Reviewed by Jeanne
As we all know, I don’t cook or bake. Part of the reason is clean-up, which seems
to take longer than cooking and eating combined. Naturally, the “one pan” aspect caught my
eye, so I decided to investigate this book as sometimes someone will ask me to
bring something to a gathering. (This is
not a mistake they make twice. The second time I will be asked to bring napkins
and plates.)
The first section of the book has some helpful information
about the various processes, including how to combine ingredients (stirring,
creaming, or foaming), tips (after pouring the batter in, tap the pan on the
counter a couple of times to eliminate bubbles), and definitions.
Recipes come next and they range from simple to complex. Rolled cakes are included as are concoctions
with fruit. The book is divided up by “Sweet and Subtle”, “Fresh and Fruity”,
“Sugar and Spice”, “All Things Chocolate”, and “Layer and Stacked”. I liked that the cakes titles give hints
about the cake itself (“Stir-and-Bake Raspberry Cake”) rather that some clever
or cutesy name that doesn’t really tell you what sort of cake it is.
The instructions seem clear and the author gives the number of
servings, which is helpful when baking for a crowd. The book is illustrated with clear color
photographs. Calorie counts are not
given, which is probably just as well.
This would be a good choice for someone preparing for family
and friends, and who would like to debut a new dessert. There’s a wide
selection, from fun and easy to sophisticated.
Me, I’ve been asked to bring napkins and plates.
No comments:
Post a Comment