The Craft of Baking: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets with Ideas for Inventing Your Own

I'm an avid home cook, but I've always been a litle intimidated by baking as you need to be so meticulous and careful with measurements. Plus, I don't have much of a sweet tooth. But I received The Craft of Baking as a gift and have already used it multiple times. The recipes are elegant without being intimidating. And so far, the recipes I've tried have been delicious and not too sweet for my taste. The Pumpkin Spice Bread is fantastic and great for weekend guests. The Carrot Cupcakes with Mascarpone Cream Frosting were a huge hit at a birthday party.I also had a friend make the Spicy Caramel Popcorn for a party and it was the perfect balance of zing and sweet. It's next on my roster to make.I highly recommend the book and it will become a staple in my kitchen.

Her cherry almond anise biscotti are the best biscotti I have ever eaten or made previously.I have made them several times and they are a huge hit with everyone.

I wasn't much of a baker before purchasing this book. However, The Craft of Baking has managed to turn around my kitchen-debilitating fear of baking goods, such as biscotti and Key lime pie. Not only that, I managed to produce stellar results from the first try. I've tried more than 5 recipes in the book, and have consistently got great results after making them over and over. This is one of those books that I would love to give to friends and family because I know personally that the recipes work and they taste so darn good! Another plus is that they are not as complicated as one think they would be, and the outcomes always seem like you put in so much work than you actually did. Voila!

i wanted a general book on baking like "sugar cookies, yellow cake, fruit pie, biscotti, etc," not specific recipes like "cherry anise biscotti, pine nut tart and rosemary cream." It does have some basic recipes but I personally want an entire book like that. So this book is good, just not what *I* was looking for. Some things I did like were the explanations of basic ingredients in the beginning along with the suggested variations you can do for particular recipes.

This is one of the best baking books available. Every recipe I have tried is amazing- coffee cake muffins, chocolate chip scones, white chocolate cupcakes with cream cheese frosting- really delicious. If nothing else, the basic pastry crust recipe will make you a believer! The instructions are clear- Karen incooperates her knowledge and experience in a way that is accessable to the nonprofessional baker. I love the notes on how to make simple changes to get different desserts depending on the season. I also enjoy the notes that share how to combine different recipes to make a delicious dessert. The recipes are seasonal and thoughtful with a touch of fun too-- this is dessert, afterall! Really, a wonderful book that would make a great gift for any baker.

I purchased this cookbook a year ago and just made Grandma Rankin's Cashew Brittle (I have a lot of cookbooks). It was fabulous and so easy. I've always stayed away from making any hard candy but the author made it so easy, just cook for 10 minutes without stirring until it is a dark amber color, add remaining ingredients, pour, cool, break and eat. Sooo easy and sooo delicious. To me the Cashew Brittle recipe alone was worth the price of the book. This recipe will definitely be a new tradition in our family for Christmas. Looking forward to trying some of her scones too. A very nice cookbook with beautiful pictures!

This is a fantastic book, with clear directions, lush illustrations, and mouth-watering recipes. Everything I've made so far has been a huge hit. If you're a novice baker, this is probably not the easiest starting place, but if you follow the directions closely, you should get good results. If you're experienced and ready to master some more complex treats, this is highly recommended. Anyone who has ever eaten at a restaurant where de Masco sserved as pastry chef should find some familiar favorites in here, like the apple cider muffins meant for next-day's breakfast from Craft, or that delicious and chocolate-and-Guinness combination seen across various desserts.

I am in love with this book! I own many, many cookbooks, but this one has to be one of my favorites. Everything about it is terrific, the recipes, the photos, and the little tips throughout. Seldom have I read a cookbook where I want to make EVERYTHING in it, but this is the one. I haven't even put it on the book shelf yet, as I'm constantly trying different recipes. Everything I've baked has been a winner so far. I'm tempted to pull a "Julie and Julia" with this!I cannot recommend this book highly enough!

I buy this book in Kindle edition at a price that is impossible to resist. I really enjoy the selection of recipes in the book. Great baking book to have if you like to have new idea or just a new twist on classic.

伝統的なアメリカのレシピを程よくアレンジした内容です。多くのアメリカの料理本と同じく写真が少ないので、知っている（食べた事のある）レシピならだいたい想像がつきますが、？なレシピも・・・。どれも簡単で、家庭向き。意外な果物を使ったり、面白い組み合わせのレシピが多いと思いました。バナナのタルトタタンは美味しかったです。