Any Baking Enthusiasts?

LaughingWater

LaughingWater

Cathlete
I've always enjoyed baking, but lately I've been wanting to ramp things up a bit...learn to properly make French bread, maybe a sourdough loaf. I've been practicing sweet breads too.

Anyone have a favorite book or two to recommend? I just registered over at Baking911 because I need (ha...knead) to figure out why my latest bread is as dense as a brick. :p Any type of baking is welcome, from cookies to croissants. Well, I'm not quite ready for croissants yet, but I can read about it and dream. :eek:

In addition, do you have a favored site from which to order fun baking stuff? Favorite tools of the trade?

Thanks!
 
Lori, you need the baking expertise of our resident baker in the clean and tidy check-in, chefkate. She is an amazing baker and has loads of recipes. Be forwarned-she is an enabler!;)
 
klaudia! you are too sweet!

lori, i get the bulk of my recipes from cookscountry.com and cooksillustrated.com. you do have to pay to access their recipes but its not much - like $10 each site - and it is well worth it. i subscribe to their mags as well.

a MUST purchase is the tramontina dutch oven. LOVE this thing!
and my cuisinart food processor - a massive one and a mini-prep.
and i have 2 kitchenaid stand mixers:eek::eek::eek: - a regular one and a beast:D

i bake and cook A LOT. at least 1 new recipe everyday. keeps us from getting bored at meal time!

a fun website is foodgawker.com. be warned tho - not all recipes are good ones! thats why i like the cooks ones i mentioned above - they test each recipe exhaustingly and really explain the science behind the recipe, without being boring about it. they'll make a loaf of bread 100x to make it perfect. ive never had a cooks recipe turn out bad.

have fun!:D:D:D
 
I just have to second the recommended sites for all things Cooks Illustrated (America's Test Kitchen)!!! I love their sites, their magazines, their podcasts!!! I have learned sooo much from them in all areas of cooking, baking, storage, gadgets, machines etc.... :D:D Love them!
 
ooohhhh.....I love to bake!!!!! You have to get "The Bread Bible" "The Cake Bible"(both by Rose Barambaum (sp?) "Rosie's Chocolate Packed, Jam Filled, Butter Rich, No-Holds-Barred Cookie Book" "The Martha Stewart Baking Book" "The Chicago Tribune Cookbook" and the one with the blue cover is my fave, but I can't recall the name. Damn!! I'm at work at its at home. I have a killer french bread recipe, I'll have to remember to find it, and post it when I get home.

Nan
 
I'm subscribed to Fine Cooking, which is associated with Cook's Illustrated. I love to bake, but rarely do it because I live alone. I'd have to eat it all myself. With that said, I do freezable stuff, because then I can eat it over time. I love to do pies. I want to do real bread more often - I just bought the stuff to do so. Now I just have to do it!!
 
I don't bake -- I really SUCK at it -- but if you want a creamy risotto or the perfect pot roast, I'm your girl. :p

I just wanted to chime in on the discussion about Cook's Illustrated. I've subscribed to the magazine since the beginning and I can't recommend it highly enough. It's loaded with tips and tricks and truly great recipes. Be warned, that does not mean "healthy" recipes, although some are, and you can always make them healthy ;). It' not just for baking, but their recipes for cakes and cookies are about the best I've tasted.

Another GREAT site is King Arthur Flour. I buy all my flour from them and a few other goods as well. You can probably get the flour at your local market. http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop...arthur+flour&gclid=CKya8O65gpoCFUpM5QodezikFg
 
*rubs hands together* Eeeeexcellent. I knew I'd get some good leads here.

I've been managing for years without a stand mixer or a food processor, though that may change the more I get into this. I'm hoping to hold off as long as I can. :D
 
oh, lori! you need both of those toys! pronto! i use both of mine almost daily! probably why i need to do cathe daily!:p
 
LaughingWater said:
*rubs hands together* Eeeeexcellent. I knew I'd get some good leads here.

I've been managing for years without a stand mixer or a food processor, though that may change the more I get into this. I'm hoping to hold off as long as I can. :D
Click to expand...

Ya gotta have a good stand mixer. I had a food processor once, it was a Xmas gift. I used it once, it was a pain to clean out. It collected dust in the basement for awhile, now I have no idea where it is. I work best with a knife and a cutting board, or a box grater. Hell, or even a ziplock and rolling/whacking pin for crushed things. Use my hands to mix pie crust, etc. A food processor isn't necassary.

I also don't make my bread in a mixer w/ the dough hook. I just use a wooden spoon and a big bowl, then switch to my hands. Its more fun, and the texture comes out better. Its a good forearm workout, too. I had a bread machine once, it was fun, but by hand is better. I would suggest starting with plain white bread, its the easiest and you can perfect your technique with that. If you don't eat white bread (I don't) then give it away.

For cookie and cake baking, you are also going to need parchment paper, its makes life so much easier. No sticky business. Also, calories be damned, I always use real butter, it just tastes so much better, and the texture is better.

Most things are fixable in a bowl with a spoon or whisk, but for cake and thick cookie dough, the stand mixer is a gotta have. Also for frosting/icing (none of us here eat frosting, right?:p) And fudge. And egg whites for meringues. And English Muffins, ya gotta have a mixer to make English Muffins. Yum!!!

Now I am hungry, gotta get off this topic!

Nan

PS. For yeast, don't use the rapid rise stuff, unless the recipe specifically calls for it. Use the normal active dry yeast. The rapid rise makes the texture a bit wonky.
 
I am by no means an expert baker. I enjoy the Magnolia Bakery cookbooks (I think one is "Magnolia Bakery" and the other is "More from Magnolia Bakery"). I like the simple old-fashioned recipes without a ton of exotic ingredients and I second the parchment paper suggestion. I would also suggest different sizes of ice cream scoops for making the same sized and evenly baked cookies and muffins, too :)
 
To learn to bake bread - whole grain everything, and the best homemaking info, try my friend's site, joyoushome.com.
 
The book " A passion for Baking" by Mary Goldman is a great book.
It even has a recipe for a sour dough starter. It is a book I go to often for baking and I am not bale to do as much as I would like to do so it keeps me educated.
Rachel
 
I would like to add that everything I have ever tried from veganyumyum has ruled. Very reliable source for creative recipes.
 
The blue bread book...

That never leaves the cookbook stand on my counter

"Bread, from Sourdough to Rye" by Linda Collister

Also, for baking, always use the best ingredients you can afford and find. No cheap chocolate, please. Blech!!!

Nan
 
youve got plenty of website and book recs already so i wont add to that. i think if you are getting serious about baking you will def need that stand mixer! im about to buy one FINALLY. since buying a place with a kitchen i can really work in, i have been baking up a storm the last 2 years and the hand mixer is a total PIA... i do have a processor and dont use it much for baking but use it for a million other things, so get one of those, too, if you can =)

happy baking!

wendy
 
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