The Art of the Cookie: Baking Up Inspiration by the Dozen [Hardcover]

Shelly Kaldunski (Author), Maren Caruso (Photographer)

Book Description

Release date: November 1, 2011

A beautifully crafted cookie is a work of art and beloved by all. Still-warm cookies fresh from the oven are irresistibly enticing but decorating the treats doubles the fun. Whether it's a cookie exchange, holiday gathering, or Mother's Day tea, decorated cookies are a sweet and memorable addition to any special occasion.

The Art of Cookie presents over 40 delectable recipes and inspiring decorating ideas. With a focus on transforming a simple cookie into a masterpiece, each recipe promises both exceptional flavor and visual appeal. The cookie recipes are divided into two main chapters. The first offers favorite and versatile roll-and-cut dough recipes, such as brown sugar cookies and gingerbread, followed by clever, yet simple ideas for decorating them: vibrant vanilla-sugar flowers; alphabet shapes flooded with icing and sprinkled with colorful sugars; and petits fours stacked to resemble a miniature wedding cake. The second chapter includes classics with a modern twist, such as sparkly macarons; wreath-shaped sugar cookies baked with lemon and thyme and decorated with icing ornaments; and striped cookies that taste and look like peppermint sticks. Recipes for various fillings to use with many of the cookies round out the collection.

Packed with gorgeous colorful photographs, this book has all the encouragement and know-how you'll need to create artful cookies that look as if they were purchased from a pastry shop.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Shelly Kaldunski (Santa Rosa, CA) is a Northern California–based food stylist, culinary teacher, and expert in all things sweet. As a pastry chef, Shelly worked in restaurants in San Francisco before becoming a food editor at Martha Stewart Living. She was the food stylist for and contributor to Martha Stewart’s Baking Handbook and is the author of Sweet Scoops and Ice Pops.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 128 pages
• Publisher: Weldon Owen; 1 edition (November 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1616280352
• ISBN-13: 978-1616280352
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 8.6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #320,195 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT RECIPES!!! BEAUTIFUL PHOTOS!!! DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS!! January 18, 2012

By Karen B

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

I bought this book and gave it 5 stars!!! I think it is a GREAT book.

In response to the review that stated this book was too complex for the "typical home baker:" I could not find a "Candy Cane" recipe, so I'm assuming you're refering to the "Peppermint Stick" recipe as being too complex. I would think that a "typical home baker" would read through this recipe and modify it to her skill level. For example, the author does give a lot of detail on how to make different shades of red dough and how to pipe this dough in different widths to obtain the striped effect. However, I would think that a "typical home baker" would realize that the coloring of the dough is just for show and does nothing to the taste of the cookie. This baker would omit this part of the recipe all together and just make the cookies with the plain dough.

MY REVIEW:
I really enjoyed this book!! I like how well it is organized. The first half of the book is devoted to Basic Cookie Baking and Decorating Techniques. There are 5 Cookie Recipes used throughout this section of the book: 1)Vanilla Sugar 2)Lemon-Buttermilk, 3)Brown Sugar, 4)Chocolate Sugar and 5)Gingerbread.

This section focuses on how to make different types of cookies using one of the 5 Basic Cookie Recipes. For example, there is a recipe for Lemon Window Panes that uses the Vanilla Sugar Cookie recipe to make sandwich cookies with Lemon Curd filling. This section also contains information on decorating different shapes of cookies, i.e. alphabet cookies, flower cookies, etc. All the decorating techniques are throughly described. However there are no templates provided, but the shapes are relatively simple and can be easily duplicated.

The second half of the book is devoted to several different types of cookies and their recipe. A FEW of these are: Meringue Spirals, Chocolate-Butterscotch Crackles, Toffee Triangles, Apricot-Pistachio Biscotti, Graham Cracker Sandwiches,Vanilla Spritz Sandwiches, Orange Truffle Cookies, Chocolate Pretzels, Chocolate Chip Wafers, Dried Cherry Shortbread, Chocolate-Peanut Butter Squares, Maple Pecan Streusel Bars, plus many more delicious recipes. This part of the book also includes recipes for royal icing, several cookie/bar glazes like vanilla, chocolate and caramel glazes. Cookie fillings that include Lemon Curd, Vanilla Cream, and others. As well as recipes for Candied Orange Curls, Marzipan Roses,etc.

All in all, I found this to be a very informative book. I did not find any of the recipes to be particularily difficult, skill wise, but a few were a bit time consumming. These time consumming recipes could easily have steps
omitted and produce the same delicious results(i.e. the Peppermint Stick Cookies mentioned at the beginning of this review)

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK to anyone who enjoys making cookies. Even if you are not into cookie decorating, there is a lot of GREAT recipes in this book that makes it worth purchasing. You will not be disappointed!!!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars The Art Of The Cookie review January 29, 2012

By Valmg

Format:Hardcover

Chapters include

Decorated Favorites
Hidden Classics

The beginning of the book includes descriptions of helpful tools and how to use them. Almost every page spread in this book has a beautiful photo, as does almost every recipe. These cookies look so pretty! The recipes are easy to understand and call for ordinary ingredients. The ingredients and tools needed for each recipe are clearly listed. I always find it helpful if prep and cooking time are listed but I don't really think they could be here since a good amount of handiwork is involved with the decorating and that could be different for everyone. Recipes that especially caught my eye were the Jam Swirls, Bird's Nests, Graham Cracker Sandwiches, and Chocolate Chip Wafers. This book was be great for anyone who enjoys baking and for those that would like to take their baking to a new level.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Take your baking to a new level January 7, 2012

By aadams

Format:Hardcover

This cookbook is like none other! Each cookie is shown decorated in a fresh new look. Everyone commented on the gorgeous cookies that I merely copied from this book. My cookie trays for the holidays this year were a work of art thanks to the many new ideas I acquired through "The Art of the Cookie". Get this book, you will not be disappointed!