Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

My "verified purchase" states I have the Kindle edition of this book when, in fact, I actually have the hardback edition. I might have died and gone to Heaven. Dorie Greenspan and Rose Levy Beranbaum both released baking books this fall. Forget Christmas. I have everything I need to be happy for the rest of the year. The Baking Bible is a massive anthology of recipes to satisfy your baking needs. It runs the gamut from cakes to yeast breads and hits almost everything in between. This is an impressive collection of recipes that you will use for a long time. One of Rose's birthday cakes as well as her prosciutto loaf from her bread cookbook have been favorites in my home for over ten years now. The book will stay open to cook from, without the aid of a cookbook stand, from the first page to the last. The only downside to this (and it is my ONLY criticism of the book) is that this type of sewn binding is likely to cause you to have pages fall out later if you use the book often (and you will). The chapters are divided as follows: cakes; pies, tarts and other pastries; cookies and candy; and breads and yeast pastries. Each chapter is further subdivided into specific categories. For example, the cakes chapter is subdivided into butter and oil cakes, cupcakes, sponge cakes, and cheesecakes. The book opens with Rose's Golden Rules of Baking. Then each individual chapter has a lengthy introduction that helps the cook troubleshoot common baking problems and includes more "golden rules" for being a successful cake baker, pie baker, etc. If you know Rose's recipes, you know she is a stickler for weights, measurements, and following directions. Each recipe begins with a chart that clearly delineates measurements for volume and weight. In many instances there will not be a listing for volume as weight (which is included in ounces as well as grams) is more accurate. I am pleased to say that the book is as lovely as it is useful. There isn't a photograph for each recipe, but the photographs that are included are absolutely gorgeous. Most of the recipe is printed in black, but the headings are done in shades of burgundy that I didn't have any trouble reading. There are asides called "Highlights for Success" through many of the recipes that give you additional information to make your recipe a smash hit. I also add that the index is also problem free. It was done with a lot of thought in order to maximize usefulness. I would like to recommend this book to everyone, and for the most part, I do. I recommend to beginners with caution. I was a young bride with no cooking experience when I purchased The Cake Bible and The Bread Bible. I had no trouble because the author is so specific in her directions. However, novices should be able to follow multiple, detailed steps and use their five senses plus be able to make judgment calls regarding a recipe. If you are a moderate level or advanced baker, you will be pleased with this newest addition to the Beranbaum library and probably won't be able to put the book down for more than five minutes at the time. The ingredients and basic recipes section at the end of the book will demystify basics such as making chocolate curls, clarifying butter, and making ganache and whipped cream as well as lending Rose's personal insights on what ingredients to buy. I feel that this book is the home equivalent of a culinary school course in baking. You will love the appendix that lists quick and easy recipes as well as recipes that are flourless, mostly flourless, as well as lactose free. If you have egg issues, the author lists which recipes include only yolks or whites. She bends over backwards to make this book easy to use! But enough of my detailed book tour, you want to hear about recipes! I took a change of pace from the usual cakes and loaves for my initial foray into this impressive book and went with the French toast. It was magnificent, so good that I felt it didn't even need the additional suggested décor of powdered sugar or maple syrup. Don't hesitate to add this book to your library. If you are new to Rose Levy Beranbaum, know that if you follow her directions to the letter you will have baked goods that taste as though they couldn't possibly be made by human hands. The precise directions are absolutely worth it!