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Learn to COOK - Small-Batch Baking
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List Price: $13.95
Our Price: $11.16
Your Save: $ 2.79 ( 20% )
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
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Average Customer Rating:  
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Binding: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 641.815
EAN: 9780761130352
ISBN: 0761130357
Label: Workman Publishing Company
Manufacturer: Workman Publishing Company
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 352
Publication Date: 2004-11-15
Publisher: Workman Publishing Company
Studio: Workman Publishing Company
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Editorial Reviews:
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Small-Batch Baking is how to have your cake, and eat it all too. It's baking a plate of cookies (not 4 dozen) to greet the kids when they come home from school, or a few muffins (not 12) when that's all you need for Sunday brunch. It's for the perfect tart to end a small, romantic dinner--or the indulgence of a one-bowl dessert just for you (Honey Apple Oatmeal Crisp, anyone?). Most of all, it's to bring home the joy of baking, when home is just the two of you--small batches whip up quickly, clean up quickly, and don't require hours at the oven.
Written by Debby Maugans Nakos, who clearly possesses the Southern baking gene, Small-Batch Baking offers 200 irresistible recipes from across the baking spectrum: triple layer cakes, bundt cakes, angel food cakes; pies and tarts; cobblers, crisps, crumbles, and short cakes; cookies, bars, squares; biscuits, muffins, scones, breakfast breads; and a whole section just on Valentine Specials--Double Hot Chocolate Soufflés, Chèvre Cheesecakes with Honey Anise Ginger Syrup, Vanilla Banana Caramel Flan.
A batch of Cream-Filled Chocolate Cookies--that yields a half-dozen. A Coconut Layer Cake, just for two. Individual servings of Cinnamon French Toast Pudding or Southern Peach Cobbler with Bourbon Cream. It's all the bewitching pleasure of home-baked, but--finally--for just one or two.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating: 
Summary: A must have for small families
Comment: I love this book! I would give it as a gift to anyone who has a small family or lives by themselves. Just be careful with the cooking times, as they have all been too long for me.
Customer Rating:
Summary: good good
Comment: Have made several of the recipes, fun ideas here. Some are too time consuming however for just two portions...
Customer Rating:
Summary: A Hidden Treasure!
Comment: I was given this book as a gift and I let it sit on the bookshelf for a long time. Then one day I tried it and what a great book! I first made Moist Fudgy Brownies - yum! I've also make JK's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies & just today Big Blast Oatmeal Cookies - both great. I've been known to eat 12+ cookies when I make large batches (don't judge you know you've done it too!) so this book is great it makes only a few cookies so my husband and I don't have leftovers the next day and we don't over indulge. I only gave this 4 stars because as an avid baker the recipes aren't as good as the large batches but they are close enough and worth it when you don't think you can control yourself with a large batch. I also wish there were pictures for most of the recipes.
Customer Rating:
Summary: worthwhile despite problems
Comment: I purchased this book purely as a reference guide to help me learn to downsize for new empty-nest status. I do not usually put much hope in the recipes offered in "gimmick-y" cook/baking books, and am considerably more than surprised at how much I have used this one. Yes, there are problems with the editing, but my biggest problem so far is to remember to adjust for using a convection oven. The recipes themselves have been unexpectedly successful. It has been very easy to make adaptations and adjustments, either to suit our personal preferences or to produce smaller scale versions of family favorites. All together far more than I had hoped for when I discovered the book.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Love love love it!
Comment: I feel just like another review who said that this is the book she never knew she needed. It's wonderful. Granted I only just made one of the recipes, the Banana Nut Whole Wheat bread which came out delicious! And I know I should wait until I've made more of the recipes but, I can't help it!
The book is quite thick and holds a lot of recipes. She includes imaginative things, I liked seeing recipes using molasses and different spices and all sorts of pies and crumbles and cheesecakes using passion fruit and other more adventurous ingredients. At the same time she has all the classic staples: chocolate cake, pecan pie, corn bread, chocolate chip cookies, lemon meringue pie and more. I mean, it's just like she says in the introduction, she has included a miniature version of practically everything you could imagine. From scones to shortbread to bread to biscotti. It's amazing.
Like some other reviews have said it is small-batch baking but it is not short cut baking nor is it healthy baking. She uses all real ingredients and everything is made from scratch. The recipes call for butter, sugar, full fat milk, white flour (although there are some with whole wheat flour). I have found that substituting reduced fat dairy products and using half white flour and half whole wheat flour works well in most recipes. Also many of the recipes use vegetable oil instead of butter.
I don't like the idea of baking in cans, like one review said the shape just looks a little off, too tall and narrow. But it's pretty easy to find mini cake-tins, pie molds, etc. She also calls for jumbo muffin tins for recipes like pineapple upside down cake. You may have to invest in some smaller molds, but I think it's worth it.
Sure, after I made the banana bread I looked over and thought, "that's it? that's all there is?" So, yes, it does take a little getting used to. But, it's such a nice thought to be able to eat something when you crave it and not be stuck with it for the rest of the week! And everything will always be fresh, you'll never eat another piece of cake which is 5 days old because you don't want to throw it away even though you've been eating it for breakfast lunch and dinner since it was made and it still isn't finished!
Why 4 stars? There are no pictures, I quite like pictures, but it doesn't bother me too much in this book. The real reason is that I'd prefer it if recipes weren't split over two-three pages. Also, I'd like to see another version of this book which cuts sugar and uses reduced fat dairy products. But, like I said, I can usually cut the sugar and replace lower fat ingredients with success so I guess it just depends if you're willing to experiment a bit.
It's a great idea and if you just want to satisfy your craving for something sweet without being stuck with it for ages, go ahead.
One thing about serving sizes, she says that a cake recipe, for example, will yield 2 cakes and therefore 2 servings (I assume each cake is one serving). Be aware that these are 2 very large servings. I think you could have a little dinner party of 2 couples and serve each couple one cake and everyone would be more than satisfied.
The point is: Buy it! And enjoy!!
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