Review
The Craft of Baking: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets with Ideas for Inventing Your Own by Karen DeMasco, Mindy Fox
Nobody does it better! We all have a great deal to learn from her.""For the past few years, pastry chefs have wowed us with esoteric creations. I want to have the brown butter waffles for breakfast tonight!""I have always admired Karens ability to craft the simplest of desserts into the most sublime. Karen DeMasco not only places her mouthwatering recipes in your hands, she actually encourages you to tinker with them, leaving room for inspiration as it strikes.Smart, innovative, and endlessly delectable, this is a cookbook that entertains as it instructs: read it and learn.". But Karen DeMasco reminds us that, really, nothing is better than a piece of cake.""Its the rare cookbook that manages to make the didactic delicious, butThe Craft of Bakingsucceeds effortlessly. With grace and ease, Karen DeMasco shares the secrets to her deft and delectable desserts. The bars can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. "Karens desserts just make me happy.They are tasty and incredibly balanced. My only question is which sweet to try first!""Karen DeMasco may be a professional baker, but shes a home baker at heart. In this book she has transformed all the pastry techniques and tricks she has learned over the years into accessible and delicious desserts.""Karen DeMascos brilliant work encompasses the best of classic French and Italian techniques in playful and delicious recipes that feel new and are delightfully American. Transfer about two thirds of the dough to the prepared baking pan. Then cut into 2-inch squares. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let it cool completely. The recipes, which are straightforward and easy to follow, are just as much fun to make as they are to eat.""The Craft of Baking is the kind of book you will use endlessly in the kitchen. Bake, rotating the pan halfway through, until the top is golden brown and fragrant, about 40 minutes. Press the dough evenly into the pan, forming a firmly packed layer. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan and line the bottom with parchment. Cool the sheet completely on a wire rack. Spread the pecans on a baking sheet. Evenly sprinkle the remaining dough over the preserves. With Karens simple techniques, unique flavor combinations, and inventive ideas, The Craft of Baking will change the way you think about baking and equip any home cook with the skills and creativity to create amazing, one-of-a-kind desserts. Pour in the melted butter, and using a wooden spoon, mix together until well combined. Bake until lightly golden and fragrant, about 5 minutes. James Beard Awardwinner Karen DeMasco, who first came to national attention as the pastry chef of Tom Colicchios Craft, Craftbar, and wichcraft restaurants from 2001 to 2008, approaches the art of baking in a unique way. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and pecans. Karens ingenuity is boundless. From The Craft of Baking: Back-to-School Raspberry Granola Bars These nutty fruit cookies are perfect for a lunch sack, last-minute bake sale, or early autumn picnic. Then check out the tips on "varying your craft" to transform Grandma Rankins Cashew Brittle into Pumpkin Seed Brittle and to alter a cobbler recipe to make Rhubarb Rose Cobbler in the spring or Mixed Berry Cobbler in the summer, for example. All types of sweets, from muffins and scones to pies and cakes to ice creams and custards, are her mediums for exploring flavors. They are quick to put together with pantry staples and everyone seems to love them. Ingredients 12 tablespoons gunsalted butter, plus more for the pan 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 1 1/4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats 1/3 cup granulated sugar 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 cup raspberry preserves (Makes 16 bars) Directions Preheat the oven to 350 F. Now, she shares her secrets and techniques in her first cookbook, The Craft of Baking, designed to help home bakers think imaginatively in order to expand their repertoires with new and fresh combinations.Using the bounty of the seasons as inspiration and Karens clear instructions, both beginners and experienced bakers will find it easy to let their creativity take the reins. Learn how to make Karens celebrated sweets, such as Apple Fritters with Caramel Ice Cream and Apple Caramel Sauce, White Chocolate Cupcakes with White Chocolate Cream Cheese Buttercream, and Raised Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnuts. Building on the savory cooking philosophy of using seasonal ingredients to create dishes with pure flavors, Karen makes acclaimed desserts that are both simple and elegant. Karens suggestions for "combining your craft"such as serving Almond Pound Cake with Apricot Compote and Lillet Sabayonreveal how easy it is to take desserts to the next level.