Baking with Julia: Savor the Joys of Baking with America's Best Bakers

This is a much-loved book in my collection- so loved that I'm on my third copy! (Due to a series of unfortunate events to the first two.) I always love the clear, detailed instructions given when Dorie Greenspan writes a cookbook. I never feel lost when trying something new from this book, wondering is this right? or should it look this way? Dorie tells you exactly what's what. The book provides some beautiful baking foundations, like the Flaky Pie Crust. Then it builds on those basics and expands your culinary horizons with more challenging fare. I never thought to have such delicious bagels outside New York, but they turned out amazing! Two notes for anyone thinking of getting this book: 1) Many of the recipes cannot be easily done show more without a stand mixer. And 2) This book was not written by Julia Child herself, she was only a collaborator and the host of the companion TV series on PBS. (Which rocked!) If you keep these two things in mind, you will not be disappointed by adding this book to your shelves. show less

Hands down my favorite baking cookbook ever. The pages for challah and the potato bread are wrinkled from use and dropped ingredients. I have almost never had a recipe go wrong unless I do something silly, like not reading the directions. This book walks you through all the necessary steps to making very good bread and sweets, and even gives you moral support. What other book would tell you not to worry and keep beating, it will turn out in a few minutes? If you are sick of store-bought or machine-made bread, get this book and some yeast, and go forth. I guarantee with a bit of practice and patience, you will be churning out lovely loaves in a week or so.

These recipes are sophisticated, thorough, and beautifully conceived. A fairly large range of cultures are represented, and the level of difficulty ranges from intermediate to very advanced. Everything I have made has turned out very well. My favorites so far have been "Rustic Potato Loaves" and Challah. It also includes directions for making beautiful and pretty rarely found loaves such as epis and Couronnes.

Food pr0n, through and through.

Still, I flip through it to remind me of the stuff I could be making -- sometimes I get inspired to bake (even if from from another book).

Gorgeous book -- the french apple tart is an all-time favorite (for me to make and others to eat).

Based on the PBS series hosted by Julia Child and featuring recipes and instructions from many master bakers. Everything from lefse to wedding cake, and photographs too. Excellent.

I recently made the Semolina Bread recipe from this book--it was fabulous!!