I was expecting more of the British classics, like Victoria sponge. ( )

If you have ever watched the popular British cooking show, The Great British Bakeoff, you will know the treasure that this cookbook holds! Mary Berry is a British baking superstar who has made an easy to follow cookbook that will help us all master a sponge cake or a choux pastry. For me, this cookbook has just want I would want to learn and master from Mary Berry. The beginning of the book gives easy step-by-step techniques, with pictures! My limited knowledge of baking will be advanced through this cookbook, as it will provide the necessary skills to make some baking basics, such as, macaroons, cream puffs, and shortbread. Anyone who loves baking or Mary Berry will enjoy this cookbook of baking classics. This may be one that I go out and buy!

Ashley C. / Marathon County Public Library
Find this book in our library catalog.

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I adore the Great British Bake Off, and one of the vital parts of that show is Mary Berry. She's a shrewd baker who provides thoughtful, considerate critiques, and is best known for her judgment of pies with soggy bottoms. I was delighted when my mom bought this cookbook for me for Christmas. Mary has published scads of cookbooks in the UK, but this is the only one released in the States with American-standard measurements.

I had permission from my mom to not wrap this gift, but to utilize it for the holidays. Therefore, on Christmas Eve, I made Mary's recipe for double-crust apple pie, which also used her recipe for rough puff pastry. It was different than my usual apple pies--the apples are softened on the stove top, which drains off a lot of juice--but the resulting pie was good. It was less sugary than our American-style apple pies, usually loaded with caramel or spices, but it really emphasized the apple and the pastry together. Plus, it did NOT have a soggy bottom.

There are a bunch of other recipes I'm eager to try, too, such as choux pastry (a total failure the one time I tried it years ago), chocolate muffins and cakes, an apple tart, and a Swiss roll. I don't think Mary Berry will steer me wrong! ( )

I must admit, I'm not the best cook, but I do enjoy baking. (And the consuming of baked goods!)

I'm not sure how I haven't come across Berry's cookbooks before - she has "six decades of cooking experience and more than 80 cookbooks to her name and is considered Britain's queen of baking. And I've only just discovered The Great British Bake Off, where Berry is a judge.

This a perfect cookbook for those looking for basic, satisfying recipes perfect for beginners or experienced bakers.

The first chapter deals with techniques - most of the basic skills I was familiar with but others were new to me, such as steaming a pudding and different types of pastry. Berry really does cover it all, from muffins, loafs to cakes, pies, tarts, cookies - and British favourites. This was my favourite chapter! Devon scones, treacle tarts, Banoffi pie, sticky toffee pudding and more. Absolute comfort food that reminds me of my gran. Every recipe looks delicious and there are some unusual pairings I have to try - Chocolate and Beet cake!?

The layout of the book is clean and easy to read. The recipes call for ingredients most bakers will have in the fridge or cupboard. The methods are also clear and easy to follow with only 3-7 steps in each. My only wish is that colour photos had been included with every recipe. Those that are look delicious. No nutritional info is included. But butter, sugar and chocolate are, so it's probably better to just enjoy a treat without worrying.

This is a cookbook I'll be using and enjoying for many years. ( )

Let me just start out this review with an ... "Oh my goodness ~ I'm in Dessert Heaven!"

I can cook well but I've not been much of a baker. After watching The Great British Bake Off (and drooling over all of those luscious sweets), I just couldn't pass up the opportunity to review Mary Berry's newest cookbook, Baking with Mary Berry. I was enthralled by the recipes in this cookbook! but also a bit nervous because some of the recipes are rather fancy. I wondered if I would ever be able to make them? But as I love desserts of most any kind, I decided to go for it!

Her recipes are clear, understandable and each recipes is written with our American measurements which makes it so much easier than having to convert to the metric measurements. I plan to start with the simpler muffin recipes, chocolate cake and brownies then work my way up to the more fancier desserts like coffee eclair, royal raspberry tart. I don't think my family will mind being my taste testers; they're already going through the cook book marking down the recipes they would like to have me make. {LOL}

This book would make a fantastic gift for someone in your life who loves to bake or is yearning to learn. At the time of this post ~ Ama*zon has a special ($1.99) on sale for the kindle version of Baking with Mary Berry.

Thank you to Edelweiss and DK publishing for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review. ( )