Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Children's Baking Book
Photographer: Howard shooter
Nonfiction
For ages 7 to 12
DK, 2010 ISBN: 978-0756657888
These days many of us are so busy that we don’t take the time to cook. This means that we don’t have home-cooked meals of course, and it also means that we don’t get to experience the joy that cooking can bring to those who spend quality time in the kitchen. We also miss out on the fun that can be had when you share your kitchen with others, cooking together and sharing recipes and tips.
In this book, Denise Smart gives young people the opportunity to try and to share a very enjoyable form of cooking – baking. Not surprisingly, she shows readers how to make cookies and cakes of all kinds, but she also shows children how to make bread, tarts, and pies.
The author begins by giving young cooks information on how to be safe in the kitchen, how keep work areas hygienic, and how to use the book. This introduction is followed by a chapter full of cookie recipes. The chapter begins with tips on how to mix dough, how to cut cookies, how to roll them out, how to measure ingredients and how to store leftover cookies – if there are any! The first recipe in this chapter is for Toffee Squares, delicious moist brownie like treats that have date pieces in them. Later in the chapter, there is a recipe for Jam Shapes. These are harder to make than the Toffee Squares, but cooks are sure to find the additional work worthwhile.
The next chapter looks at doughs. Here cooks will learn how to make basic bread, scones, pizza dough, and more. They will also learn how to work with dough so that their recipes come out right.
After this, there are recipes for cakes. Here you will find such popular treats as Marble Cake, and Cheesecake. There are also several muffin recipes and a recipe for Cocoa Mint Meringues.
The last chapter in the book is all about pastry. Rolling out piecrusts is more challenging, but the recipes included in this section are easy to follow and young cooks are sure to enjoy making the tarts, pies, and the other tasty baked goods that are described here.
On every recipe page, readers will find a great deal of information. They will be able to see at a glance if the recipe is easy, medium, or hard to make. They will know how many servings the recipe makes, how long it takes to prepare, and how long it takes to cook. There are also lists of ingredients and tools. Finally, there are step-by-step directions (with photographs) that show cooks how to make the baked treat on that page. Each recipe includes a “Chef’s Tip” and a large photo of the completed cooking project.
This book is sure to become a firm favorite with young people who like to create things with flour, sugar, butter, and other delicious ingredients.
