Fellow cookbook fans know that this time of year can’t be beat as publishers release a tsunami of books hoping to land a spot on kitchen bookshelves and holiday gift lists.
While we’ve been immersed in books on fresh pasta, soups, appetizers and sauces and learning about culinary cultures throughout the world, our sweet tooth has us turning to a trio of new baking books again and again.
Stock up on butter, put on the coffee and sink in to these delicious offerings.
Out this week, Dorie Greenspan’s “Dorie’s Anytime Cakes” (Harvest, $35) is the award-winning author’s 15th book, one she considers a love letter to simple cakes. The chapters are helpfully categorized by cake type — round, loaf, small cake, etc. — with one dedicated to frostings, fillings and other flourishes that take a cake from simple to splashy when warranted or desired. The expert “getting started” advice ensures novice bakers will be successful, while the more than 100 recipes appeal to bakers of all skill levels and tastes — even those who don’t like sweets. Many of the recipes conjure treasured memories for Greenspan, so be sure to read the notes. In addition to getting a new recipe, you’ll feel like you’re gaining a friend, too. The whimsical photo illustrations from Nancy Pappas are a delight, but if you’re a baker who relies on photos for direction, you won’t always find it.
Recipes to try: Baked-in-a-Skillet Gingerbread (below) and Old-Fashioned Marble Cake, because marble cake is the best of both cake worlds.
Fans of the “Great British Baking Show” know Paul Hollywood, but might forget that the charming judge in the tent is also a world-renowned baker and bestselling author. His latest book is “Celebrate: Joyful Baking All Year Round” (Bloomsbury, $40), and the name is very appropriate. The book has chapters by the season, with cakes and party bakes getting separate billing. In addition to stellar recipes for drip cakes, mojito cupcakes and the like, you’ll also find savory fare like empanadas, gorditas and a sausage braid. But a favorite part of the book is Hollywood’s introduction, where he urges us to celebrate the seasons, celebrate other cultures and celebrate each other. A great lesson, even if there weren’t bakes to accompany it.
Recipes to try: Pear Bakewell Tart (below) and Chocolate Fudge Cake. Everyone should have a go-to chocolate cake recipe, and this can yours.
David Lebovitz has just released “Ready For Dessert, Revised,” which revisits the pastry chef’s bestselling book from 2010 but with updated recipes, new recipes and stunning new photography (Ten Speed Press, $37.99). The wide-ranging book, with nearly 175 recipes, goes beyond traditional baking and into custards, souffles, candies, preserves and frozen desserts, making it a well-rounded tome for lovers of all things sweet. It, too, has a robust primer, from ingredients to techniques and equipment (he never bakes without a bench scraper in reach). Of course the recipes are the main attraction — we’ve earmarked too many to count — but Lebovitz’s humor, stories and writing style are just as appealing.
