A New Cookbook Review: A Passion for Baking

Marcy Goldman, author of A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking and The Best of Betterbaking.com has published another wonderful and fun baking book, A Passion for Baking. She is also the founder and host of the popular web site Betterbaking.com

Ingredients, Equipment, Tips and Techniques

The baking journey begins with the Baking Secrets chapter where Marcy sharing her Tricks of the Trade techniques as well as her Signature Tips along with pages of valuable information on baking equipment and ingredients.

The Chapters and Recipes

Following Baking Secrets are the following sixteen chapters with how-to pages and over 220 one-of-a kind delicious recipes that are well written with easy to follow instructions and accompanied by 160 beautiful photos which include step-by-step technique shots.

Loaves, Large & Small

This chapter is a bread lover’s delight! Bread making techniques are explained with step by step photos to make amazing breads such as: Classic White Bread, Hot Buttered Popcorn Bread (yes! you read right – Hot Buttered Popcorn Bread), Chunky Cheese Bread and Italian Hard Rolls.

The 24-Hour Sourdough Starter is the basis of such breads as Outstanding French Country Bread and Artisanal Black Olive Bread.

Rolls, Baby Breads & Buns

“If the bread loaf is the bride of the table, then rolls, little breads and buns are the wonderful maids of honour.” – Marcy Goldman

Rolls, little breads and buns are made using the same bread making methods as shown in the previous chapter but are individually free-form shaped such as Italian Hard Rolls, Everything Bagels and Crusty Rolls.

Pizza & Other Flatbreads

Everybody loves pizza made in their pizza oven! Marcy’s step-by-step instructions and photos on how to make basic pizza dough are followed by recipes such as Pizza Blanca, Pepperoni Pizza Rolls, Deep-Dish Double-Crust Cheese Pizza and Garlic-Slathered Stretch Bread.

Scones & Biscuits

In the My Best Flaky Buttermilk Scones Recipe, Marcy shares one of her tricks that make these scones so flaky and easy to make. Other recipes include: Double-Dutch Chocolate Scones and Classic Southern Buttermilk Biscuits.

The Muffin Shoppe

The Blueberries-and-Cream Mall Muffins with a taste of citrus baked in large, medium or small muffin pans are absolutely delicious (these muffins taste better than the ones at the mall) along with some of the other muffin recipes such as the Double-Chocolate Sour Cream Mall Muffins and the best ever – Zucchini, Citrus and Honey Muffins.

The Cookie Jar

Chocolate chip cookie lovers will love the melt-in-your mouth Marcy’s Legendary Chocolate Chip Cookies are truly legendary as well as Chocolate Ambivalence Cookies and Brittany Butter Cookies

The Biscotti Bakery

Double-Fudge Biscotti, Café Latte Caramel Biscotti, Chianti and Parmesan Biscotti are just a few of the biscotti recipes to make and dip in coffee, tea or wine.

Sweet Yeast Baking

The scrumptious Homemade Franchise-Style Doughnuts and the Baker’s Bubbka with Crumb Topping should be made at least once and then, once again.

Cake Creations

A cake creation such as Dark Fudge Bundt Cake is the best chocolate cake ever, a snap to make and will satisfy any chocolate craving! Other cake creations include Lemon Yogurt Cheesecake Bundt, Italian Cream Wedding Cake and Stacked Crêpe Cake.

Recommended reading: Best Crepe Makers for your Kitchen

Say Cheesecake

Show-stopping cheesecake recipes such as Chocolate Eruption Cheesecake and Pumpkin-Butterscotch Swirl Cheesecake can only be described as decandent and glamorous.

Holiday Baking

Such recipes such as Best-Ever Scottish Shortbread, Pumpkin Pie, Linzertorte, The Big Honey Cake are among the many outstanding holiday baking recipes.

Grainy Goodness

Grains have never tasted so good as in The Skinny-Jeans Cookie or Honey, Fruit, Pine Nut, and Almond Traveler’s Bars. Other Grainy Goodness recipes include: Whole Wheat, Date and Orange Muffins and Date-Apricot-Raisin Pinwheel Cookies.

The Baking Cookbook with Appeal

With its easy to follow recipes, tips and techniques, and over 220 delectable fun recipes, A Passion for Baking is sure to appeal to both the novice and experienced bakers. It’s truly a baking cookbook written to celebrate the passion for baking.

While you’re here, be sure to check out our kitchen product reviews!