Bake It, don't fake it! by Heather Bertinetti ~ Cookbook Review

Book Summary:

Looking to impress your friends and family with decadent desserts but afraid you lack the skills to pull it off? Are you reaching for that packaged cake mix and can of frosting instead of whipping something up from scratch? Fear no longer— we’ve got the fix for you. Heather Bertinetti, a talented pastry chef with years of experience in Manhattan’s top eateries, is sharing her insider tips for how to make restaurant-worthy desserts right in your very own kitchen.

Bake It, Don't Fake It! is filled with recipes perfect for the home cook, such as Bourbon- Chocolate Pecan Pie, Strawberry Daiquiri Truffles, Red Velvet Macarons, and PB&J Whoopie Pies. Once you learn the whys and why nots of baking, you’ll be able to get creative and give all of your favorite treats a special touch. As an added bonus, you’ll find Heather’s “Chef It Up!” tips throughout the book, where Heather reveals her tricks for giving homemade desserts the wow presentation factor. All of the equipment you’ll need is probably already in your kitchen and all of the ingredients are readily available in your local supermarket, so it’s time to get baking!

Purchase a copy on Simon & Schuster Canada

About the Author:

Heather Bertinetti is the talented young pastry chef working her way through some of Manhattan’s most acclaimed restaurants. After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America with a degree in baking and pastry arts, Heather joined Gramercy Tavern and, just two years later, Per Se. She then went on to open and receive rave reviews at Alto, Convivio, Marea, and Osteria Morini. Heather has been lauded by The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and was named in Zagat's 2011 "30 under 30: New York's Hottest Up-and-Comers."

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My thoughts:

If you love to bake or even if you just love yummy treats that look like they would be hard to make this will be the book for you. Heather lays out each recipe with a little intro about the treat. Then is the ingredient list which includes items that are easy to find in your local grocery store. Under the title is how much the recipe makes. I can't tell you how much I get frustrated when there isn't a yield to a recipe. I look at these to know if it would be a good recipe to take to events or if I should make two batches for the family etc.

The directions for these tasty treats are very simple. They are for the most part only a paragraph or two. It is always best when a recipe has small directions. This in turn usually makes the recipes less intimidating or at least it does for me. I love how the author adds variations and tips at the bottom of the recipe. Included at the back of this recipe book is a Ingredients & Substitution section. Sometimes you may not have something on hand or someone isn't a fan of an ingredient this is a great section to learn which items you can swap with which. It does make a huge difference when you start substituting. Another great section at the back of the book is the glossary to help explain things further in depth.

Almost every frosting, filling and cream is included in this recipe book! I am a sucker for a great buttercream and there are so many variations. What to impress your guest at your next get together? Grab a copy of Bake It, Don't Fake it! and impress everyone that comes with your gourmet pastry skills!

This has been a great addition to my baking cookbooks. The kids have loved helping bake up tasty treats. One of my favorite muffin recipes in this book is the Carrot Streusel Muffins.

Bake It, Don't Fake It! is filled with recipes perfect for the home cook, such as Bourbon- Chocolate Pecan Pie, Strawberry Daiquiri Truffles, Red Velvet Macarons, and PB&J Whoopie Pies. Once you learn the whys and why nots of baking, you’ll be able to get creative and give all of your favorite treats a special touch. As an added bonus, you’ll find Heather’s “Chef It Up!” tips throughout the book, where Heather reveals her tricks for giving homemade desserts the wow presentation factor. All of the equipment you’ll need is probably already in your kitchen and all of the ingredients are readily available in your local supermarket, so it’s time to get baking! - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Bake-It-Dont-Fake-It!/Heather-Bertinetti/Rachael-Ray-Books/9781476735542#sthash.gE2bW4RS.dpuf

Looking to impress your friends and family with decadent desserts but afraid you lack the skills to pull it off? Are you reaching for that packaged cake mix and can of frosting instead of whipping something up from scratch? Fear no longer— we’ve got the fix for you. Heather Bertinetti, a talented pastry chef with years of experience in Manhattan’s top eateries, is sharing her insider tips for how to make restaurant-worthy desserts right in your very own kitchen.

Bake It, Don't Fake It! is filled with recipes perfect for the home cook, such as Bourbon- Chocolate Pecan Pie, Strawberry Daiquiri Truffles, Red Velvet Macarons, and PB&J Whoopie Pies. Once you learn the whys and why nots of baking, you’ll be able to get creative and give all of your favorite treats a special touch. As an added bonus, you’ll find Heather’s “Chef It Up!” tips throughout the book, where Heather reveals her tricks for giving homemade desserts the wow presentation factor. All of the equipment you’ll need is probably already in your kitchen and all of the ingredients are readily available in your local supermarket, so it’s time to get baking! - See more at: http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Bake-It-Dont-Fake-It!/Heather-Bertinetti/Rachael-Ray-Books/9781476735542#sthash.gE2bW4RS.dpuf