Baking for All Occasions [Hardcover]

Flo Braker (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2008

Baking expert Flo Braker rises to the occasion with more than 200 celebration-worthy recipes for baked goods. Whether it's an impressive Dark Chocolate Custard Tart to wish someone a happy birthday, a blue ribbon-worthy batch of Fresh Mint Brownies for the annual family reunion, or an Old World Braided Coffee Cake to impress the bridge club, each recipe is custom-crafted to commemorate life's special events. Lots of introductory information on techniques and ingredients ensure that each treat will be baked to perfection, making this a fabulous reference for any cookbook library. Baking for All Occasions makes each day something to celebrate.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Every baker will be richly rewarded by this wonderful book." Chuck Williams, founder of Williams-Sonoma

About the Author

Flo Braker is the author of Sweet Miniatures and The Simple Art of Perfect Baking. She lives in Palo Alto, California.

Scott Peterson is a San Francisco-based photographer.

Chuck Williams is the founder of Williams-Sonoma.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 396 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books (September 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811845478
• ISBN-13: 978-0811845472
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #238,123 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

45 of 46 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A cookbook that makes you Swoon, October 22, 2008

By 

A. L. W. "sweetbaker" (Birmingham, AL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Baking for All Occasions (Hardcover)

Years ago I stumbled upon Braker's first book and immediately contacted her about where to get almond paste. This was the first time I had encountered such a heavy usage of almond paste, and it made an almond paste lover out of me. Since then I keep a food service size tin of the stuff on hand as does she. In Baking for All Occasions, Braker, stays true to her love of almonds and almond paste and contributes a good amont of recipes with them included in the book. But if your are not an almond lover, don't be turned off, there are many delicious recipes in this book that don't include it. I had been waiting for this book for over a year and so when I got it I immediately starting baking from it was and was pleased as usual. First off, I love that she included cups, ounces and grams, which is true to her style.

I also loved some of the really different recipes. The Zebra Cookies, which are called "chocolate-Vanilla Swirl are so cute along with the Chocolate-Dipped Cheesecake-sicles. Many of these could be served at an A-list event but they are easy. There is the Red Velvet Cake Roll, that is visually stunning and the Dark Chocolate Baby Cakes with Coffee White chocolate Ganache. There is a really nice variety of recipes and if you are not familiar with her work after baking from this book, you will likely go and try and find her older books. A nice set of 23 photos is included in the book as well as two indexes. One index is by recipe categories. Therefore looking for tarts and crostatas or yeast cakes, you'll find them more easily in this index. She also includes the standard index, just in case you are looking for all the almond paste recipes. These are not your grandmother standby recipes but they are so good you won't care with recipes to choose from like Old World Braided Coffee Cake. My advice to those who do like almond paste, try the Bundernuss Torte. Its a buttery tart pastry with a almond macaroon filling and hazelnut caramel topping. It is labor intensive and requires an overnight rest so be warned.

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In a crowded field, this is a winner!, December 3, 2008

By 

Milda Ruffo (Mount Royal, Quebec Canada) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Baking for All Occasions (Hardcover)

I am a baking book collector and own dozens of books on the subject. This one stands out from the pack in many ways. First of all, the book is very well laid out with good clear large-enough print, excellent directions and photographs of many of the recipes. The recipes themselves are most interesting and include some very original ones that I haven't found in any other books. So far, I have made the Banana Bottom Pineapple-Swirl Cupcakes (Banana cake and pineapple cheese cake baked together). What a heavenly combination! I also tried the Banana-Poppyseed Cake with Lemon Icing drizzled over, another smash hit. If you are looking for a spectacular bar cookie to add to your Christmas goodies, try the Neapolitan Bars (pastry bottom, almond filling with a layer of raspberry jam and topped with a chocolate glaze). Wow! I also made the Heavenly Brownies on Shortbread Bars. Another delicious and original treat. None of the recipes were difficult or even very time-consuming but the results were just wonderful. I also appreciated that there was a choice of measuring cup quantities and weighed measures. I find weighing things like cake flour much more accurate than just sifting and measuring in a cup. I intend to bake my way through most of the book. All of the recipes are worth a try. You won't regret buying this book, I assure you.

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars good recipes but there is some mistake, I am so sorry to say/see that., August 24, 2009

By 

Dan "Dan" (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Baking for All Occasions (Hardcover)

I tried the signature chocolate cake in the last chapter of this book, and I managed through this recipe with some puzzles:
1) this recipe calls for 85g choclolate,melted, however, after I read and read and read through the recipe 6 times, I still can not find on which step i should integrate this chocolate into the mixtuer.so I just added it into the butter cream, and then fold in the flour. I guess this is what Flo wants.
2) baking time, it said the 6 inch cake needs 55min to bake and 9 inch one just 35min, I guess (again)it should be opposite.
I am sorry for these small mistakes, though I corrected them by myself, I still feel very dissapointed because it is Flo's book, she spent many words reminding scrach down the sugur or flour after each load, but how can she forget such important steps!

whatever, the cake turns to be the best chocolate cake I have ever baked! I like it very much!