Customer Reviews

Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe

5 star:		(63)
4 star:		(10)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

The book begins with a baking overview of sorts. It gives an explanation of techniques that will be used throughout the book. Then, it goes over baking equipment. Next, the book has a short discussion of ingredients. The section on ingredients offers quite a bit of information on things like the right temperature for the ingredients and reasons why unsalted butter is better than salter butter in the recipes. After that, the book has Joanne's Top 12 Baking Tips with explanations for each tip. The author also has quite a few explanations on the science behind the tip or technique throughout the book.

The book covers breakfast treats, cookies, cakes, pies & tarts, other sweets, and breads. Each chapter has popular treats (i.e. red velvet cake, sticky buns, and chocolate chunk cookies, which are wonderful) and also has more unique recipes, too (i.e. hazelnut-almond dacquoise, lemon marshmallow meringue pie, and rosemary shortbread). There are also recipes to make homemade versions of popular, American treats, such as oreos, pop tarts, and fig newtons.

One downside to this book is that there are few pictures. For example, only about four of the twenty-five recipes in the cookie section have a picture, which is a shame because the pictures in the book are beautiful. One note - the carrot cake recipe calls for baking the cupcakes for 50 minutes, but mine were done after 25 minutes. I'm not sure whether that was a typo or whether I just have a hot oven.

*Update 11/7/10* The chocolate chunk cookies were some of the best chocolate chip cookies that I've ever made. I also really liked the Chunky Lola cookies. The surprise hit so far, though, was the cornmeal lime cookies. They were surprisingly addictive and the perfect end to a Latin-flavored meal.
*Update 12/13/10* I took this cookbook home for the holidays. We made a huge batch of the sticky sticky buns, and they were incredibly rich and so yummy. They taste like a cross between a honey bun and a traditional sticky bun. A couple notes - One, you may want to put a cookie sheet under the rolls as they cook. We had quite a mess to clean up when the goo from one of the rolls bubbled over. Second, baking the rolls in a glass pan seemed to help them cook more evenly than baking them in a metal pan.
*Update 1/27/11* After reading reviews of other cookbooks on here, I felt that I should note that this book has the ingredients listed by weight and by volume (i.e. grams and cups). I know that a lack of weight measurements can be a make or break issue for some people with a cookbook, so I wanted to make it clear that this book does have measurements listed both ways.

This is a fantastic book. I am a huge fan of the bakery and the book really captures what I love so much about Flour- everything is approachable, familiar, and simple, yet still manages to be so special and awe-inspiringly delicious. The book is very well-written and provides the perfect amount of background on each recipe. I also really liked Joanne's baking philosophy and her chapter of baking tips and essential equipment. She inspired me to be a little more careful about measurement and precision in baking!
Last weekend I successfully made the most delicious croissants I've ever had in my life. I couldn't believe I made them at home- it was all thanks to this book! Highly, highly recommended for beginners and passionate bakers alike!

My five-star review of flour may be "putting the cart before the horse" since I've only made one recipe thus far, but I'm going to go ahead and go out on a limb and call it a five-star baking book! I'm going to do it because I have quite a large collection of baking cookbooks from which to compare, and can tell from reading the recipes that they all seem to have appropriately balanced ingredients and flavors. In addition, the book is beautiful (lovely photographs to dream over) and a joy to read through. As for the recipe that I did try, the Chunky Lola Cookies", they were some of the best cookies I've ever made! These chocolate chip cookies are a magnificent combination of oats, pecans, shredded coconut, and chocolate. They somehow manage to be chewy, crisp, and soft in all the right way. One would think that the ingredients in this cookie would compete with one another, but they don't; in fact, they all work together like a championship team bringing home a divine flavor trophy with each bite. My husband even made ice cream sandwiches out of them, which took them to a whole other awesome level. I plan on making these for friends and family as an affordable gift to give during the holidays. I look forward to trying the many other great looking recipes in Joanne Chang's book.

Update 11/1: I made the homemade fig newtons. They were pretty good, but a lot of work and very time consuming. I actually split this recipe up and made it in 2 days. On day one, I made the fig filling. The cook time on it takes about an hour, and you need to let it cool completely, so give or take another couple of hours. On the following day I made the dough, which is pretty simple. However, the completed dough is pretty difficult to work with to get into that rectangle shape and fold it over the filling. It then takes about 40 minutes to bake, and another hour to cool completely before you should cut into it.

There are mostly glowing reviews here, but seeing even one 3-star review prompted me to write my own review. I've been baking like mad from this book lately, and I'd describe it as a must-buy for home bakers of all levels. (Don't even get me started on how amazing the Flour bakeries in Boston are -- I'm a fan, but it's not required to love this book.) Joanne Chang has an amazing talent for taking something you already know and love, and making it even better. If you enjoy pumpkin pie, you will be stunned by the version in this book. Did you grow up loving chocolate pudding? Nothing can prepare you for Chang's better-than-perfect rendition -- deep, dark, lucious. Her cookies are instant classics -- friends and family will think you've become a better baker overnight. So even though some of the recipes might SOUND basic, they are anything but that. They are, as some of the recipe titles claim, the best versions you'll ever try. You can tell how much time and effort went into testing these recipes. I expect a total beginner would get great results. I've got a bit more baking experience under my belt, but I'm still impressed with every recipe I try in the book. Now when I need a flawless recipe, I'll always know where to turn. I wish I had more books as well-tested as this one, with so many recipes I'll be cooking (and enjoying) again and again. If you're hesitating for even a moment about buying this book, don't -- it's amazing.

Finally, a cookbook from our pastry chef/baker Joanne Chang, owner of Boston's Flour Bakery and Myers + Chang! I'm delighted about the release of this cookbook, so I can bake Flour goodies out of my own oven.

I've been making her wonderful Mock-Oreo cookies, Mock Pop-tarts, and Mock Fig-Newtons for several years, since Chang is generous about sharing her recipes with newspapers and magazines. Looking over the cookbook, I've also made the cornmeal lime cookies before. Her recipes are easy to follow, and in the case of the mock oreos and pop-tarts, the results are so much better than the "original" processed versions. She has throughly tested all the recipes with a team of recipe testers. Also, I am impressed that the recipes include weight measures of ingredients as well as volume measurements. Accuracy is so important in baking, and there's nothing like weight measurements and a scale for achieving consistent results.

I can't wait to try her Bobby-Flay-beating Sticky Buns!

This book is just fabulous. I have been baking for over 50 years and know my way around a cake pan or two. This book just makes you want to get up and grab the flour, eggs and butter and see what you can whip up. Inspiringly delightful.

I was expecting a cookbook with several recipes and beautiful glossy photographs. To my surprise it also has a very thoughtfully written and fairly lengthy section with extremely helpful baking tips and advice on equipment, even for a seasoned baker like myself. I just made the molasses ginger cookies, they are ridiculously good. Can't wait to try the brioche with chocolate and pastry cream (how amazing does that sound?) I couldn't wait for this book, I am a huge fan of the incredibly delicious goodies at the bakery, unfortunately we live far from Boston. Thank you to Joanne for all of the enjoyment my family and I will get from baking from your book.

First thing, for those who have classified this book as "meh" and "for beginners," I think you're being a bit harsh/unrealistic. The author has included a nice mix of basic and more complex recipes - very reflective of her lovely bakeries and excellent pastries. Considering the number of items in this book that have shown up in Fine Cooking (and are much loved and well reviewed)and the caliber of Joanne's training and product, I think you need to be a bit more realistic! However, if you are looking for flashier pastries, I would recommend The Art and Soul of Baking - the recipes and ingredient/baking tips are meant for the more advanced baker. This cookbook is ideally suited for those of us who are trying to improve our baking skills (and who no longer live near Flour and miss the food..)

A few things:
- The first printing had some errors - corrections are on Flour's facebook/website pages. These errors were corrected with subsequent printings.
- The first several sections that discuss ingredients and tips are well worth a read before you dive in to the recipes. Also, get a scale!! Both lead to more consistent results and have made a big difference in my cooking abilities.
- Visit Flour's facebook page or website - you can submit pictures of your attempts and ask questions. The staff do a great job of giving feedback and offering recipe corrections. Very in keeping with the low key vibe of the book.
- Favorite so far: the cupcakes. Really fun to make from scratch (icing included!!) and not too time consuming. The doughnuts are amazing and the oreos were a big hit with the ladies at work.

Love the cookbook, miss the bakery! Thanks to Joanne for sharing your recipies.

After living in Boston for almost five years, I was so sad to leave Flour. I used to walk to the South End location from our home in Back Bay. So when I saw that Joanne Chang was coming out with a new book, I decided to pre-order it from Amazon. I'm truly glad that I did!

Her recipes are very clearly written, and the directions are precise and exact. I love that she gives measurements in both volume and weight (which is very, very helpful when making baked goods). She also does an excellent job of specifying which portions of each recipe you can make ahead, how you should store it, and how long it will last.

The best part is that the recipes in the book yield baked goods that are exactly like the ones Joanne sells at Flour. I am a huge, obsessive fan of their homemade Oreo cookies, and the recipe in the book is an exact replica of the oreo she makes at Flour. I'm extremely impressed with everything I've made from the book. Everything has turned out exactly as promised.

Here are the recipes I've made so far:
Homemade Oreo cookies
French Lemon-Poppy Pound Cake
Basic Brioche
Sticky Sticky Buns
Almond Macaroons with Bittersweet Chocolate Ganache
Cream Puffs
Olive Oil Focaccia

This book is a must have in your cookbook collection.

We bought Flour as a gift for my daughter's birthday. She has made at least a dozen desserts so far and they have all been delicious. We've had the brioche au chocolat, lemon-raspberry cake, oatmeal-maple scones, sticky sticky buns, milk choc hazelnut cookies and more... I love the muffin recipe since we can make the mix the night before and then add the fruit and pop it in the oven in the morning. Some of the recipes are definitely more advanced and time-consuming but the directions are nicely formatted and clear. The only drawback? Our family budget for butter has gone up and we have had to increase our exercise program to offset the added calories in our diet. My daughter is going to college in Boston so we're very excited about stopping by the shop when we drop her off. I have many, many cookbooks and this has become our favorite for desserts. Absolutely recommend this book!