipes and get cake decorating ideas then visit my wedding cake website. You will find complete reviews of all of the cake books in my collection and can leave a review of your own there as well and check out what other people are saying about their favorite baking books.