Customer Reviews

On Baking: A Textbook of Baking and Pastry Fundamentals

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had heard about this book from friends and colleagues and was determined to get it. After reviewing the recipes, ingredients, techniques and methods, I have determined this to be a PREMIERE and excellent reference book for improving my baking and pastry skills. It is truly a great asset to any beginner/intermediate/advanced home pastry chef-in-the-making.

If you don't get this book you are really missing out on a great opportunity to really learn the art of baking and pastry.

*** Did I mention that the book includes a CD-ROM of MasterChef and all of the recipes in the book?

We use this as a textbook at the Culinary institute of Las Vegas in several classes and I absolutely love it. Has extremely helpful terminology and teaches you the basics of the bakeshop in a way that doesn't put you to sleep.

It's not just recipes, but teaches you the hows and whys behind the processes. A fantastic reference for everything you ever wanted to bake, but didn't know how!!!

This cookbook is a feast for the eyes and offers extraordinary recipes for both the novice and professional baker. The recipes bring a new creativity and delicacy to the palate, herefore unavailable. I have prepared many of the recipes and ALL have been winners: check out the creme brulee and then continue to read through the multiple options that spring from this one delicious dessert.
This is a classic MUST HAVE cookbook that you will turn to repeatedly and will be delighted with the results.
Maya Buck

I bought this book for my Intro to Baking class. For the average home baker, you must know that these recipes are scaled - you weigh out the measurments on a scale, not with measuring cups. The outcome will be very unpleasant if you use the "Betty Crocker Method".

I must admit that I don't use this much anymore since I'm out of the class - it seems that I have a few other baking books that I prefer. There are great recipes, though. One of my favorite is for Challah bread. I'm not Jewish, but I make it often because we love it.

We use this book in my baking program, and it's awesome. Not only does it have charts for troubleshooting (Wondering why your cookies spread so much, or why your cake is domed? This book will tell you!) but it also has hundreds of recipes, explains what certain ingredients do, talks of the history of pretty much any category of baked good you can think of, and best of all: it includes a ribbon-like bookmark that is attached via the spine, PLUS it's scented to smell like apples and cinnamon!

This book has more chapters on the pastry side of things than baking breads and yeast products. My favorite chapters covered cakes, tortes, sauces, plating, frozen desserts, and chocolate work. It has more pictures of finished desserts and plating ideas than other baking textbooks I have bought.

MAKE SURE YOUR COPY COMES WITH THE EXTRA ONLINE CODE TO ACCESS A LOT MORE FEATURES! Not all "New" books come with these for some reason...

This is a great textbook. The recipes are not industrial size so you could make them at home. It is a culinary school book so you can read about equipment, techniques, etc, You could make some pretty fancy desserts from this book and impress your friends and family. Not for the novice or beginner cook though.

Anyone who enjoys baking should have this book on their shelf. Although some of the recipes are difficult to make in a household kitchen, a little bit of scaling back and imagination for a proof box, etc. will help you turn out great tasting baked goods. I can't get enough of the sourdough, french bread and rolls. Their bread recipes are excellent.

This is a big pastry arts cookbook with literally hundreds of recipes covering everything you could possibly imagine to bake! There are so many really cool things about this book and it has become my "go-to" book for everything baking. The recipes are easy to understand and follow and there is a bit of the science of baking explained that is tucked away in there, too... It may be a textbook, but you don't have to be a student or pastry chef to benefit from its contents. Even beginners can use this book easily! And because it's a textbook for pastry arts students, the procedures, tips and tricks are spelled out right there, allowing for amazingly decadent desserts to be made that look hard to master, but that have recipes that are actually very easy to follow.

There's a big section of "bakeshop ingredients" that I have referred to quite a few times that includes descriptions and pictures of fruits, spices, and more. It's been a really handy source of information to have that I haven't found in any other cookbook.

Each recipe has nutritional information included (which is incredibly useful!) and often recipes have flavor variation suggestions.

If I had to describe this baking book in one word, I think I would say "complete". It's really all you need in the kitchen!

So, I am a domestic baker who took a couple short courses from a professional institution on baking because I simply love to bake. "On Baking" is the text used at that Institution and I love it. It is easy enough for the domestic baker yet it provides the technical information on the science of baking that anyone who wants great results needs to know. It is a staple in my kitchen. Additionally I purchased a used text but it was in immaculate condition - thank you Amazon.