Small-Batch Baking

Rating:
Summary: Great for People who Live Alone
Review: As a recent college graduate living alone who likes to cook, I am often faced with a dilemma - do I make an entire recipe and eat the same thing for a week (boring), make the whole recipe and freeze the leftovers for later (sometimes works), or do I attempt to cut the recipe in half or even fourths (also risky)?

In the last few post-graduation months, I've worked out a decent combination approach of making smaller amounts and freezing for main dishes and soups, but I wasn't baking nearly as much as I'd like to. This cookbook has changed all that. I can now make a mini-loaf of bread that won't mold before I have a chance to finish it. I can whip up just enough cookies for a couple days - enough to satisfy my sweet tooth without having four dozen cookies around the apartment. I especially look forward to working my way through the cakes and pies chapters - pre-"Small Batch Baking" I could only justify making a cake if it was somebody else's birthday, but now I can whip one up whenever I want - for just me! I love it!

And the recipes are fantasticly tempting, running the gamut from several versions of every day biscuits, muffins, breads, cookies, and crumbles, to the fanciest and most sophisticated cakes, pies, cheesecakes, and puddings. This cookbook is just packed with recipes, and thre three I've made already have been totally spot-on. The directions are easy to follow and precise, and the product in each case has turned out fabulously - far better, I'd say, than many of the full-scale recipes I've tried.

The only thing I wish was different about this book was the binding - the paperback binding doesn't feel sturdy enough for the number of pages and the heavy use it is going to receive in my kitchen! But when I wear this one out, I'll happily buy another, as well as extras for all my single friends.

Rating:
Summary: Good book!
Review: I received this book as a Christmas gift. I didn't know such a book existed! I love to bake, but since it's just me at home, making a large 12 serving cake is just not an option. I miss baking, and this book fits the bill.

So far, I've tried two recipes from the book. The first was the Fudgy Cupcakes. It was a disaster, but not necessarily from the recipe. I accidentally added too much sugar, and I reversed two of the steps in the recipe. So my batter did not turn out right and I ended up throwing the whole thing away.

The second recipe I tried was the first recipe in the book, Chocolate Birthday Cake. I did not use the 14 oz cans as the author suggested. I found a child's baking set at Sur La Table and used the cake pans from those. They are slightly bigger in diameter than the tin cans and worked perfectly. They even have the same "look" of a larger cake (height/diameter proportionate). The cake came out moist. I iced the cake with the Molasses Caramel Frosting. It was delicious. I would say that the portion size is probably not that accurate. It says 2 cakes, 2 servings. I think it is more like "2 cakes, 2 servings EACH." There is no way I could have eaten the entire cake at one sitting.

As a side note, I would highly recommend looking for a child's bake set to use with this cookbook. Mine came with two small cake pans, a small loaf pan and small cookie sheet. I think they will work perfectly for the recipes in this book.

Rating:
Summary: The cookbook I never knew I always wanted!
Review: Okay, so I love to bake. Unfortunately, there are only two people in my household and both of us have, um, "portion control problems".

Since most of my favorite cookie recipes yield several dozen and making just PART of a cake is nearly impossible, my boyfriend and I often end up eating way more than we actually want. Sometimes I'll try to pass off my baked goods to co-workers, but (and I'm being painfully honest here) I usually polish off the batch myself in less than 3 days.

I know all that sugar is no good for me, but I can't imagine not having cakes and cookies once in a while. Life's too short to cut out something I enjoy so much!

When I came across this book, it was like I stumbled across a puzzle piece I hadn't noticed was missing. The cake recipes make single or double servings! The cookie recipies make less than a dozen! I've tried cutting regular recipes in half, but the results are never quite right. With this book, you're measuring ingredients in tablespoons instead cups, and the two recipes I've tried have turned out beautifully.

The peanut butter cookie recipe made 8 perfect cookies and tonight I tried a recipe for two giant oatmeal cookies. Perfect again. I can't wait to try to make the small cakes, little breads and even a baby Baklava!

I expect that this book will change the way I bake forever. It's nice to make a dessert that I can enjoy without feeling like a jerk for enjoying way too much of it.

Rating:
Summary: 255 small-yield baking recipes
Review: Small-Batch Baking is a cookbook especially for those seeking to make small portions of savory baked goods, whether for romantic occasions, small households, quick snacks for the kids, or a treat to enjoy for oneself. Simple and explicit instructions detail how to prepare 255 small-yield baking recipes; fun facts, trivia, and recommended substitutions for alternative flavors enhance such treats as Chocolate Cream Meringue Pies; Butterscotch Bread Pudding; Peanut Butter Tarts; and so very many more. A delight for the baked goods enthusiast who doesn't have room in the kitchen to store too many sweets.