Baking Well

     When you open a baking cookbook, you can expect a few things: a table of contents, recipes, and pictures of the finished products. But what separates a mediocre baking book from a well-constructed one? I will identify three different aspects that set the excellent book apart from the mundane, using examples from the Williams-Sonama Essentials of Baking.

Photo Cred: barnesandnoble.com

     Baking is a science, and not an art. Cooking can be successful with the “a pinch of this, a dash of that” mentality, but baking cannot. Each recipe has its own precise measurements and exact ingredients, and a good baking book will explain what each of these are. The first 25 pages of Essentials of Baking are devoted to educating readers about the proper equipment, ingredients, measures, and techniques they will need to be a successful baker. For example, pages 14 and 15 are devoted entirely to flour—explaining the different varieties and origins-- and what kind of baking each type is best suited for. Before happening upon the first recipe, the reader has learned some of the essential scientific principles behind baking.

     The next aspect that makes for an excellent baking book is how the recipes are written. Often, when consulting a baking book, one finds a crowded page with several recipes, each with a list of ingredients, and a brief set of instructions. This is not the case with Essentials of Baking. Each page is devoted to just one recipe, where the list of ingredients is accompanied by detailed instructions, usually with options to mix by hand or machine; the instructions often have a page number-reference for more detailed explanations of techniques.  The instructions are supplemented by beautiful pictures that illustrate difficult processes step-by-step. In addition to all of this, each recipe has a note with tips for each recipe, and different ways the finished product can be used.

     Organization is indispensable in the formation of a good baking book.  Finding the right recipe in a lesser baking book can be frustrating, especially when the index is over-complicated by categories and chapters. Essentials of Baking has a table of contents with its recipes broken into categories for casual browsing, but its index is simply alphabetical. This allows the reader to quickly locate a specific recipe, even if they are unclear on whether it belongs with “Pies and Tarts” or “Pastries.” In addition, the baking book features a glossary, allowing the reader to find a quick explanation of an unfamiliar ingredient or technique.

     Many people have tried and failed at baking. Often the fault lies not in the baker, but in the book they are using. Lab manuals break down complicated scientific concepts into manageable chunks for science students—a good baking book must do the same for a baker. With ingredients, techniques, and tools explained, clearly written and illustrated recipes, and good organization, a baking book can turn a novice into a pro.

Burgett, Cathy, Elinor Klivans, and Lou Seibert. Pappas. Essentials of Baking: Recipes and Techniques for Successful Home Baking. United States: Oxmoor House, 2003. Print