The Fearless Baker: Simple Secrets for Baking Like a Pro

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

I love love loveee this book, I would give it more stars if I could! Erin really explains the different techniques and why they work, so it’s not your typical recipe-only book, but a guided learning experience. Fair warning: if you’re looking for a bread-baking book, this is not it.

UPDATE; Baked my first recipe.. Chocolate Devils food cake with coconut ... It had NO business coming out at all.. I moved to a new apartment, so the oven is wonky.. and unreliable.. temperate kept falling.... also.. i forget to add the milk... so.. put the pans in the oven.. took them out.. scraped batter back into bowl.. washed cake pans.. added milk.. and then.. tried again.. even after all that.... the cake came out great.. it was the hit of the potluck.. so.. kudos.. one minor qualm.. the author never specifies natural or dutch process cocoa.. I assumed natural since the cake recipe had baking powder and baking soda.. but still seems like it should be called out which to use.. _____________________ While I have yet to bake anything from it yet.. Already many recipes are jumping out at me to try! I, like one other reviewer, was thinking this might be a return.. but many of the recipes made me smile already.. the carmel corn cake is one of them! Once I bake a few recipes I may alter my rating, but having many recipes call to be made, makes it a keeper! I believe just about every recipe has a picture as well! and every recipe also has a explanation. Just one question.. Where is the recipe that is on the books cover? I couldn't find it?!?

I admit I am a cook book collector. Bad pun here, but this one took the cake!! The pictures are gorgeous and the recipes easy to follow with Erin’s special tips along the way. This book has lot of information to take your apprehensions of baking, away. I can hardly wait to start baking with it! I know it wont disappoint!! Every kitchen needs this book!

I love finding cookbook authors like this one — & being able to capture & dig into their œuvre — it’s like tapping into the flow of brilliance.

Such an amazing book written by an amazing chef! Erin breaks everything down is such an easy to understand method, and gives rationale for why things may go wrong along the way.

Excellent book and her tips are soooo helpful. i have made many of the recipes and they are really wonderful, consistent, and tasty! unfortunately some of the websites listed for resources no longer exist. would be nice to have this information.

I very rarely buy cookbooks but after renewing the multiple times from the library I eventually realized I needed my own copy. Great baking cookbook, lots of fun and interesting techniques for those who really enjoy breads/pastries. I haven’t explored the cookies / cakes yet. The pro tips are actually helpful, not just super entry level.

The Macaron recipe solved my years long hollows mystery, and I couldn’t be more grateful. I also got the courage to make croissants, which admittedly - the instructions were spread across too many pages; however yielded successful results.

I am a professional baker and love Erin's book because the recipes are creative, delicious, and I know I can rely on the fact that they will turn out. But for the home baker it is excellent because of the tips and reasoning behind the recipes.

I have hundreds of baking books, but this was one I have been wanting. Little high price.

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

Great recipes and great tips! Easily set up so you follow the recipes simply.

A valuable addition to any bakers kitchen!

I am new to baking, but jumping in and love this Baking Like a Pro book as is educates as well. Great tips throughout the book. Recipes are easy to follow and great images as well accompany most of the recipes. I am loving this book and enjoying this book.

if you like her 2nd book on pie this first one is worth the buying. Love that it does not repeat but both books build on each other.

Nothing in it satisfies my interest to bake. Wish I could return it.

Phenomenal addition to my cookbook collection!! I must admit, I wasn't sure what to expect with this one however decide to give it a go. We already made the Macaron's and they came out PERFECT! On the first try!!! The recipes are clear and easy to follow. I love how there are "Pro Tips" included with the recipes. There is also an explanation as to why a specific recipe works, which is excellent knowledge. There is not a photo for every single recipe, which I quickly got over, as this cookbooks content makes up for that. The photos that are featured are beautiful and useful. I especially enjoyed the illustrations of making a woven lattice pie crust. The book is divided up as Introduction, Cookies and Bars, Cakes, Pies and Tarts, Pastries, and Custards and Creams. I highly recommend this book for anyone.

Bought it for a gift to my wife; she loves it and I reap the benefits.

Love the book. Full of good information for the home cook who has a passion for baking and creating.

Looks like a very informative book.....

Ok but not as easy as I had hoped.

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

Great book, tons of recipes to chose from. I’ve made many so far and they’ve all been wonderful

Such a great book and the instructions are easy to follow.

Emily makes baking fun, simple and clear. The recipes are written clearly and variations are on most recipes. This makes repeating recipes fun and exciting instead of mundane. Thanks!

Nice!, the editorial design is amazing, wonderful book. 1 one deliveried

I’m really enjoying this cookbook it has great and easy to follow tips for the baker!

Recommend this book to anyone who loves baking !!! Very easy to understand , Great pro tips, illustrations .

Great book easy to replicate recipes.

This is great book

Absolutely beautiful book! Every recipe is well written and so easy to follow. I’ve already baked two things from this book and they were delicious!

perfect

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

This cookbook was my Valentine’s Day gift to myself. The author does a great job balancing some tricky components. They are so wise, yet approachable, and they balance the techniques and science with practicality and fun. The pictures are also stunning, which makes you want to dive right in. In the spirit of full disclosure, I haven’t made any of the recipes yet, but I feel like the book is already worth the money just for the advice.

Great recipes with good, clear instructions. Our daughter loves to bake, and she’s really enjoyed several recipes out of here with friends before we bought the book recently. I like the well laid out instructions even on the most complicated recipes.

I love how this breaks everything down for me. As a chemistry buff I like to know why do I need this/that. I hope to make every recipe!!

Sister loved this as a birthday gift.

Loved everything about the baking recipe book!! It was fun and easy to read through many many many delicious recipes. Everything is explained in a way for anyone to understand. Would definitely recommend this recipe book to everyone!

Amazing book I am just getting into baking and this book has really helped

Great Book! I am through the first chapter and loving it. Great explanations of all sorts of stuff I never knew to ask about. Can't wait to read more and start baking.

I love this book! The photos are so inspiring! The recipes are written in volume and weight measurements so I know I can be precise when I'm following along. Also, I loved reading the explanations on why everything works, really helps me feel FEARLESS! Get it?!

Great read, great cookbook. Make the black bottom creme brûlée and watch everyone smile!

Good reading, I liked very much.

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

Christmas gift for niece. She loves it!!

My wife loves to cook, but has wanted to venture into the world of baking and this was the perfect gift. There isn't a single thing about this book we don't love. Turned us both into fearless bakers in the kitchen.

One of the best cookbooks I’ve owned, she not only gives great detail with her instructions but also tells why you are doing it. It’s super nice in the way of the hard cover and high quality paper too! I loved it all the way around..

Lots of tips and ideas Recipes easy to follow and taste sooo good Love the book Pretty to look at too JoRene Kerns

Fabulous cookbook well written, I loved it so much it was my Christmas gift for most of my relatives.

Beautiful photography, well-tested recipes, fun stories. I love it!

Great book, easy to understand and with clear guidelines and information. Very useful, even for those who don't like baking that much... :)

I bought this as a gift for my daughter, who has had her share of difficulties with cakes from scratch, thinking this would help. It's actually not for the fearless. The recipes are good but not "easy". I wish I bought her something less involved.

Beautiful baking book.

I just received my pre-ordered copy and I am so impressed. I’m an amateur baker and I appreciate all the tips and explanations Erin includes throughout the book. The pictures are lovely and her style is very comfortable and informative. I didn’t realize it has over 300 pages and so many recipes. This would make an excellent addition to any kitchen bookshelf and would also make a great present. I’m looking forward to some quality time in the kitchen with this book by my side.

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

I have only looked the book over but so far I really like the layout and content. Print is set up nicely .i.e. recipes in bold. Lovely photos. Good explanations and tips. Looks like an informative and fun baking book.

Loving the fact of the way she explained the science of baking or the “why” in the most simple way, in layman words. And the fact the humbleness in the way she try to teach people (internationally) how to bake and not just (egoisticly stick) the lbs, oz, and pounds measurement. That really makes her book really people friendly without the measurement discrimination like other authors.

YUM YUM!

This baking book is okay, but not what I expected. Great for first-timers.

Oh boy, I love this book. The caramel cake and maple laminated brioche are calling to me. The writing style is friendly as well. This book is a winner.

Just got this. Saw McDowell in a recent SIFT magazine (from King Arthur Flour). I've looked through it several times and can't wait for the time to read it . . . and bake a lot! Great photographs, too.

I was given this book as a gift and am sad to admit that it sat on my shelf for a couple of years before I started using it. The cookbook was gorgeous and I had leafed through it many times, but I just wasn't compelled to make the recipes. I mean, I KNOW how to make brownies already...or so I thought. After baking my way through multiple recipes in The Fearless Baker, my advice to anyone who comes across this book is to make EVERYTHING IN IT. Even if you already have your go to chocolate chip cookie recipe, make Erin's recipe and your mind will be blown. She takes the seemingly simple recipes and bumps up the complexity of flavor and gives you nearly foolproof instructions for baking it all to perfection. I am now a huge fan of Erin and her recipes and cannot wait for her Book on Pie cookbook to come out this Fall.

I'm a confident baker, but the *really* precise stuff—icing cakes, super-exact edges, puff pastry (gulp)—makes me freeze up. The Fearless Baker has so far not only inspired me to branch out beyond my familiar arsenal of everyday recipes (and helped me to understand why those old standbys work on a chemical level, and how to fiddle with the science of a recipe to get it where I want it); but it has also nudged me into unfamiliar territory. I made puff pastry for the first time, starting with the Chocolate Palmiers (pages 306-307). No, it's not a quick or easy baking recipe; there are no shortcuts. But I felt totally guided by the author's voice and the helpful illustrations. And I did it! The palmiers came out beautifully—crisp, light, chocolatey, not too sweet. And I never felt lost or confused. So: 5 stars for the patient, step-by-step explanations that neither assume knowledge nor condescend; helpful illustrations and photographs; friendly voice; and balance of interesting but unpretentious flavors. I'd give this as a gift to a home baker ready to try something new (rather than a total novice).

This book is fantastic. The writing is clear and concise, unlike similar books that are really wordy. I particularly love how the book is structured. Ms. McDowell begins each chapter with the detailed hows and whys that make the particular dessert "work." Then there is a basic recipe that once mastered, provides the basis for the rest of the chapter. So far every recipe I have tried has been perfect. I am itching to buy this as a gift for every home baker I know. The only way this could be a more perfect gift was if it came in a book + scale combo. Well done.

This isn't just any plain baking cookbook,that's because the photos are outstanding and the steps are easy to understand and to the point. This book is a step by step guide on how to make everything you bake better by detailing the science behind each required step or ingredient. If you love baking at home but need some guidance this is the book you want to educate yourself on the correct techniques. I love the pro tips in the top corner of each recipe that let me know if I can make something ahead of time or the best way to pipe the desert. Each section has a few general tips in the beginning that have helped me venture into pastries. I have only had the book a few weeks and have already made so many of the recipes. The scones with chocolate and macadamia nut, lime sable sandwich cookies, cream puffs and double chocolate macaroon have all been outstanding, can't wait to try brioche for the first time this weekend!

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

I really like the reasons "why it works" section in each recipe. It helps me really understand what I should be looking for and how I should be thinking about going about certain processes rather than just following step by step. It also has an impressive number and variety of recipes from cookies to pies to custards to croissants and more! Erin also categorizes each recipe between easy, medium, or hard, which is helpful for to know what to expect and maybe which ones will take more time or practice.

I got this as a gift, and it has become the only cookbook I use when I'm baking(except for flour water yeast salt.... But that's a whole other course) Need to impress someone? Got a sweet tooth? Want to make things that are so cute you don't even want to eat it? This is the book for you. Erin does a great job explaining complex recipes in simple steps. She explains why flavors work together. Has variations for many recipes. There are so many helpful little tips, you kind of want to just read the whole cookbook. The best part is that all of the recipes are doable. There isn't one that a normal home chef couldn't make.

Every single recipe I have made from this book has been perfect! The oatmeal cookies are now my most requested recipe from friends and family. Also, the author seems so awesome and even responded to a direct message from me when I misread an instruction. I hope she publishes more cookbooks- I will buy them all and give them out as gifts!

Just made the Chocolate Chip Cookies on of 32 and they are awesome!! Can’t wait for The Book of Pie to come out. Erin is the BEST!!

The Fearless Baker is wonderful for the beginning to the experienced baker. Erin's writing style is descriptive and specific. As a beginner, I feel Erin is standing by me and teaching me to be "fearless" with anything I want to try. Likewise I think the experienced baker would enjoy it and could put their own spin on many of the recipes. Her writing is excellent and the illustrations are fabulous. A must book for any baker.

To E. Trent Vernon - the recipe you are looking for is the mocha cake with the ganache drizzle variation. Very happy with this cookbook

Great book, great gal, super treats. You will love having this on your shelf at home! You'll love it even more when you get to enjoy to act of baking and producing something so wonderful.

I bought this book because It got a very good review. I was disappointed. The book is very poorly edited.

Best cook book ever. Great for beginners and home pros.

as advertised. cheers

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!

Just perfect...

Conocí este libro a través del blog de una chef pastelera australiana, lo busqué en amazon y estaba disponible y en entrega inmediata. Puedo decir que sin dudas este libro vale la pena para todos los interesados (principiantes/intermedios) en la pastelería. Su autora, Erin Mc Dowell explica cada uno de los procesos resolviendo las dudas del ¿porqué? y ¿cómo?. Principiantes: no teman, con este libro cualquiera puede hornear

Das Buch hat mich enttäuscht; habe es wg. des Hilfeteils gekauft, aber der kommt viel zu kurz. Auch sind zu wenig Fotos enthalten. Ich besitze hunderte Backbücher und freue mich über Neuerwerbungen stets sehr, aber es müßte schon auch etwas Neues drinstehen. Alles alte Hüte.

Love that she tells you how difficult the recipe is. I was a bit hesitant about the crust recipe, because I stay in the tropics (think hot and humid), but using a dough blender worked perfectly! And the pie crust recipe really works for those who love a more flaky crust.

5 for5 great recipes so far, we won't discuss the scale!

Da avere se si ha una collezione di libri di cucina.

Really good recipes!

Loved the puff pastry and danish

Sometimes a cookbook comes along and completely surprises you. I confess, I had low expectations for this cookbook. Not because I don't love Food52 or Erin's writing, but because it's difficult to do this kind of "instructive baking for the home cook" well. I've purchased a lot of duds that skewed towards too simple/dumbed down and/or too boring (the world needs only so many recipes for the basic sugar cookie, brownie, yellow cake, etc). Erin's cookbook is everything an informative cookbook needs to be for the home baker. Inside this squat but many-paged tome, Erin has included recipes for a few basics, along with explanations for why they work (like the high ratio cake - aka why commercial bakeries use shortening in their cakes and why you might want to too). Beyond explanations of recipes themselves, this book is stuffed with tips for keeping your brown sugar soft, fixing a broken buttercream, etc as well as lengthy explanations and detailed photos for different pie crust styles, lattice weaves, weighing out crumb crusts for your pan size, etc. The vast majority of Erin's recipes are either a spin on well loved classics or something you're unlikely to find in most/any other baking cookbook. I'm not sure I'll ever try her lemon-licorice meringue pie, but only because I'm not sure I like licorice that much. Her peppermint fluff cupcakes and butterscotch blondies however are going to become a part of my baking rotation. What I like: Clear recipe writing Interesting recipes Beautiful pictures of everything Great advice and explanations about why things are done a certain way What I don't like: I wish the book were a little taller, so more of the recipe fit on a single page What I've made: Butterscotch blondies Apricot cream cake Peppermint devil's food high hat cupcakes Verdict: If I had to pick only three dessert cookbooks, this one would make the cut

I love the way this is written and the good tips and ideas. However, this book needed further editing, as there are some mix-ups. At the end of page 15 a new sentence begins -- but it does not continue on page 16 - instead a whole section is on that page. Instead, the sentence (and the rest of the section it goes with) picks up again 2 pages over. The sections of the chapter are simply mixed up. Additionally in the Resources section, the website recommended for buying cookie scoops no longer exists. These are silly mistakes that should have been caught before publication -- especially from as well-known a publishing house as Houghton Mifflin.

I bought this book because I fell in love with the idea of "Flourless [and butterless] Cocoa Cookies." I saw the image in the Amazon Preview and my mouth watered full of desire. The book turns out to be beautiful. Fabulous pictures everywhere (plenty) and interesting recipes that I would have liked to make... But when I began making them, not a single dish comes out well (at least of those I tried). The Flourless Cookies were an epic failure. Epic! Only after failing miserably, I looked up a few recipes online and, sure enough, nothing compares to the totally "off" measurements offered in McDowell's book. For example, the consensus seems to be that such recipe requires egg whites (makes sense! they'd allow the batter to hold shape). McDowell tells you to "lightly beat three eggs" at first, then add the cocoa and powdered sugar (cinnamon and vanilla) et voilà... one finds oneself with a runny batter that cannot be scooped or separated on a baking sheet into cookies. Sadly (because it is visually gorgeous), I returned this book.

I admit I hesitated buying this baking book because I am a baking cookbook junkie with a zillion titles who has been baking since the dinosaurs roamed the planet. Would this book teach me anything new? The answer is: “Hallelujah! Baking Bejeesus! Yes, yes, yes!” I learned new tips just in the introduction...yeah, how is it even possible??! The tone of the author is friendly and she is a thorough and well-informed teacher who explains why baking techniques work, gives the difficulty level for each recipe, throws in pro tips for those who want to take a recipe to the next level and at times suggests variations. All well and good. What about the recipes? Erin’s got that covered too. She provides creative twists on classics, giving you the comfort of familiar treats but adding that extra something special that makes your baked goods stand out and steal the show. For example, I just randomly opened my copy and there is a recipe “ Five-Spice Pumpkin Pie” followed by “Grapefruit Meringue Pie”. And even if you don’t want to stretch your culinary horizons in that new direction, I promise you will learn so much from her about baking that you will end up making better pie even when using your own favorite recipe. Not every recipe has a photo but the ones included are great. The layout of the cookbook is very user-friendly and visually appealing. I love how the quantity, the difficulty level and tips on making a baked good ahead and storing are given in red at the top right of the page for the start of every recipe. If you want to read about other bakers’ experiences using this cookbook, Food52 Baking Cookbook Club on Facebook baked their way through “Fearless Baking” in March 2018. Let’s just say these bakers had amazing photos and high praise for this special cookbook. Categories of recipes include: Cookies & Bars; Cakes; Pies & Tarts; Pastries; Custards & Creams; along with Resources. There is plenty to love. I thought “Sweet” by Ottolenghi would be my top favorite 2018 baking book but “The Fearless Baker” wins hands down❣️

I bought this book after flipping though it in a library and I got it for one reason: grapefruit meringue pie. I am of the firm belief that grapefruit is underrepresented in the world of desserts. The pie was gorgeous, and I’ve since made the doughnuts. I’m new to doughnuts, though not to baking, and her instructions were clear and easy. The recipes contain weights, which is a must for me. Very pleased and excited to try new recipes.

The Fearless Baker is the baking book I have been waiting for. Recipes are inventive and fun; instructions are clear; pictures are beautiful. I really appreciate the author's approach to providing the reason/logic behind how/why the recipes work. Rather than just rote instruction following, I came away with more baking knowledge and now feel more empowered as a novice baker. Most importantly, all the recipes I have made so far have been delicious. I am very impressed by this cookbook, and recommend it for any burgeoning bakers trying to step their game up.

Learning how to bake correctly with predictable results is a challenge. I really appreciate how the offer breaks down the "why" it's done a certain way. Already tried a few recipes with excellent results. The author personalizes each recipe with anecdotes; this is a nice touch and is entertaining. I know I'll become a better baker if I follow her techniques and professional tips.

I watched her videos and was quite smitten with the adorable Erin. I have no idea why she publishes recipes that cannot possibly work, but once I follow instructions that prove to be flawed, I am done. Also, the book is full of recipes that are simply out of the ordinary, but not tempting. Nice paper weight, pretty pictures, I haven't looked at it for 6 months.

A versatile baking book for both the novice and the expert, it has everything from classic recipes to new ideas that would inspire even the most seasoned baker. What I especially like is the author’s thorough explanation about why certain ingredients behave in specific ways. There is a lot of information in this cookbook. Plus beautiful pictures and clear, eloquent writing make it a gorgeous book to own!

Being a non-baker myself, I am really enjoying reading about the WHY of baking. The pictures are absolutely stunning, the explanations are easy to read, and it's nicely bound and presented. I know that "real" bakers use weight measurements of ingredients, and that always stresses me out, but normal human measurements are given alongside the weights for the less culinarily inclined. It's not an EASY cookbook; these are legitimate from-scratch recipes that you could find for purchase in a bakery, and there's a nice variety of more traditional, simple items like brownies, as well as more creative combinations of flavors and textures. I was so pleased I bought the book for several family members as Christmas gifts and all have been thrilled with it as well. My sister-in-law is a professional baker, and she was as impressed with the book as I was, which tells you that it really is accessible to any level and interest. Even if you never bake anything out of the book, you'll enjoy just reading and learning about everything that Ms. McDowell has to say!