Book

The Fannie Farmer Baking Book

📖 Overview

The Fannie Farmer Baking Book is a comprehensive baking manual that covers breads, cakes, cookies, pies and pastries. Marion Cunningham builds upon Fannie Farmer's original work while modernizing the recipes and techniques for contemporary home bakers. The book contains over 800 recipes along with detailed instructions for basic and advanced baking methods. Each recipe includes clear ingredient lists, step-by-step directions, and practical tips for achieving consistent results. Home bakers will find both classic American recipes and European-influenced baked goods throughout the collection. The book also features chapters on ingredients, equipment, and foundational techniques that form the basis of successful baking. This authoritative volume continues Fannie Farmer's mission of empowering home cooks through precise, tested recipes and straightforward instruction. The book stands as a bridge between traditional American baking heritage and modern kitchen practices.

👀 Reviews

Readers value this cookbook for its detailed instructions and reliable recipes that work consistently. Home bakers note that the recipes produce professional-quality results, with many citing the breads, cookies, and pie crusts as standouts. Likes: - Clear explanations of baking techniques and science - Troubleshooting tips for common issues - Basic and advanced recipes included - Precise measurements and temperatures Dislikes: - Some find instructions too lengthy - Few photographs - Paper quality in newer editions - Some recipes use dated ingredients Several reviewers mention the chocolate chip cookies and banana bread as their go-to recipes. Multiple comments praise the comprehensive index and cross-referencing system. Ratings: Goodreads: 4.39/5 (239 ratings) Amazon: 4.7/5 (156 ratings) ThriftBooks: 4.8/5 (45 ratings) "This book taught me more about baking than culinary school did," notes one Amazon reviewer. Another states, "The detailed instructions helped me understand why my previous attempts failed."

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🤔 Interesting facts

🍞 Marion Cunningham didn't start her professional cooking career until age 50, when she overcame severe agoraphobia to attend cooking classes with James Beard 🥖 The original Fannie Farmer was a real person who revolutionized home cooking by introducing standardized measurements in recipes, replacing instructions like "a teacup of milk" with precise amounts 🧁 Before writing this comprehensive baking book, Marion Cunningham completely revised and updated The Fannie Farmer Cookbook in 1979, which had been continuously in print since 1896 🥨 Every recipe in the book was tested at least three times in home kitchens, not professional ones, to ensure reliability for the average baker 🥧 The book contains over 800 recipes and was deliberately written to be approachable for novice bakers while still offering challenges for experienced ones, with detailed instructions about techniques like kneading and proofing