Customer Reviews

The Martha Stewart Cooking Collection - Martha's Baking Favorites

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Just to give fair warning, I am a "Martha-head", but I think I can be pretty objective. So with that in mind, once again, we have been given another treasure of a DVD. It is full of the best of her baking favorites, and per expected Martha-standard, it is perfect.

The segments have been taken from her former TV format where you are in her home as she brings you cookies, cakes, pies, and tarts and shows you how you can create any of these delightful treats, with detailed instruction and clarity. The segments are color-perfect, the sound quality on the button, and all the recipes are easy to download on your computer. But if you don't own a computer, not a problem, because she gives the ingredients and their measure as she goes along.

Something that I think people will enjoy is the "Special Features" section at the end of the DVD. You get all sorts of idea's and tips that range from creating a "Baking Pantry 101" to cake decorating tips to how to make perfect pie crusts, etc.

And one of the best additions was the "Blooper" section. Martha has taken quite a beating in regards to her alleged impatience in her pursuit of perfection but this will show you the funny and giggly side of her, with several segments that have gone a bit awry. She has a good sense of humor and she rolls with it.

As for the content itself, it goes as such:

TECHNIQUES:
Baking Pans 101
Basic Pie Crust: Pate Brisee
Standard Tart Dough: Pate Sucree
Crust Decorating Techniques
Freezing Pie Dough Tip
Blind Baking Techniques
Cake Stenciling

CAKES:
Ultimate Chocolate Layer Cake (this is such a good cake!)
Lemon Meringue Cake
Coffee Crunch Cake
Chocolate Angel Food Cake
Red Velvet Cake (what a knockout!)
Boston Cream Pie
Hummingbird Cake

PIES, TARTS, and COBBLERS:
Blueberry Crumble Pie
Black Bottom Pie
Peach Cobbler
Square Pear Peg Tart
Plum Puff Pastry Tart
Mini Apple Tarte Tatin
Banana Cream Pie

COOKIES:
Kitchen Sink Cookie
Rhubard Shortbread
Lime Meltaway
Chocolate-filled Lace Cookies
Lemon Sandwich
Pecan Squares
Chocolate Chip Meringues

SPECIAL FEATURES:
Classic Pie Gift
Bloopers
Printable Recipes and Instructions
Baking Pantry 101
Pastry Tip Glossary
Cake Decorating Tips and Techniques
Meringue and Whipped Cream
Leftover Dough Treats
A Crisper Crust and more........

If you know of someone who really enjoys baking, this would really be a great gift idea. And for yourself, what better way of getting so many ideas and recipes courtesy of someone we enjoy? It has all you need to make the desserts that you know everyone will enjoy. Do I dare say it?..........."its a good thing".

Although I have Martha Stewart's new book on baking, I also purchased the DVD. This is such a warm and cozy DVD. I play it on my computer. There are nights when I just don't want to look at re-runs, and watch this instead. I call this my 'Baking class.' And that's what it is. A private one-on-one baking class with Martha! She has guests for some of the segments and they have lots of interesting things to share. The Red Velvet Cake is made by a lovely lady from down South who shares her secrets with not only Martha, but you. You feel as if you have pulled up a chair in the kitchen and are sitting there with them. A wonderful, wonderful learning tool. She goes all out to make sure you have all the pans and other items you will need to get started. Helpful hints, hands-on demonstrations. Some recipes with the hand-held mixer and some in the stand mixer. And even some by hand. I wish I had this DVD in 1991 when I first started baking for the first time. I cannot praise this DVD highly enough. It is an absolute must for anyone who is not a real pro yet but wants to be. You have such a long list of episodes to watch. And you can watch them over and over and over again. It's the next best thing to having Martha right there in your kitchen with you. This is better. You're in HER kitchen, and you don't have to do the dishes afterwards! How great is that?! Love this DVD. Please buy one for yourself and friends. You'll get a big hug if you do.

This DVD is very helpful. It has delicious looking desserts. Some of them are in Martha's Dessert book and others are in her new Baking cookbook but it helps to watch her make the recipes rather than just read about them. The information in the DVD is appropriate for beginning bakers. I particularly like the tools and equipment overview given in the beginning. I highly recommend this DVD.

Is an excellent product. The bakers should do more of this dvd for the persons who doesn't have the naturally kitchen art. Thanks Patricia

I can not begin to say how much the information contained herein has helped me so much in my baking. The lessons on pie making, especially the crusts (my nemesis), cake techniques ie. creaming, beating egg whites (merengues), and all of the different recipes and ways to make and decorate, are indespensible. I simply adore this tutorial. For a person who does not cook or bake, much, mostly because of fear of messing up and guilt of wasting (I dislike throwing away anything that can be made and used for sustenance, even if it is a sweet) I now have the skill, which is so simple to master, on how to bake. I know now how to make a perfect pie crust, by hand. Me!

There are however, a few cons that come along with this tutorial. The video starts out slow with Martha introducing the recipes and walking the viewers through it. Great! When the guest segments start, the recipes seem to fly by which makes it confusing a bit. People talking over one another, steps being intermingled, which leads me to the next con...

No clearly explained ingredients for the recipes. In the beginning of each segement, I think there should have been a clear run through of all of the ingredients/equiptment needed, then go into the recipe making. Here, there is none. A big dissapointment. If you listen carefully, you can jot down the ingredients as they go along and/or go back, if you can catch what ii is they are saying... Which leads me to the next, you know...

There are no English subtitles. Closed Captions, sure, Spanish and French subtitles, sure. But no english. Where were the tecnichals for this dvd produced? Because we live in Amereica, no english subtitles? We live in America. Sometimes the words of those on screen are not clear enough, although I must admit Martha's english is superb.

Anyhow, for technique and recipes this dvd is woth every penny and every minute of your time, it about three hours long, and that's just the recipe section. WOW! A must for every beginner, intermediate beginner for learning and mastering the basics. If you are afraid, Martha saves the day, and your baked goods.

I was very excited when I found out that Martha would be releasing a series of DVD's. Every product that Martha Stewart puts her name on is of the highest quality. Fans will love this DVD!!!!

The Martha Stewart Baking and Cooking DVDs are wonderful! They came in excellent condition and speedy delivery. I would definitely use this seller again.

The DVD is very good. I especially like the printable recipes.
It makes everything look so easy, but I have the feeling Martha is not telling everything there is to know about the tricks one needs to get the same results... I am not 100% sure though as I have not had time yet to try any of the recipes out. Hopefully I am wrong.

Although there are some good recipes, I did buy the video to learn the techniques such as cake decorating, etc. I am unable to pull up this section of the dvd. It refers me to a web link to solve technical issues, but the link does not exist. Perhaps this is because I have a Mac. I'm not sure.

As a beginner in the realm of baking ( i mostly dabble in alchemy - turning wood into sawdust, gold into goldfish, etc.), this is a pretty helpful video. Of course, if you don't like Martha, you won't be able to get over the "martha-ness" of the whole thing. But, it shows you some simple techniques that are the basis of many baked goods. I would have liked more cookies, as well as more tricks of the trade - especially ways to substitute ingredients for slightly lower fat or sugar versions. still, not bad overall and complements some of the recipes in the baking handbook pretty well.