Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
The best general baking book to own., 22 Jun 1999
By A Customer
As an avid user of baking books, I can say this book is the best for detailed instructions for every basic type of bread and pastry dough. After the chapter on basics, the book then utilizes them in a variety of great recipes. I learned to make brioche with no problem. I regularly make the french apple tart and mocha brownie cake. The boca negra is great for special occasions.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Have no fear, Julia is here!, 27 Mar 1999
By A Customer
Such precise, detailed instruction makes the world of pastry & breadmaking accessible to the novice. Expect extraordinary results and you will not be disappointed! Worth every cent.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
Great for technique -- but TEST the recipes!, 1 May 1998
By A Customer
I've been baking as a hobby for a number of years, and this book is one of the best, clearest guides to *technique* I've ever used. That's technique -- not recipes. When this book first came out, some reviewers noted that certain of the recipes didn't work out quite right when tested, and I must say I've found the same thing. The pages of my copy of this book are covered with scribbled notes about changes I've made in the recipes -- though I must say that most of the recipes I've had to change are the bread recipes, not the dessert ones. My notes for her "Country Bread" (the version of Pain de Campagne that *doesn't* require air-borne yeast) say things like "weird color, floury, boring flavor" and recommend adding a tablespoon of cider vinegar among other things. But when it comes to TECHNIQUE, nothing and nobody beats Julia! If you've ever wanted to know the real way to make croissants and brioche, or you're insane enough to want to make your own puff pastry, this book is indispensible. And even if you have to test and play around with the recipes before you are confident with them, that's how you learn, and that's what inspires you to come up with variations and ideas of your own. I recommend this book highly to bakers of intermediate skill and above. It wouldn't be perfect for beginners simply because you have to do so much experimentation on your own.
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