Product Description

With twenty years of experience teaching baking classes and three award-winning cookbooks to her name, Carole Walter is renowned for her meticulous directions, foolproof recipes, and scrumptious results. In Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More, Carole turns her attention to the types of treats that are perfect for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or dessert—the sweets people most like to make at home to enjoy with family and friends.

From pound cakes, coffee cakes, muffins, and other quick breads to scones, sweet biscuits, Bundt cakes, and buckles, Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More features more than two hundred recipes for America’s favorite baked goodies. Carole guides novices and expert bakers alike through irresistible recipes including Butter Crumb Coffee Cake, Country Cherry Honey Scones, and Raspberry Buttermilk Muffins with Streusel Topping. A bevy of old-world classics such as Almond Croissants, Double Chocolate Walnut Babka, and Cinnamon Raisin Rugelach are complemented by what are sure to become new favorites, like Crystallized Ginger Pound Cake, Glazed Orange Ricotta Cookies, and Pumpkin Pecan Loaf.

To ensure success, Carole’s signature “At-a-Glance” boxes outline baking pan sizes, oven temperatures, baking times, and any special equipment you might need. In addition, Carole includes extensive general information on outfitting your own kitchen for baking, common ingredients, and techniques. With straightforward directions and enticing recipes, Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More will have you baking up a storm of treats for every occasion.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #29676 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-16
• Released on: 2007-10-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 416 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780307237552
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
“Our beloved baker and master recipe writer Carole Walter has given us another treasure with Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More, which has recipes for very special cakes (including an exquisitely textured whipped cream pound cake) and real Danish pastries as well as wonderful tips for special baking that will make you proud.”
—Shirley O. Corriher, author of CookWise

“What a great combination: 200 recipes for the simple, homey sweets we love best and Carole’s precise instructions to make sure we make them right.  This is a terrific collection that’s bound to keep home bakers happy for years.”
—Dorie Greenspan, author of Baking: From My Home to Yours

"Carole Walter's salute to pastries and breads makes me want to get out my mixer, preheat my oven, open up my pantry, and start baking. With Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More in my kitchen, mornings have become a little bit sweeter."

--Gale Gand, pastry chef and restaurateur

“I first tasted Carole’s authentic Danish more than twenty-five years ago. It was–and still is–among the best things I have ever eaten. In Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More, Carole outdoes herself, giving us that fabulous recipe and about 200 more just as wonderful.”

--Nick Malgieri, author of A Baker’s Tour and How to Bake

About the Author
CAROLE WALTER has studied with famous pastry chefs in the United States, France, Austria, Italy, and
Denmark and has taught baking classes for more than twenty years at places such as Sur La Table and Williams-Sonoma (for her current teaching schedule, visit www.carolewalter.com). A past president of the New York Association of Cooking Teachers and a charter member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals, Walter is the author of Great Cakes, Great Pies & Tarts, and Great Cookies. She lives in northern New Jersey with her husband, Gene. This is her fourth book.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
Macadamia Fudge Squares

Makes 4 dozen 2-inch squares

AT A GLANCE

•Pan: 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan
•Pan Prep: Line with foil/butter
•Oven Temp: 375°F
•Baking Time: 13 to 15 minutes
•Difficulty: *

This pretty bar cookie is another play on a brownie. Dark brown sugar and a hint of cinnamon are perfect partners for the robust flavor of the chocolate. The top is generously sprinkled with macadamia nuts and has a chocolate webbed finish that’s guaranteed to catch your eye.

•1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
•1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
•4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
•1 cup (lightly packed) very fresh dark brown sugar
•1 cup granulated sugar
•4 large eggs, well beaten
•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups coarsely chopped, salted macadamia nuts
•1 small recipe Midnight Chocolate Glaze (recipe follows)

1. Position the rack in the middle of the oven. Heat the oven to 375°F. Line a 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 x 1-inch jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and butter the foil.

2. In a medium bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, slowly melt the butter and the chocolate. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and, using a whisk, blend the brown sugar into the mixture, stirring until melted. Gradually mix in the granulated sugar. Stir in the eggs and the vanilla. Add the dry ingredients, stirring just until combined. Do not overmix.

4. Spread the batter evenly in the prepared pan, smoothing it with the back of a tablespoon. Sprinkle the surface with the macadamia nuts and press them gently into the batter. Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, or until the top is set and the bar begins to pull away from the sides of the pan. Do not overbake. The squares should remain slightly moist on the inside. (Note: If the batter rises in the pan during baking, prick the bubbles gently with a fork to release the air.) Remove from the oven and let stand until almost cool.

5. While the bar is cooling, make the glaze. To web the bar, dip a small whisk into the glaze and squiggle it across the pan. If the glaze becomes too thick, thin it with a little very hot water. Let stand until the glaze is set.

6. Carefully lift the bar from the pan by grasping the foil on both sides and place it on a large cutting board. Pull down the sides of the foil and cut into 2-inch squares using a thin-bladed, sharp knife. Storage: Store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper, for up to 5 days. These cookies may be frozen.

Midnight Chocolate Glaze

Makes enough for one 10-inch Bundt cake or 9 x 13 x 2-inch coffee cake, or 16 to 18 muffins

Here is a glaze that has a beautiful, glossy shine and wonderful, rich chocolate flavor. While I think the best results are achieved if the glaze is applied when it is made, it can be made ahead and either refrigerated or frozen. The glaze will keep its sheen for up to eight hours, depending on your room temperature and weather conditions. When I tested the recipe, it was impossible not to lick my fingers when scraping the pot clean.
•1/2 cup water
•1/4 cup granulated sugar
•2 tablespoons light corn syrup
•4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, such as Lindt, finely chopped
•1/4 cup strained powdered sugar
•1 tablespoon Dutch-process cocoa powder
•1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
•1/4 teaspoon lemon juice
•Pinch of salt
•1 tablespoon unsalted butter, soft
1. Place the water in a 3-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the granulated sugar and corn syrup, but do not stir. Cover and bring to a slow boil on medium-low heat. After 1 minute, check to see if any sugar crystals remain. If so, gently stir the mixture. Continue to cook the syrup uncovered for 3 to 4 minutes. (Large bubbles will form on the surface.)

2. Remove the pan from the heat and sprinkle the chopped chocolate over the syrup. Push the chocolate gently into the syrup, but do not stir. Let stand for 2 to 3 minutes, until the chocolate is melted, then stir gently with a small whisk.

3. When smooth, stir in the powdered sugar and cocoa powder, then blend in the vanilla, lemon juice, and salt. Stir gently with the whisk until smooth, then blend in the butter. If the glaze is not pourable, add 3 or 4 teaspoons of very hot water until the desired consistency is reached. Note: This glaze is best used immediately.

Storage: Leftover glaze can be refrigerated for several weeks. This glaze may be frozen. To use, reheat, adding very hot water to thin the glaze as needed.

Customer Reviews

Excellent Book, Few Editorial Errors
This is a GREAT baking book. I've tried several recipes already and they were all mouthwatering! So many varieties of baked goods are covered in this book, it's almost like a breakfast baking bible. Every recipe has an "At A Glance" box which tells you what kind(s) of pan you need, how to prep the pan, rising time (if necessary), oven temp, baking time, and difficulty so you can choose recipes based on time requirements, difficulty, etc. Recipes also tell you ahead of time if any advanced prep is required, such as refrigerating overnight.

The only problem I've found thus far is a few editorial errors, such as in muffin recipes that only make a dozen muffins... it tells you to use one muffin pan and put the oven rack in the lower third, but later says to rotate pans from top to bottom and back to front during cooking, which is clearly copied and pasted in every muffin recipe, including the ones that only use one pan. This isn't a huge deal. One glaring error, however, is in the "Streusels, Glazes, Frostings and Spreads" chapter. It appears that whoever edited this book, or possibly the printers, screwed up a couple of the recipes. The instructions for Carole's Favorite Streusel are correct, but then are repeated verbatim for part one of the Almond Crunch Streusel (which makes no sense for the ingredients required). Then under the Butter-Nut Streusel recipe, you can find the correct instructions for part one of the Almond Crunch Streusel. This isn't much of a pain once you realize the error. The Butter-Nut Streusel cannot be made, though, since there are no leftover instructions I could find under any of the other recipes in the section. After skimming through the book, I didn't find a single recipe that requires the Butter-Nut Streusel topping, so again, it's not extremely crucial. Just something to note if you try any recipes containing the Almond Crunch Streusel (I think there's only one). Otherwise, everything else seems to be very clear (with drawings to help out for complicated recipes, like braiding dough, etc). I still give this book 5 stars because I think that the errors I found are insignificant compared to just plain bad recipes you can find in other books. Buy this book, it's really great! Just be aware of that little mix-up with those 2 recipes.

Another wonderful book from Carole Walter
It would be difficult to expound on Laura Stokes-Gray "Cookbook Lover's" comprehensive review. The primary weakness of the book is the dearth of photographs - don't get me wrong, there are photos, but a rather small selection considering the number of recipes. Luckily, one of Walters' greatest strengths is her detailed instructions. The recipe measurements are given in cups and teaspoons, not grams and mL, and they are geared toward home bakers. Each recipe has a difficulty rating, with detailed prep instructions listed in a sidebar.

A couple of cons: the book could have used just a few more pictures of some of the more complex or interesting finished desserts. It could also use more careful editing. For example, it seems like the editors just cut and pasted the instructions for Carol's Favorite Streusel into the other streusel recipes, even though they do not make double batches of streusel.

I think that some of the most useful chapters in the book are those dealing with strudel and danish pastry. Walter provides lengthy, detailed instructions for these baked goods, plus mouth-watering recipes. A wonderful, wonderful book. I've baked about 12 things out of it, and everything has been very well received.

Fabulous Cookbook for all kinds of desserts
Review by "Retired Geek's Wife": This cookbook is excellent! The directions are clear and well-written, with all the details needed for techniques you may not be familiar with. Each recipe is rated for difficulty, so if you are inexperienced you can start with the "1 cup" recipes. Then, as you build your confidence, move onto the more difficult recipes. The variety of recipes is wonderful and everything I've made has been delicious. The one small problem I've had is on the ingredients list. For example, it will indicate 3 1/4 cups flour in the ingredients list. Then in the detailed directions only 3 cups are used in the mix and the extra 1/4 cup is for the kneading process. It would be better to have it noted in the ingredients list separately. A minor problem, and if I read directions more carefully, not really a problem at all. If you are only going to buy one dessert cookbook, this is the one to get.