Bake from Scratch (Vol 4): Artisan Recipes for the Home Baker

I bought it for just one recipe and is delighted with the other great ones contained within.

I love baking but honestly, most baking books disappoint me. They’re all either the same recipes you’ve seen 1,000 times, too “dumbed down” in an effort to appeal to the home cook (if not a single recipe calls for pastry or cake flour I find it highly suspect), or way too labor intensive/call for too many obscure ingredients to be practical. The whole Bake from Scratch series is pretty great and is in that goldilocks “just right” spot that many intermediate to advanced, but not professional, home bakers are looking for. This volume is my favorite because almost every single recipe jumps out as something I’d really enjoy making and eating…some standouts are Banana Rum Coffee Cake, Champagne Poached Pear Muffins, Pear Cardamom Buns, Pumpkin Spice Whoopie Pies, and Bourbon Pecan Blondies. Every recipe includes a large, full color photo (which is a MUST for me) and just about every recipe only takes up one page so you don’t have to flip pages with sticky or greasy fingers. Although not quite as kitchen friendly as spiral bound, it’s a nice large, hardcover and will stay open on a chosen page while laying flat on a table or counter, unlike most paperback or smaller size hardcovers.

This cookbook may be the only baking cookbook you'll ever need. There is such variety and the recipes are laid out so clearly. I will treasure it, always!

I am a subscriber to Bake from Scratch magazine, but I like getting their yearly cookbook as well. Nicely bound, good photos, and easy to follow directions.

Really nice recipes for the most part. The fontina rolls and palmiers are pretty special. I don’t recommend the macaron recipes though. After making thousands of macarons, I can safely say there are better recipes. Something this technical could have its own book.