How to Bake Everything: Simple Recipes for the Best Baking: A Baking Recipe Cookbook (How to Cook Everything Series 7)

I hardly have words. Mark Bittman just writes really useful cookbooks with really good recipes to make really good food that can be simple or even a bit fancy but that's never stuffy and never too taxing to prepare, assuming you're interested in cooking real food that doesn't come from cans. I'm a capable cook, not a chef, and I nearly always have every ingredient he calls for already in my kitchen or can find it easily in the local supermarket (read: wallet-busting trip to Whole Foods not required). His approach is straightforward, and he offers many variations. There are immensely helpful lists and charts. These are books for the nuts and bolts of cooking and baking with some extra gears for entertaining company. Satisfying and delicious food. Enough writing to be an enjoyable read but not too much. I began with "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" and did not hesitate to purchase "How to Bake Everything." I'm sure I'll add "How to Cook Everything" eventually. I haven't had much time with "Baking" yet, but clearly it offers content similar in quality and variety to "Vegetarian." I've noticed a little overlap--pizza dough, for example--but not much, only where needed. I own three editions of Joy of Cooking and have always been a die-hard fan of them for basic recipes and techniques, as well as for elaborate holiday things and whatnot, but I've hardly looked at them in recent years. Mark Bittman cooks the way I'm cooking these days--more simply, more directly. That said, I will note that occasionally Mr. Bittman does seem to assume a certain basic level of cooking knowledge, or perhaps he seeks a willingness to trust. Some nervous, beginning cooks expecting a description of each bubble in the boiling pot might be left wondering at times, but I would encourage them to muster some courage and forge ahead to see where Mr. BIttman leads them. Those with just a little time in the kitchen, enough time to become curious, and more experienced cooks will have a grand journey. These are, after all, "How to" books, and the author certainly does deliver. Highly recommended.

This is a cook book for people like me, who can't help tweaking recipes. Mark Bittman, like in his other books, has recipes with multitude suggestions for personalizing the baked goodies. This was the Bittman weekend at my house. Here are the recipes I've tried, with my thoughts on the final items. Banana Bread. Easy recipe, no problems. I gave the bread 4.5/5. It was a bit too sweet for my taste (maybe the bananas were extra sugary?), but I am biased. I've used an awesome recipe for years that contains sour cream, and Bittman's recipe doesn't. His was a bit firmer than mine, but then again, that's a matter of preference. Pumpkin pie. That's 2 recipes, the flaky crust (good -- though I might've gotten carried away and over processed it a bit, but it held up fine). The pie could have used more spices, but the texture and mouth-feel were excellent. Definitely beats store bought! Popovers. I got six giant ones baked in a large size popover pan (recipe for 12 small). Excellent! And then for the holy grail. Brownies. I've spent my life searching for the perfect one...This might be it. He uses cocoa, not chocolate, but I did add the bonus chocolate chunks, one of the optional tweaks he recommended. Soft, fudgy, chocolatey, gooey.... next attempt will be with Valrohna instead of Hershey's, and I'll know for sure if I the search is over! I agree with the reviewers who commented on the lack of measurements in weights. I was miffed when a recipe read to use a "stick" of butter, and I had Plugra brand, that's 8 oz, while the usual stick in the US is 4oz, one of four in the package. I played safe and used 4oz of it, and the recipe worked. I suspect the lack of weight measurements may be a carry-over from his cooking books, but baking needs to be more exact, and the oversight is almost inexcusable. So, I'm with the other reviewers on that, and am knocking off a star. However, I'm discovering that I prefer the format and style of this book more so than my previous go-to all-purpose baking tome, the King Arthur Flour Bakers Companion, which has been relegated to the Goodwill pile. It's easier for me to riff off a "master" recipe than to pore through ten similar recipes (e.g. Muffins with variations vs. pages of different muffins that are all essentially the same basic recipe). This may be preferable to those of us who are somewhat experienced bakers, might be harder for brand new ones. For this, though, I'm giving 3/4 of a star back. Final verdict: 4.75 stars. I have a few more recipes planned for this week. If there is a significant change to my rating, I will update the review. One last disclaimer: I paid for this book, wasn't given any freebies, and I don't know Mr Bittman!

Absolutely terrific book. Simple recipes for everything you've always wanted to try. Finally found the brownie recipe I've been looking for. Highest recommendation.

This guy understands baking. I would have given the book five stars, but he doesn't include many low-sugar and/or low-fat baking recipes. I've had some traditional Chinese baked goods, and they have FAR less sugar in them and they still taste great.

I love to bake and cook and I own many cookbooks, most of which I've either received as gifts or I purchased at thrift stores. I read cookbooks like other people read novels. But I have a small budget and a small home, so I'm a heavy user of our local library where I check out new cookbooks as they're released and borrow them again when I feel it's necessary. Very, very few cookbooks ever make it onto my wish list or into my cart. I borrowed How To Bake Everything from the library as soon as it came out and after I spent less than an hour going through it, I set the book down and went to my laptop and immediately ordered the book from Amazon! I have been baking for decades and I find the wealth of knowledge contained in this cookbook invaluable. Whether you're just starting out learning how to bake, or have been baking for years, you'll find much useful information.

I LOVE Mark Bittman's books. I have the How to Cook Everything, the Basics and LOVE IT as well. This baking book has wonderful insights into alternatives to avoiding gluten and is very easy to follow. I love baking with the recipes in this book.

i cannot express how much i freaking love this book. before i got this, i was a hit or miss baker that used recipes from blogs. actually, i asked my husband to get me the baking bible, but he got this also. i LOVE this book for everyday baking. i've made amazing cookies, cakes, muffins and breads. it really is idiot proof. and everyone at my kids' school and my office and my neighbors are raving about all the baked goodies. honestly, if it didn't sound dumb, they should call this the idiot's guide to baking. it really is amazing. and comprehensive. i have made about 5 different types of cookies, 4 different kinds of muffins, 3 different cakes and frostings, and 3 different quick breads.

Lots of great recipes, love that it explains the why behind ingredients.

I have two other Mark Bittman books and, now that I'm used to his style of cookbooks, I decided to buy this one when it was offered as a deal on Kindle. I have a huge library of cookbooks and this was my first Kindle cookbook. I don't know if other cookbooks on Kindle are this easy to use, but this one has hot links to other sections in the book. For example, serve Chocolate Ganache with Sponge Cake. There's a handy hot link in the chocolate ganache recipe that takes you directly to the sponge cake recipe. Very nice, and, of course, easy to book mark and make comments on, which I love to do with cookbooks. Oh, yeah. The recipes are excellent!

I loved the content, it’s pretty cool... but I didn't like the external conditions of the book, it was dirty and seemed to be previously used and was not wrapped in any sort of protective plastic.

Smells terribly of damp. I wonder if the book has mold in it. Otherwise it is in good condition.

Great recifes and wonderful texts but lacking some pictures that would make it even more appealing

They say you will not get all the baking secrets from the internet. This book is where you will find those secrets. Keep it like GOLD.