Baking Illustrated book giveaway
I think beginners are always intimidated by baking because of the warnings attached to this genre of kitchen-ness regarding precision.
I’m going to come out and admit that I’m an imprecise baker. I scoop in my measuring cups and often don’t finger sweep. I pour and pinch to my inaccurate-heart’s desire. I’ve only started writing down modifications and deviations since things started going so well gastronomically and people asked for the recipe. Granted I’ve taken much from Harold McGee’s brilliant oeuvre and made a point to understand why things will work or not work.
My kitchen journal is my go-to resource for remembering the trials, errors and mostly delicious successes that have happened in my oven. While I don’t make particularly finicky things that are likely the reason for all the precision-mongering, I think even you naysayers can learn to bake a slew of things without fears of failure harassing you along the way. Breads, muffins, pies and cookies have been forgiving to my speculative ventures.
The awesome folks over at America’s Test Kitchen have offered up a few books from their well-stocked library for me to give to you, my dear readers! I’m starting with one of my personal, all-time fave kitchen resource books.
What I love most about this book are the great illustrations and photos of wrong vs. right. I know ‘Illustrated’ is the title of the book and all, but seriously, what beginners need the most are visuals, if not a hands-on tutorial. This book is full of great input for whatever projects you dare undertake, plus fab tips and tricks to ensure success.
Enter to win a free copy for your kitchen bookshelf by leaving a comment on this post by midnight EST Thursday, April 7 answering the following question: What baking project(s) intimidates you the most?
Per shipping restrictions at ATK, we must extend this giveaway opportunity to US residents only (sorry my fine foreign friends)! One winner will be selected via Random.org on Friday April 8. If you don’t leave your email address in the little box that asks for it on the comment form, I’ll skip you and grant it to the next randomly-generated winner.
Kate
Thanks everyone for entering! Congrats to lucky number 98, Jen of Georgetown, TN.
Reader Comments (163)
PIe crust! And yeast recipes but I've gotten better at it. Practice does make perfect and I'm trying to bake yeasty goodies as much as possible.
Meringues--I can never get them puffy enough.
Anything with yeast still scares me although I have been attempting it more.
puff pastry and croissants.
Meringues and puffed pastry items from scratch
I'm most intimidated by piecrust and something complicated like buche de Noel or struffoli.
I think I am most intimidated by brazo de mercedes, a filipino jelly roll style cake w/ a custard filling and a sheet of meringue
. I've made it 2x and while it was delicious, the structure was a failure.
ever since i was a wee one and received my very first cookbook, i've been intimidated by baked alaska. i just don't quite understand it and i've never even tried!
I love everything to do with Cook's Illustrated, and I love baking. Perfect combination! The baking project that intimidates me most would have to be making a pie crust. I still haven't worked up the courage...
Pie crust
I've tried to make croissants several times, but never seem to be able to get them to work. I have these dreams of baking crispy fresh pastries and can't seem to make it work in real life.
Wheat bread. Always turns into a brick :)
Sourdough bread! I love to bake bread and I'm pretty good at it but making a sourdough starter has me shaking in my sandals. Does the book address this subject at all. I love the precise recipes and instructions from Cooks Illustrated. I'm thinking that if they do sourdough bread in that book, I'll need to pick it up even if I don't win.
Best!
Melissa
Souffles definitely! Afraid they'll deflate :(
Working w/phyllo dough makes me nervous. I tried once and all the layers ended up sticking together before i had a chance to assemble the dish.
Hey :) I want to make croissants. But it seems very detailed and scary.
Sharon :)
I have to bake GF, dairy, soy and nut free but NOT egg-free and I am having a hard time converting recipes either that are super-allergy friendly- that are all 8 top allergen free- or are GF & non-GF recipes to be allergy-free. I don't understand the science of baking period.
cheeeesecakes!!! :/
Breads! It's probably because I'm too impatient to do everything by the book. :/
Several people have mentioned souffles and I'd have to agree. Everything has to be PERFECT, and I might measure properly when baking but I'm not perfect!
the fear of:
egg whites not stiffening
dough not rising
custard not setting
very intimidating indeed.
Cookies terrify me. The challenge of equally measuring portions and evenly baking a few dozen little treats is quite intimidating. I imagine baking dozens, and ending up with only 5 or 6 good enough to share. Perfectly browned is not just a color, it's also where the yum comes from.
Oh, I am obsessed with Cook's Illustrated in general and would really put this book to good use!
I love to cook, but I'm not great at baking. I make yeast breads by using the bread machine to mix and knead, then bake it in the oven. And I am lousy at pie crusts!
I am so scared to even try to make Vegan Baked Alaska!