Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Bake Sale Cookbook by Sandra Lee

Allen got me Sandra Lee's Bake Sale Cookbook when it was released a few months back and I love it. I watch Sandra Lee on Food Network, own many of her cookbooks, and have a subscription to her magazine, Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade. I like Sandra's approach of semi-homemade recipes that are quick, easy and great tasting. Sorry purists, shortcuts are good and necessary in the real world. This cookbook incorporates all these components and while I do not plan to bake in this heat in my un-air conditioned apartment kitchen in da bronx, I will resume my love for baking in September. I think these recipes are so great for hosting a bake sale for your favorite charity or for hosting a kick-ass dessert PARTY! If you have kids there are great ideas in this cookbook so get baking with the kiddies and have fun!

In this lovely cookbook, there are lots of recipes for cakes, tarts, pies, cheesecakes, truffles, cookies, bars, brownies, sundaes, muffins, parfaits, and more... Sandra Lee also provides tips for decorating gift bags and how-to's for dressing up cakes. I have been learning to do this myself and plan to step up the ante in future baking. I love frosting and prefer it to fondant but realize decorating is an art, and I am not an artist but a darn good baker. Fondant doesn't taste as good as frosting so I like that the recipes use frosting. Finding a few recipes to highlight is not an easy task since I will make all of these recipes no matter how long it takes me. That is why I love having cookbooks since you can use them for years, and there are many celebrations, birthdays, holidays and get togethers with family and/or friends which give you the opportunity to bake away.

I love the White Chocolate-Orange Chessman Cheesecake which would be great for a family dinner and the presentation is just beautiful. The same goes for the White Chocolate Brownie-Bottom Cheesecake which looks heavenly. I love pie and don't you too? The Triple Blueberry Pie looks so yummy. OMG, the Caramel-Apple Muffin Melts looks sinfully rich and divine. The Lemon-Filled Coconut Cupcakes scream summer time and look so pretty. I bet they taste great too! For a prime time (Oops, Guy Fieri love kicked in) chocolate coconut fix, the Crunchy Cocoa-Coconut Cookies look like a slam dunk! The Chocolate-Chocolate Cherry Cupcakes are adorable as are the Root Beer Cupcakes. Wow! The Opera Cake is great for a dinner party and gets an A+ for presentation. I hope I can make mine look that sexy. The Black-Russian Cake looks so rich and decadent. I think my new favorite cake is going to be the White Chocolate Macadamia Cake. I could go on but I won't. You will just have to but one for yourself. Get your bake on!

-Sophia/Two Frys

3 comments:

  1. A quick gift for my wife from amazon, Some great easy recipies for Baked goodies. You should order this for not only your bake sale needs but also for fun home baking!

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  2. Nice Blog.The one secret is that If someone has to chosen to buy your cake via a private bakery or pastry chef, he should give thought to minimizing several of the cake’s luxury designs & decorations for a less expensive per slice rate. Don’t forget, “simple & tasteful” can be just as good as “fancy & expensive”

    Food presentation

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  3. I agree completely Samual. That is very true and I share the same sentiment. I prefer simple cake design and taste and texture is what is most important. :)

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