Product Description

The definitive book on baking for home cooks.

Nothing says comfort food like freshly baked cookies, a cake, muffins or homemade bread cooling in the kitchen. Creating those mouthwatering baked treats to share with family and friends is one of life's great pleasures.

The Complete Baking Cookbook provides the inspiration to explore the wonderful world of baking. And of course it includes the tested recipes to make it easy and tasty. Written by baker and pastry chef extraordinare George Geary, this collection of 350 easy-to-follow recipes offers a tantalizing variety of goodies from pies, tarts, cobblers and crisps, to cookies, cheesecakes and holiday pastries.

Here's just a small sampling:

• Blue ribbon double chocolate cookies; gingersnaps; maple sugar cookies
• Honey apple spice muffins; orange macadamia rolls; jumbo cinnamon rolls
• Sweet potato pie; apple cherry cobbler; Passover honey cheesecake
• Holiday English trifle; Christmas cherry cake; spring Easter Lemon torte.

What really sets this baking book apart from others is that there is a special section with comprehensive material for each category of baked good. For example, the cookies chapter includes instructions and line drawings on effective techniques (scooping, using a pastry bag), troubleshooting and tips, choosing the right pan, and comparison charts.

With hundreds of recipes and an abundance of luscious photographs, this book will be cherished by home bakers everywhere.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #456765 in Books
• Published on: 2007-10-12
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 448 pages

About the Author

George Geary teaches baking classes in more than 100 cooking schools across North America every year. The author of 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes and 125 Best Biscuit Mix Recipes, he lives in Los Angeles.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

Introduction

I am asked weekly, "Why did you get into the culinary field?" Simple answer, "I never go hungry." Plus, "I make people happy."

When I get on a plane for a long trip I try not to tell the person next to me what I do or I will be hearing about how their grandmother made the best cakes. For 6 hours! Everyone has a food story. Food makes people happy. Pastry even more so. I cannot think of anything negative to say about being a pastry chef. You make birthday cakes, not death cakes. You create wedding cakes, not divorce cakes. See? It's all happy!

From my first pastry job to my last, at Disney, I am the happiest when I'm in the kitchen baking. I assure you that many of the recipes you make from this book will become family favorites. Many already have with my students!

Baking is therapeutic. It feels great to make a crust, cake or dessert from scratch. I'm the first to tell you it takes time. You won't be able to create a dessert in 5 minutes. If you're in a hurry, then by all means, purchase a dessert. If time permits, however, make some pastry. You will not only taste the difference, but you'll also know exactly what's in your finished pastry.

George Geary

Customer Reviews

excellent recipes!@
I baked a few pieces from this cookbook and it's excellent!! I love the pictures (I'm quite visual person) and it's rather comprehensive. The only thing is....it's probably not for the health conscious, but then most dessert recipes aren't exactly the most healthy foods, are they? Easy to follow instructions too.

Directions from a Master
The Complete Baking Cookbook has 350 recipes, from basics to updated classics. To be a good baker you must know about ingredients and equipment and the first chapter is this book has detailed information. Clearly drawn illustrations make it easy to learn techniques, such as how to roll out a pie crust. Although not every recipe has a tip, when they are included they provide helpful information. If you're a cheesecake lover be sure to try the Blue Ribbon Cheesecake. As the author of Baking Basics and Beyond, I recommend this cookbook because of the wide range of recipes and clearly written directions. Pat Sinclair

A Hands-On Cookbook For Old And New Chefs Alike!
A very practical cookbook with an easy-to-read format that clearly show the serving size for each recipe, a brief explanation of the origins of the recipes, precise listing of all the ingredients involved, detailed listing of the instructions about how to make it and some tips you can use to make the recipe as good as it can possibly be. If you like to be held by the hand as you cook, then this is the book for you. There's even an extremely educational look at some common cooking ingredients at the beginning of the book that will make anyone a better cook.