Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wowee-zowie fantastic cake cookbook, September 30, 2002
You wonder how much information can reasonably be put into a slim little volume like this (and confidently entitled "Ultimate Cake"), but in fact, Barbara Maher's book does an estimable job of getting the reader acquainted with a wide variety of information--everything from good kitchen tools to have to chocolate-decoration techniques to "basic, enriching, and decorative" ingredients.Part of the Dorling-Kindersley "Living" series, "Ultimate Cake" does a fine job of providing a wide overview of many different types of cakes, from basic yellow cakes to pound cakes to regional specialties like genoise, tortes made with nut flours, and more. After the first third of the book is devoted to technique, ingredients, and tools, the rest has yumilicious cake recipes ranging from the simple (Pound Cake) to the exotic (Piskota with Walnuts) to the just-plain-delicious (Hazelnut Macaroon Cake, Rum and Citrus Torte, Swiss Black Cherry Cake, Poppyseed and Chocolate Torte, Apricot and Pecan Tea Loaf, and Nectarine Pavlova, to name just a few). As with all D-K books, the photography is a big part of the equation. Dave King's sumptuous, richly colored photographs go a long way towards supporting Maher's concise and clear text. Highly recommended as a fine, basic cake cookbook.
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10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
My guests are in awe !!!!, August 30, 1999
By A Customer
Thank you so much for this wonderful book. It has been such a pleasure to use. I love all the illustrations and how the book walks you through things you might not know. Every recipe I have made from this book has enticed all of my guests. I grew up in California and most of my relatives lived in Germany, so my parents used to send us all the time, and for those of you that are familar with european desserts, they are wonderful. So many of the recipes in this book come from the european countries. It brings back great memories of my relatives that were wonderful bakers... Thanks again Corina Synowicki
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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bake your cake and eat it too!, February 10, 2003
Barbara Maher is an award-winning cookbook author who was born in Germany and brought up in England. She is fluent in German, French and Italian which allows her to conduct extensive research in a wide range of international cookbooks dating back to the fifteenth century. This is an amazing cookbook because it also includes a wide variety of cakes that you might not have heard of in an English/American cookbook.
This book is a collection of the world's finest cakes. There are such divine cakes in this cookbook, you will be seduced by lavishness. Not only are there full-color pictures displaying a bakeryful of tempting tastes, there are more than 100 recipes for cakes and desserts for every occasion. If you are looking for a light, airy treat for an afternoon snack you might choose lacy Florentines.
If you are new to making some of the cakes, there are easy-to-follow photographic sequences that demonstrate every essential baking and decorating technique. Whether you want to know how to pipe rosettes or sugar-frost flowers, it is all explained in pictures.
You can find recipes for: Luxury Layer Cakes, Chocolate Cakes, Cheesecakes, Flans & Tarts, Meringues, Fruit & Nut Cakes, Pastries & Cookies, Wedding Cakes, Children's Party Cakes, Butter Cakes, Sponge Cakes, Nut & Seed Cakes.
There are easy-to-follow instructions for:
Icings & Other Finishes
Piping Methods
Decorating with Chocolate
Cake Decorations
Fruit Preparations
Fillings, Icings & Toppings
There is an entire section on key ingredients and equipment used in cake making. This is the section where you can see all the basic skills required for baking. Basic ingredients are pictured. There are also "enriching" ingredients. The "bakeware" section is helpful because at times you can read "Balmoral pan" and have no idea what that is. I had never seen one myself.
I liked the "variations" on the butter Cakes recipe. You can chose to make a simple butter cake or turn it into a chocolate marble pound cake, a mixed spice pound cake or a fresh apricot pound cake which actually looks the best with icing dripping all over it.
I had never thought of using green grapes to decorate a cake. It is such a fresh beautiful idea. How about fresh cherries, mint leaves and chocolate curls?
Some of the delicious recipes include:
Fruit & Spice Cakes - could make a beautiful Christmas Gift that would not be soon forgotten. Chocolate Eclairs, Buche de Noel and Italian Easter Cake look divine.
Delicious Yummy Cakes that you will definitely want to make!
Also look for these books by Barbara Maher:
Cakes
Traditional Cakes and Pastries
Tempting Cheesecakes
Classic Cakes
~The Rebecca Review
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