Customer Reviews

The Best of BetterBaking.com: 175 Classic Recipes from the Beloved Baker's Website

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Did you ever see the movie "Notting Hill"? Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant starred in it. Over a birthday dinner, they shared a plate of brownies. To get the last brownie, they each had to tell a story about why their life was the most miserable, and "earn" the brownie. Some characters shared pitiable stories about infertility, paralysis of the legs, and even losing their jobs. Julia Roberts' character played a movie star, and she earned the last brownie by saying that her life was filled with endless diets, plastic surgery, and an abusive boyfriend who didn't find her attractive. The brownies were large, dense, and dark with chocolate. At last, I have discovered the recipe in The Best of betterbaking.com.

Betterbaking.com got started when Marcy Goldman was asked to appear on a local radio show hosted by Yvan Huneault. Bearing baked gifts, she was welcomed to the show and became a regular guest. Huneault encouraged Goldman to start a web site for baking, and betterbaking.com was born. Since it's inception, bakers from all over the world have visited this Internet "bakery" and discovered recipes, tips, and tricks from the world's most gifted bakers. Julia Childs, the New York Times, and even Eric Clapton's road manager have been guests of betterbaking.com. The authors have compiled a cookbook of the best of their Internet bakery.

The baking book is divided into eight chapters: The Bread Board, or Yeasty Tales, Small Loaves and Rolls, Rustic Pizzas and Flatbreads, The Corner Café, The Cookie and Biscotti Jar, Scone and Muffin Mania, The Pastry Shoppe, and The Cake Walk. Each recipe has an ingredient list, portion size, paragraph of where the recipe came from, and instructions on how to prepare the recipe. Only 16 of the recipes are illustrated, and there is no nutritional information provided. The authors note in the introduction that "unless you have special dietary requirements, a reasoned approach to eating will serve you better than an obsession with fat."

While the emphasis in the book appears to be on breads, I just had to try the cover recipe - "Notting Hill Brownies." The recipe calls for ingredients that I keep readily on hand: butter, sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, eggs, cocoa powder, flour, baking soda, salt, nuts, and confectioner's sugar (for dusting). The recipe makes a generous 9x13" pan of brownies. The brownies were, as promised, "chewy, but not mucky or sludgy." The chopped pecans helped to break up the chocolate, keeping the brownies from being overpowering. I served the brownies to family and friends, who all applauded heartily. A winning recipe!

On page 254, I attempted the "Ben's Bistro Chocolate Fudge Cake." While the ingredients were not exotic - water, melted chocolate, flour, baking soda, salt, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cream - I really struggled with this recipe. The first time I baked it, the cake fell in the oven. On my second attempt, the cake was too dry (I had increased the baking time to prevent another episode of falling). I was able to compensate for the dryness of the cake by using a wet, cream-based filling and generous amounts of frosting, but this is not a recipe I would use again.

Experienced bakers will appreciate the variety of recipes, as well as the French influence. From Not-So-Ordinary French Bread to Country Plum Tarts to Black Top Cookie Cheesecake, these tried-and-true recipes will give you many months of pleasurable baking experiences.

Marcy Goldman's baking expertise "shines" through, in this, her second book.

Marcy passes on her wealth of knowledge in a warm, friendly way, ensuring that even the novices amongst us - want to 'give it a try'. Believe me you won't be disappointed.
Having baked many of the recipes already - I can vouch for that!
Not to mention rave reviews (on what I have already made), from friends, neighbours AND my family - I will be trying out many more.

Not only does Marcy guide us through, with helpful hints along the way, her book is written in an easy to understand language, along with helpful techniques, so as the inexperienced baker, to the experienced, will have no bother understanding and baking, in the knowledge that the 'end' product, be it a tantalizing loaf of her freshly made French Country Bread, hot out of the oven, or a Killer Chocolate Layer Cake, you will be guided, every step of the way and feel as though you'd been baking all your life.

The Best of Better Baking.com takes you through from delightful breads, you MUST try her Vidalia Onion Bread, it is superb! Her mouth watering Sesame Buttermilk Pan Rolls (another must try recipe), onto Pizzas and Flatbreads where you will find Rustic Whole-Wheat and Honey Pizza along with her golden Pizza Croissants - to her incredible Montreal Bagels and so much more.
A wonderful array of Brownies, with pointers and techniques to help you achieve in turning out the perfect brownie.
One of my favourites are her Notting Hill Brownies - you really have to try these!
Cherry-Chocolate Decadence Cookies, Tiramisu Biscotti, not forgetting another favourite, her Triple-Almond Biscotti.
Maple, Walnut, Oatmeal and Brown Sugar Scones to Sunrise Cranberry, Apple and Orange Buttermilk Muffins, which are exceptional - are just a sprinkling of recipes that make up a part of this great collection.
The Pastry Shoppe section includes her delicious "Oh-So-Sticky" Cinnamon buns, Apple-Raspberry Crostata through to a gorgeous Dulche de Leche Pecan Pie.
Then on to the The Cake Walk where you will find a collection of fabulous tasting Cheesecakes, along with her Killer Chocolate Cake. Believe me, this is Divine!!
I could go on and on - I am thrilled with my copy.

Here is Marcy Goldman - again at her best, with her warmth and ease of writing and her wonderful array of recipes, that work beautifully.
She makes you feel as though she is there, alongside you, guiding and offering helpful advice with her many kitchen tips and suggestions throughout.
Made me, want to get out the flour and the bowls straight away. Which I did!

Marcy's Big 'n Buttery Bake Sale Buns, and Black Top Cookie Cheesecake to name just two of the 'want to eat', 'can almost taste' - photographic 'edibles' will have your mouth watering.

Not only is The Best of Better Baking.com filled with enticing 'want to make' recipes - that work - AND are enjoyable to make - it is beautifully presented with an in-depth helpful Source Guide followed by information on Equipment and Supplies.

Thank you Marcy
For a wonderful book. And for sharing with us - your fabulous recipes.

This is one of the best baking books I ever invested in. I am an avid cookbook reader/collector. Ms. Goldman's writing is warm and inviting, however, you must be careful with her baking times - they are way, way off. It is not our stove (it is properly calibrated) so I know it wasn't me. As long as you keep an eye on a timer and periodically check, you'll be fine. Also, the time it takes to do ANY of the bread/dough kneading is way, way off too. It takes much less time than she notes - in ALL those recipes too. If you can handle that than I strongly suggest you buy this wonderful cookbook, I did and we love it.

I am a big fan of Marcy's a Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking (my copy has more splatter marks than any other cookbook in my kitchen... including the Joy of Cooking!) and was thrilled when this second book came out. I have tried many many recipes and they have all turned out incredibly well. The recipe for Logan's Cheesebread is outstanding - I took it with me to Thanksgiving Dinner and people couldn't believe that I had baked it myself, from scratch. Other show-stoppers: Classic shortbread, Better for the Mistake Scones and Killer Chocolate Layer Cake. I never knew I could bake French bread until I tried Marcy's recipe... amazing.

Marcy's recipes are clear, easy to understand and yield excellent results. The ingredients are straightforward and use things that most people have on-hand in the pantry. The book makes you want to get in the kitchen and bake! Her vignettes are also a great addition - when you read the book you feel as if you are part of the betterbaking.com community. I am a fairly experienced home-baker but I think that beginners will get a LOT out of the book. I consult it every time I need to make a dessert. THanks Marcy!

Out of all the cookbooks I own I have to say this one is one of the best. I have made most of the recipes to rave reviews.
The pizza sauce is a huge hit at our church sale as well.
Easy to follow steps and for the most part common ingredients that you are familiar with.

This book has a wide range of recipes for all kinds of baked goods. The author is very knowledgeable on her chosen topic, and finds informative and sometimes amusing ways to insert this material. I have tried many of these recipes, and have not had a failure.

The book is very user-friendly in its format, and the pictures are very enticing. You will want to try everything, and when you do, you will be very satisfied!