Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe Hardcover – October 20, 2010

This Book Explains Everything!

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Dory

October 3, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

I love the easy writing style of Ms. Chang, her little vignettes, and the fact that she explains the how and why of her baking secrets. This is *the* first book on baking I have ever owned that teaches me *how* to successfully bake. She includes the best basic recipes along with her own originals and tweaks. She knows when a recipe even in its simplicity cannot be improved upon. This book is a keeper and one I'll refer to often!

6 people found this helpful

Changed the way I bake (for the better)

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Appliance Queen

October 12, 2013

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Joanne Chang writes with the brain of a mathematician and the soul of a chef. Every recipe I've tried from this has been a winner. The baking tips in the beginning are worth the price of the book. I've become a different baker since buying this and I've baked since I was in high school (30 some years ago). I thought I knew it all. I didn't. There is such a science behind baking well and it's clearly laid out here.

Recipes tried so far - Apple Snacking cake (has replaced my apple cake recipe of 6 years). Banana bread (replaced the one I've made since college). Chunky Lola cookies - a new favorite here. Oatmeal raisin cookies - amazing! Dog biscuits - yep, there's dog biscuits in here - my dogs turn up their noses at store brands and love these. New old fashioned coffee cake - even my picky son loved it. Baked the carrot cake for a going away party at work - got requests for the recipe within minutes. This weekend I'll be making brioche. Every recipe has been a raging success. I've even sent friends in Boston to Flour so we can do the 'side by side' taste tests!

Caveat - watch the cooking times. I've noticed they take less time in my oven. I also wish there were more photos. Today, the second book came in the mail. I'll be having a savory and sweet time of it now.

Buy this book. You won't be disappointed.

10 people found this helpful

MungieTop Contributor: Baking

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I like the author's approach and sensibility

November 11, 2016

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

Every recipe I've made from this book was incredibly well received. I bought this book because of the sticky buns, but have since tried other brioche-based recipes, cakes and cookies. The coconut cake was a hit (although I made a few modifications, including toasting the coconut and brushing on a lime/rum syrup). I like the author's approach and sensibility. She is very precise, but also approachable, practical and passionate. I bought Flour, Too because I like this book so much!

I look forward to trying the rest of the recipes.

2 people found this helpful

not one failure so far.....

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glouise

July 8, 2011

Format: HardcoverVerified Purchase

I purchased this book due to some of the reviews although as most of my family will tell you, I certainly do not need another cookbook. The book had sat on my shelf for months until this week. I have tried 5 recipes so far and each one has been a stand out. The two I must comment on are the maple oat scones and the raspberry rhubarb muffins.

You will find scones and muffins in almost every cookbook and I have tried too many to count and had decided to give up on scones and muffins, refusing to "waste" my time. Well I had some fresh rhubarb and fresh raspberries that I needed to use up so decided to give the muffin recipe in FLOUR a try...wow...this is the first muffin I have made that I actually enjoyed without a but at the end of the sentence. I will go as far to say, this is the first muffin I have tried even from bakeries, in years that I actually like. Once the muffin recipe was a success, I decided to try the maple scone.

I had some dark amber maple syrup and figured it was worth a try...once again...wow....the first scone I have made that actually did not crumble like dust in my mouth and yes I know it is all in the mixing but until trying the recipe in FLOUR, I have only had failures even following the recipes in my go to, no fail, baking books. These two recipes alone made this book a great purchase for me.

As to an overall review, I like the introduction Ms. Chang gives for each recipe and the extra info she adds when needed. She has a friendly yet knowledgeable way of writing which I enjoy reading. ['

The recipes themselves are easy to read and understand. Unlike many "star" chefs, the directions and explanations are not so overdone as to make the challenge of trying a new recipe overwhelming. I get the feeling of..Oh, I can do this as opposed to...ugh, this is too much work and will take to much time.

More pictures would have been nice but I guess you can't have everything. The size of the book is interesting. Something about the size and shape, it looks quite large and yet fits my hands very easily, I don't feel like I am juggling a tomb when I try to use it.

Although some will say you can find many of these recipes in any cookbook, the fact is, who doesn't enjoy a really great scone and if your recipe is exceptional why wouldn't you include it in your book. The vanilla frosting on the red velvet cake is also awesome. I have no negatives and can't wait till I have the time to try my hand another recipe.

13 people found this helpful

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September 7, 2017

Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase

This is my go to cookbook! Every recipe I've tried has been amazing. I have a booth at my local farmers market and I make Joanne's sticky buns, banana bread, blueberry muffins, country bread and dog biscuits. Everyone raves about w all of them. Even the dog biscuits are a huge hit with the doggies. I love how she has measurements in weight as well as volume and every recipe has tips on mixing to storing. I can't wait for her new cookbook to come out. I preordered it knowing the recipes will be amazing.

3 people found this helpful

Stay at home and bake something for your kids

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Most recent customer reviews

Dennis Brophy ..

Good Food

Published 8 hours ago

Kindle Customer

What a wonderful book.

As she wrote I could almost see and smell what she was writing about. Can't wait to get baking! I can see this book becoming one of my favourite go to cookbooks .

Love the book and the author

Mary Olden

I love the recipe, many of which I've tired, and also the author. It's clear she wants everyone using the book to be a successful baker. Her many tips help accomplish that end.

Pop Tarts are worth the price of the book

C. Vari

I made the chocolate pop tarts. There is definitely a learning curve to the pastry but my husband said they were the best things I ever baked....and I bake a lot!Read more

Beth G, An Opinionated Shopper

Worth it for the Banana Bread recipe alone

LOVE THIS BOOK! The Banana Bread recipe alone is worth the cost of the book! TIP: follow the directions EXACTLY!Read more

Love the bakery, but the recipes haven’t been turning out. Baking times are seriously off for the cakes.Read more

Amazon Customer

Baking times off