Mom's Big Book of Baking, Reprint

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY SEP 17, 2001

Author of the highly successful dessert cookbook Instant Gratification, Chattman now offers her skills as a mother as well as pastry chef. The book covers baking from pancakes, waffles and muffins through cookies and cakes to pies and breads. The recipes are clearly written and prefaced with short descriptions and notes. Many of the recipes offer tips on ingredients, variations and how and when to involve children. The Instant Homemade Microwave Brownies, recommended for kids seven and older to help in the baking fall well within their capabilities, although she suggests, "The dish will be hot... so removing it from the microwave should be mom's job." Her use of butter as the fat of choice, while not for cholesterol watchers, makes the recipes rich and inviting, particularly when she pairs it with the large quantity of blueberries in Best Blueberry Muffinsto give a very berry satisfying result. One or two recipes, such as the Sprinkle Cookies,are slightly disappointing, although the description did prove to be accurate, as her daughter says, that "these taste like cupcakes." However, with such a wide variety of baked goods and the effortlessness needed to produce good results, this book will be a solid bake book for the busy mom, particularly one who wishes to involve her children.