5 comments about Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen.

1. I have been making a cookie from the recipes in this book each week for the last two months and bringing them to work. Each time I bring them in everyone just can't get enough of them. Comments like, "This is the best biscoti that I've ever had in my life." and "This is my favorite so far." until the following week when the same comment is repeated. Let me tell you, I have no experience or expertise in making cookies, pastries, cakes or pies so it isn't me. Just a wonderful book with great easy to follow recipes. You won't be disappointed. I'm not.



2. De Palma does a great job creating unique, clever, delicious and easy Italian desserts. Her knowledge and experience are evident in her style descriptions and recipes. I love this cook book and will continue to use it as a reference for years to come.



3. I have made quite a few recipes from this book and almost each one needed adjusting in bake time or temperature (or both!). It is not my oven; I never have problems with recipes from other sources. Also, some of the directions are vague; if I were not a seasoned baker I would be in a quandary about a few steps here and there. The end result of almost everything I have made turned out pretty terrific, so I can't complain on that front. I just wish the recipes were better written and better tested. Perhaps next time Ms. DePalma and her editors would be well-advised to employ less editorial interludes and more time spent on instruction in their approach to writing a cookbook.



4. Gina DePalma's Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen collects a treasure trove of desserts and savories from Mario Batali's Babbo restaurant (The Babbo Cookbook) in NYC. There are several forewords, including one by Mario Batali himself and Colum Sheehan, wine director of Babbo. Gina's thorough introduction includes her own earliest memories of her Nonni's kitchen and growing up in a Italian-American family that still revolved around the Italian style of shopping and cooking. She includes a section called Learning Italian that covers various regions, DOP and IGP origins, a recommended reading list, ten Italian ingredients you should know (some will surprise you!), and a brief, effective section on equipment.
   
   The first section is devoted to Italian cookies and includes several almond-based cookies (almond fingers, chocolate kisses, mostaccioli), semolina cookies (lemony semolina cookies), polenta cookies, chestnut brownies, and several biscottis (almond, orange and anise, mosaic, polenta and sesame). Many are light and refreshing rather than the heavy, dense, cloyingly sweet desserts that Americans prefer, and the presence of polenta gives baked goods a rather toothsome crunch that will be unfamiliar to American palates.
   
   Cakes include several gems, including grappa-soaked mini sponge cakes, citrus-glazed polenta cake, chestnut spice cake with mascarpone cream, almond and raisin cake, chocolate and walnut torte from Capri, zucchini-olive oil cake with lemon crunch glaze, yogurt cheesecake with pine nut brittle, obsessive ricotta cheesecake filled with candied orange and lemon rind, and Venetian apple cake rich with honey, spices, and polenta. The Venetian apple cake had just the right touch of sweetness from the shredded apple and honey, and the almond cake from Abruzzo was a delightful blend of toasted almonds, semolina flour, chocolate, and Amaretto.
   
   Spoon Desserts consist of bonets, custards, bavarians, panna cotta, and zabaione, many of them savory additions such as pumpkin, fresh bay leaf custards, yogurt with caramel, aged balsamic, and pine nut brittle, and a lovely cool rhubarb soup with orange and mint fior di latte that is a refreshing start to a spring or summer dinner.
   
   My favorite section was the Tarts, a personal favorite of mine. Unusual choices included a fresh cranberry tart perfect for fall, a sour cherry custard tart very similar to a French clafoutis, a blueberry and coconut tart, the divine honey and pine nut tart (you can't convince me that this isn't what angels eat!), chocolate and polenta tart (obscenely good with a scoop of gelato), and fruit tarts (fig, lemon, apple crumb, hazelnut and grape).
   
   The next section sounded good, but lacking an ice cream maker, I was unable to try out any of the ice creams or sorbets. However, if/when I do purchase one, the fig and ricotta gelato, ginger honey gelato, and espresso cinnamon gelato are tops on my list.
   
   I don't eat fried foods, so I haven't had the chance to sample any of these firsthand. Fried treats include fritters (pumpkin, herbed goat cheese, lemon ricotta, apple), Florentine doughnuts with vanilla custard, Neapolitan doughnuts with warm chocolate sauce, and cream puffs.
   
   Ways with Fruit includes traditional fruit-and-alcohol combinations such as strawberries in Chianti, Balaton cherries with grappa and mascarpone, white peach and prosecco gelatina, honey-baked figs stuffed with walnuts, sweet apple omelet, and marmelades (Meyer lemon and spiced blood orange).
   
   Celebrations includes holiday dishes such as St. Joseph's Day cream puffs (served on the feast day of St. Joseph, March 19), Easter egg bread, sweet grape focaccia (served at the annual grape harvest), chocolate "salami" (relax, vegetarians, it's made out of chocolate and nuts and rolled in powdered sugar to look like casing!), panforte (a traditional fruit-and-nut-stuffed bread from Siena) and pandoro (sweet Christmas breads).
   
   The final chapter, Savory Bites, includes breadsticks, taralli (similar to pretzels), semolina and sesame crackers, calcioni, and cheese puffs (Gina includes notes on her favorite Italian cheeses).
   
   Dolce Italiano is an absolutely gorgeous cookbook that is unparalleled in terms of culinary technique, the quality of Gina's experiences in and out of various kitchens, and the delicious end results, whether sweet or savory. The only potential downside is difficulty in locating specific Italian ingredients such as millifiori honey, decent grappa, Piedmontese hazelnuts, fresh chestnuts and chestnut flour, fresh (not commercial) ricotta and mascarpone cheeses, "OO" flour, aged balsamic (although I've had luck at Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor, [...]) and Sicilian pistachios, although Gina includes a "Sources" section at the back of the book (that is, if you don't mind the expense of having your cheese overnighted from NYC!!).
   
   If you're a fan of Italian / Mediterranean cuisine, you owe it to yourself to add this to your collection, presto. This is a beautiful cookbook that will bring you hours of enjoyment as you discover traditional Italian desserts that combine sometimes unlikely pairings that result in taste bud-tickling creations that taste like something your Italian grandmother would have baked.



5. Great book...I now make a few of these desserts weekly at my lil cafe...the pinenut & honey tart WOW!! Obsessive Ricotta Cheesecake YUMMY! and the blueberry Coconut Tart SO GOOD!!
   gotta get this one folks...

5 comments about The Taste of Home Baking Book.

1. Haven't tried it yet. Looked through it and am drooling waiting for my wife to start making some of the goodies.



2. I bought the baking book for myself and found both my girls ages 15 and 17 love to use it too. It is so helpful, every page has tips and hints on how to make your recipe turn out perfect. I have now bought 2 more books for my neices wedding showers, great way to learn how or to improve your baking.



3. Another fantastic book in the Taste of Home cookbook line. I marked so many pages the first time thru we will have an easy, tastey, ingredients-on-hand baked good every night this year. Beautiful pictures, easy to follow recipes and a huge varieties of baked goods to choose from. From the beginner to the more experienced baker, a selection for all.



4. I can't wait to start baking - there are tons of wonerful recipes and helpful tips. I have so many recipes/pages marked to try.



5. I love this book! I am so happy that I decided to purchase it. It is very informative and has lots of great recipes.

5 comments about The Best 50 Crepe Recipes (Best 50).

1. The book was smaller in size then what I expected, but has a lot of recipes. It also has large font so it makes it easy to read. The recipes are wonderful and simple. There are a lot of basic instruction for simple crepes and different ways to make a basic crepe. Then they give you more diverse recipes to embellish on the simple styles.



2. There are many fine crepes in this book, but the best is still my Grandmother's.



3. This book was extremely helpfull in making the crepe maker a lot of fun with new recipes and inovative ways to use crepes. Thank you.



4. The Book 50 Best Crepe Recipes by Coleen Simmons was very interesting and
   informative. The variety of crepe recipes is great.



5. I thought this book concentrated on how to make to many different basic crepes rather that crepe recipes. I would of rather been given an assortment of crepe recipes using and assortment of ingredients.

5 comments about Pie: 300 Tried-and-True Recipes for Delicious Homemade Pie.

1. Finding a great pie anywhere is extremely difficult. In fact, it is rare that I would even ask for pie as a dessert choice because they are usually not very good. However, my hankering for pie reached a frenzy after watching the movie "Waitress".
   
   For those unfamiliar with that movie, its main character explains her feelings through coming up with creative pies. When the movie's credits began, my longing for pie took hold of me. I was convinced, after many attempts, that there was no really great pie out there, so I decided to make my own.
   
   After a great deal of research, I found this book. It is really outstanding. The writing is fun and easy to read. It is well organized and takes the stress out of baking a pie for a first timer like me. Ken makes it seem so simple that during the past month I have made over 20 pies, ranging from fruit to nut to cream pies. I took a class about baking pies, but it did not hold a candle to Ken's book.
   
   Those twenty pies have mostly been baked for other people. The joy a fresh baked pie gives to someone makes me feel like I am making a difference. People love getting homemade pies, so much so it almost brings them to tears. My husband's co-workers, people at the gym, employees at stores that I frequent, and neighbors have been the beneficiaries of most of them. The reviews have been outstanding! People have said that they are they best pies they've ever eaten. At first I thought they were just being nice, but those platitudes have come from non-pie lovers and even the most finicky eaters. People are so excited about getting pies that I just can't stop making them!
   
   I would like to say that the best place to get a great pie is my house. However, that sounds a little conceited and is not one hundred percent true. The truth is, if you want to have a great pie make one of your own using "Pie: 300 Tried and True Recipes for Delicious Home Made Pie". You will not be disappointed. The only problem is that you might not be able to eat pie at a restaurant again. On the bright side, you will always have something great to bring to a potluck, cook out or give as a gift. Pie really is the best desert out there. It combines all the best of creativity, complexity, and bakery goodness.
   
   Is it time to pity the pie? I think not. It is time to make pie! So "pie it forward"



2. For the first time in my life I am now making completely awesome pies FROM SCRATCH. I totally won my family's thanksgiving bake-off this past holiday season.
   
   Mmmmm, pie.



3. i like pie.
   
   this cookbook is an excellent resource vis-a-vis the aforementioned predilection.



4. Not exactly what I was looking for. If you like classic pies, nothing really out of the ordinary, then you'll love it.



5. So many excellent and easy-to-make recipes! The author guides you through the best ways to make each pie, and even gives you hints for making it special. Read each recipe all the way through because sometimes they may take longer than anticipated... but they ALL have come out great so far. (My friends want pie every time they see me now!)

5 comments about Baking Illustrated: A Best Recipe Classic (The Best Recipe Series).

1. That's how good it is! All the stuff that I've been trying to look for is all here! I just borrowed it from the library and kept renewing it over and over again. Hahaha!! I tried a bunch of recipes in this book. The carrot cake at first threw me off the loop. But, the second time I tried it, I whipped the eggs and sugars until it became light and fluffy and it came out perfect! I even added some chopped pineapple to it and chopped toasted pecans and it came out beautifully. To die for Sour cream fudge cake, the yummy lace cookies, and, oh my, the thick and chewy chocolate chip cookies!!!! I got to buy myself a copy of this book for sure!!!



2. This cookbook is fabulous if you love to bake. I can't think of one recipe I've wanted to try and wasn't able to find it in this book.
   The whole reason I bought this book is because a friend made homemade blueberry muffins from a recipe in this book and they were the best I've ever had.
   Another recipe I go back to at least once a month is for Buttermilk Biscuits. Delicious!
   There is lots of information other than recipes - guides and diagrams on how to do things (cut/slice, etc.), pictures, etc.
   This would be a great gift for anyone who loves to bake!



3. The Devil's Food cupcakes and Blueberry muffin recipe is the best I've ever made or purchased. If there are a few more recipes that turn out as well, this book is well worth it.



4. the person i bought this for loved it
   i hand delivered it to Shanghai China for their use there



5. This book has probably the most recipes that I use over and over again. I know that many true "pastry chefs" cringe at the thought of America's Test Kitchen because of their non-traditional methods and/or ingredients, but it always ends up coming down to one thing for me - their recipes work. They are reproducible and have been lab tested for a taste and texture that mostly I agree with. I don't need a 3 star Michelin chef telling me what's good - good pastry is what tastes good to me.
   
   I admit though that some of the recipes go against the grain of traditional baking. Example, they insist that key lime pie tastes better when made from regular limes and not key limes - something considered sacrilege. I also have to agree that their tasting panel's determination as to what tastes good can be skewed at times and not necessarily accurate to what you may think is good. I have always been able to tweak the recipes to adjust for my tastes, so I didn't find this too much of a problem.

5 comments about Pop It in the Toaster Oven: From Entrees to Desserts, More Than 250 Delectable, Healthy, and Convenient Recipes.

1. I have found this book to have tremendous recipes, and most are low fat. Everything I have tried works to perfection. My only complaint, is the pan sizes are not real. Like many recipes call for an 81/2x81/2x4 one quart dish. There is no such dish.



2. Very Satisfied with this book. It was what I was looking for. Thank You. Bo



3. This book is perfect.
   
   The recipes are concise, have many to choose from and always are developed with your health in mind.
   
   The author also shares some insight to how, where and when the recipes were created.
   
   Congratulations Lois on a wonderful book!



4. not quite what i thought it would be ,, but it will be ok



5. I like this book because it gave me some great ideas on what to do with my toaster oven, and there are many different things I can do with it, that I hadn't thought about. I will probably not make the low fat versions of many of the recipes, since that isn't the way we eat, but there are some terrific ideas in here. I like it that she shows us what is possible with the toaster oven and how to get the results you want. It has made me value my new "toy" more than ever. There are some recipes that I will make as is; the main dishes and sides look good to me, and there were several that I thought sounded excellent. We don't eat a lot of desserts, so that section didn't interest me, especially since it was low fat. We stopped dieting and started eating healthfully, watching portion sizes and eating a variety of foods. The weight comes off if you are intelligent and thoughtful about your choices. You can eat anything you want, within reason. You don't need to do low fat or low carb or any other low thing out there! All in all, a handy little book, and a good resource. I am also buying a cookbook for convecton cooking since my toaster oven has a nice convection feature, and this book really didn't go into that.

5 comments about The Ultimate Ice Cream Book: Over 500 Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, Drinks, And More.

1. The self-proclaimed "Ultimate Ice Cream Book" is stated to contain over 500 recipes for ice cream, sherbert, sorbet, granita, drinks and more, but this number is extremely misleading; there are really several basic bases (chocolate, vanilla, various fruits) with extensive lists of flavor variations.
   
   As other reviewers have pointed out, it feels like the book was largely padded by large sections of cut-and-paste text; each recipe repeats the same basic instructions ad nauseam, and the simple line-drawing graphics repeat themselves as well. Many of the "flavor variations" overlap with other recipes: for example, there is a cherry chocolate nut listed under Philadelphia-style cherry ice cream, and separate entries for chocolate cherry ice cream and chocolate cherry cordial ice cream, a cherry chocolate malt, etc. that are simply variations of the same basic recipe. For example, the marmalade ice cream recipe lists seven variations, all of which contain "use (fruit) jam and (fruit)liqueur or (fruit) syrup. Is that really worth its own page?
   
   Most of the ice creams are French, or custard, style and contain eggs, although there are several Philadelphia-style ice creams that rely on cream and sugar, not eggs, though they are less rich. If you were hoping for gelato, you'll have to look elsewhere. Dolce Italiano: Desserts from the Babbo Kitchen has an entire chapter devoted to gelato, sorbetto and semifreddo.
   
   Also, some of the flavor combinations verged on the improbable side for my taste buds: butter fruitcake? Corn? Cashew and red pepper? Chestnut and candied fruit? Cinnamon basil? Hmm. These aren't something I'd make on a regular basis. However, other variations such as cinnamon harvest (cinnamon ice cream with granola, raisins, and nutmeg), mango ginger, and rum raisin sounded promising.
   
   The selection of sorbets and granitas included unusual veggie ideas such as beet, carrot, cucumber, and tomato that would make a perfect first course on a hot summer's day. Also included are suggested toppings (various nut and fudge sauces) and making your own cones and meringue shells.
   
   I had to wonder if some of the recipes were actually tested; for example, the Irish ice cream recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups Irish cream, along with 1/2 cup Amaretto in one of the variations. Given, you're reducing the liqueur to aboout 3/4 cup, but alcohol tampers with the freezing point of ice cream and will affect the way your ice cream hardens (or not). Other recipes called for crumbled toasted waffles and crumbled baked pie crust -- wouldn't that turn into a soggy mass at some point? And as others have mentioned, Weinstein uses flour, cornstarch and corn syrup as stabilizers/thickeners in many recipes. Ick. If I wanted unnecessary ingredients, I'd just buy store-bought. Propylene Glycol Monostearate and carrageenan, anyone?
   
   But overall, this is a good basic starting point if you're brand-new to ice cream making. You can also find numerous free recipes online at sites like Allrecipes (user-rated recipes). Final verdict: worth a look, but feels overpriced. Be sure to check out Williams-Sonoma Collection: Ice Cream (Williams-Sonoma Collection (New York, N.Y.).), Ben & Jerry's Homemade Ice Cream & Dessert Book and Perfect Scoop: Ice Creams, Sorbets, Granitas, and Sweet Accompaniments to round out your collection.



2. I think others have covered the content well, it's basically a gigantic book of delicious recipies, common and not so common, that will give you a lot of ideas to use with your ice cream maker. The aim of my review is to add some info specifically for those Kindle users out there.
   
   The problem with the Kindle version is the table of contents is limited to the very high level chapter headings. So you can easily go right to the main chapters: Ice Cream Cones, Ice Cream, Sorbet, etc. but not to a particular recipe like Vanilla Ice Cream. Doing a search on Vanilla Ice Cream brings back 86 results, 15 pages on the Knidle, so that's not super efficient. A search on the word Vanilla brings back 244 results since vanilla is used in so many recipes. It's a little better for less common flavors, coffee ice cream, for example, only returns 37 results. There is a "Searchable Terms" chapter but unfortunately the terms listed are not links, just an unclickable list of terms. So while it's not totally unusable on a Kindle a little work on the table of contents or index would make a huge improvement.



3. Enjoyed this book well worth having in your kitchen.It covered so much more then just making ice cream.Lots of fun testing new recipes and the variations. THANKS



4. The recipes in the book are interesting, but the Kindle edition is missing the list of ingredient with their quintiles that one would need to make any of the recipes. A glitch perhaps?



5. This book has the widest selection of good standard recipes, as well as new imaginative ones, including frozen yogurt. I highly recommend it.

5 comments about 500 Cupcakes: The Only Cupcake Compendium You'll Ever Need.

1. I too, was like most others thinking.. omg the only cupcake book I will EVER need! BIG FAT JOKE! The cupcakes do not taste good! They are mediocre at best
   
   This book, while having many varieties does not have 500 completely different recipes. The cupcake recipes are mostly all the same with some minor changes, adding chocolate, or vanilla.
   
   The book should really advertise as 500 frostings, because that is the only thing that consistently changes.



2. I bought this book over a year ago, thrilled at the thought of 500 cupcake recipes. I'd read the reviews which stated there were a lot of muffin recipes, but I was ok with that- they're not cupcakes, but I do like a good muffin now and then. There are some great ideas in this book, with a lot of flavor combinations that I never would have thought of.
   
   However, my gripe with the book is that I have yet to have a recipe turn out well. They are almost always dry and tasteless. I have been baking for many years, especially cupcakes, so I know my technique is not the issue. I haven't yet nailed down what the problem with the recipes is, but I wouldn't recommend this book to anyone, unless you're just looking for some inspiration.



3. I am very disappointed in this book. I was looking for a book with lots of cupcake recipes. The last 90 pages of this book are muffins. I don't know about you but in my book, muffins and cupcakes are entirely two different items. Then, for each recipe, they have three variations of the recipe and will call that four different cupcake recipes. Any idiot can do the variations. They are simple as if you want lemon cupcakes, substitute the vanilla extract for lemon juice. If you want walnut cupcakes, substitute the pecans for walnuts.
   
   I haven't counted them but I bet there aren't a dozen different cupcake reciples in the entire book. The only thing that makes them different is the way they are iced or decorated. The cupcake is basically the same recipe and using self rising flour at that. There are not nearly as many pictures as I would like to see which makes some of the decorating instructions hard to visualize.
   
   It is a pretty little book and the pictures that are there look wonderful but the title of the book should be how to ice and decorate 75 different cupcakes, not advertise as being 500 recipes.



4. This is a very attractive cookbook. The photos of the cupcakes and muffins are breathtaking and have really inspired me over the past few months to adapt my own time-tested recipes to create new things. Past that, though, the book's usefulness has run out.
   
   I don't have a problem with the fact that the recipes are largely variations on theme, or that not all 500 are "true cupcakes." My problem lies in the recipes' inaccuracies. Due to the lack of milk, the batters have consistencies closer to scones than real cupcakes, and when a recipe tells me the yield is "one half dozen" I shouldn't end up with twelve. Two cups of flour, a cup and a half of zucchini and a half cup of olive oil is way too much for six muffins, unless you're using a giant muffin pan, and those weren't even mentioned. These little problems make me wonder if the recipes were even tested at all.
   
   Use the book for inspiration, but stick to your own trusted recipes.



5. The Good:
   - The variations are clever- and often inspire me to new and delicious ideas!
   
   - There are lots of pictures and cute, simple decorating ideas.
   
   - There really is something for every occasion and every person- A section for gluten free, sugar free, and some that can easily be made vegan.
   
   
   What you should know:
   
   - Maybe half of the recipes are "sweet" treats, the rest are more in the muffin category (but really- who doesn't love amazing muffins?)
   
   - The instructions are a little vague, unless you are familiar with baking (As in- don't just dump it all together like the directions indicate- cream the butter and sugar first, and put the eggs in last so you don't over beat them)
   
   
   The Bad:
   
   -The book is small and bulky, so it's often difficult to keep it open to the right page if you don't have a book stand.
   
   - And now I can't seem to find enough occasions to bake for! Hahaha
   
   
   Overall:
   Fantastic and fun book, I would certainly buy it again!

5 comments about A Passion for Baking.

1. I tried a few muffin and cake recipes in this book, and they are the best! Easy to make, good tips, and great taste!
   
   I own a few baking books, so far, this one have the best and easiest muffin recipes. I just hand mix everything, it's fast and ready in an hour.
   
   My husband bring them to his coworker and everyone said these are the best muffin they ever have.



2. Marcy Goldman, is by far, the best cookbook author on the planet as far as I am concerned. Having made every single recipe in her Jewish Holiday Baking Book, I could hardly wait for this book to arrive. It is fabulous. At first, I thought, hum...I'm not really into baking bread...I AM NOW!! Marcy's writing style makes you feel like you are one of her best friends and the recipes are amazing. I have made several of the recipes already, and absolutely will go through the entire book and make each and every recipe just like I did with her other book.
   Buy this book. Try these recipes. It makes you feel good to bake them, and makes you feel really good when people eat them.
   
   Rhonda, CT
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   



3. I received this book as a Christmas gift from my mom. She knows I love to bake and had heard great things about this cookbook. This book is wonderful for the baker. The recipes are easy to follow and there is something in there for all levels of experience. I definitely recommend this book.



4. This is a great cookbook for someone who likes to bake and has already mastered the basics. The recipes are not difficult and the directions are clear and easy to follow - but you won't find the old standards here. I find myself pulling out this book when I want to make something a little different or special. Maybe a dessert for company, a coffee cake for a Sunday treat, or some cookies to take to a friend. Every recipe I have tried has worked, not a surprise. One of Goldman's other cookbooks, A Treasury of Jewish Holiday Baking is one I use frequently. I often make pizza at home and her recipe from A Passion for Baking is the best I have ever tried. The technique is a little different but produces an amazing homemade pizza. The cheesecake recipes are also fantastic, the lemon meringue one is delicious. There's a good variety, cakes, muffins, cookies, bread and of course, the pizza. There's a lot of creativity in her recipes and in her techniques. Nothing earth-shattering or crazy, it's home baking but perfect for someone who likes to try something a little different.



5. They may have corrected this recipe for subsequent editions but let me tell you about the recipe in the first edition. Let's see what's wrong with this recipe.
   
   Recipe says "roll dough to 3/4 inch thickness". Picture indicates a much thinner cookie roll-out. I'll bet they're supposed to be 1/4 inch.
   
   Headnote says " makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies". You might get 2 dozen out of this recipe if you make the cookies a little thinner.

5 comments about The Sweet Melissa Baking Book: Recipes from the Beloved Bakery for Everyone's Favorite Treats.

1. Oh, I cannot tell you enough how much I am enjoying "The Sweet Melissa Baking Book". Especially, The Chocolate Malted Layer Cake ...oh does it live up to its name. It has a whole cup of malted milk powder in the frosting. I could have ate the icing with a spoon and then died utterly content. The cake is moist, tender and absolutely chocolate-y. Paired together, it's a too die for combination.
   
   There are a myriad of recipes in the book that I want try. So many recipes, so little post-its. Yes, the book is under attack by post-its. Almost every single recipe has a post-it on it to remind me "I must try this soon".
   
   There are over a 100 recipes in the book! The book is divided into six chapters: dessert for breakfast, after school snacks, birthday, and gifts and so on. The recipes are written in a manner that allows one to "set-up" their "mise en place". Melissa even offers "pro-tips" which I found extremely helpful. Simply a great book packed full of recipes and tips that can only lead to stunning delicious desserts.



2. As a devotee of the madeleines at Sweet Melissa, I was excited to try her recipe from The Sweet Melissa Baking Book. I'm not someone who just happens to have things like madeleine molds or hazelnuts just laying around the house. Nor am I a gifted separator of egg whites or recipe follower. However, after two hours of refrigeration and fifteen minutes in the oven, 24 perfect chestnut honey madeleines lay cooling on my kitchen counter. Moist, sweet, and perfect for dusting with sugar. Though my version was not quite as good as the one Melissa makes in her bakery, I place the blame squarely on my shoulders. Her recipe was clear and easy, and the madeleines were believably baked by a pro.
   This is my first (only) dessert cookbook, and I don't think I'll need another.



3. Visually lovely book enhances the reading of some delicious recipe treasures that Miss Murphy shares with the reader. Her anecdotes of childhood memories make for pleasant and heartwarming reading. The coconut custard pie is one of the best I've ever made. I had the pleasure of buying and giving the book to several women in my family.



4. I love this book! Melissa is gifted and I appreciate her sharing these lovely recipes. As far as dessert books go, it is kind of humble--no lavish photography--but the straightforward recipes make up for it. I have a ton of great dessert books causing my kitchen and sunroom bookshelves to buckle, but could not resist adding this one when I read about it online. I received it on Thursday and by today (Monday), I have made the banana bread and the chocolate sour-cherry cookies. Both are fabulous. (BTW, Melissa is right, the blacker the banana, the better.) My husband is diabetic (a great irony for a sweets lover and baker like me), so i cut down the sugar in the banana bread to 1/4 cup......it is just so delicious. I used blood oranges for the fresh orange juice the recipe calls for. The chocolate cookies are my favorite kind of recipe--rich, chocolate and shaped into logs that can be kept in the freezer. On schoolday mornings,I can bake one or two for my daughter's lunch--as I did today. (She is in seventh grade.) I cannot wait to try the black-bottom brownies and the espresso cheesecake. Yum!!!



5. On first glance, this book is a slightly smaller than the average
   glossy cookbook, you know the kind - almost ready to feature as
   a coffee table book, rather than a cookbook that goes on your shelf.
   
   That kind of cookbook has really become a standard trend.
   
   Unlike allot of other cookbooks, The Sweet Melissa Baking Book gets right to the point. There is no lengthy forward, just a few pages mentioning Melissa Murphy's schooling and where she has gotten her restaurant experience.
   
   She explains her love of baking and why she bakes certain items at her bake shop - Sweet Melissa Patissarie in New York, which has been going strong for 10 yrs .
   
   Reading the forward is enough to make you love this cookbook even more. The forward really sets the tone, and you began to see Melissa's thoughtfulness shine through in each and every recipe she features in this book. The recipes are all easy to follow and have detailed instructions from the procedure, through baking of the final product.
   
   When it comes to cookbooks the trend is to have a glossy full size picture on every other page. This sometimes can deter the purpose of a cookbook - to showcase the recipe it's self. The Sweet Melissa Baking Book is mainly recipes, with a short insert of assorted glossy pictures, but the pictures in noway detract from the main purpose of this cookbook.
   
   As for skill level, I would say that this book is great for all skill levels --- just pack a love of baking and an attention to details, so your recipes will come out just as yummy as they sound in this book.
   
   As you start to delve into the contents, you will notice throughout the book Melissa offers her commentary with personal antidotes on how she feels about the baked goods, she features in each chapter. Also throughout the book there are special notations with instructions to "do it like the pros".
   
   My favorite recipes from this book include: Hot Pepper Muffins with Orange Maple Butter ; Guinness Gingerbread; and Raised Waffles with warm brown sugar bananas,Pear Cranberry Pie with Ginger Snap Crust, Strawberry-Ruby Grapefruit preserves.
   
   I think that The Sweet Melissa Baking Book is a purchase well spent. It will become a favorite addition to any cookbook or baking library.