I am a recipe book whore! There I said it.
I know that someday, when I have the money, I will own a huge recipe book collection. I cook from them often. There is no denying that, but some of them just speak to you. Some appeal to you with their pictures and some with some never-fail recipes.
These are my go-to for when I bake:
The first from L-R is Great Cakes by Womans day and White wings. The book starts with familiarising you with the equipment, then teaching you how to do make some frosting and cake decorations. The cakes are divided by category into classic, seasonal, novelty etc. Most of the recipes call for the use of White Wings self raising flour, but the regular ones you get at any store would do. I must confess I have never used any recipes from this book, no particular reason, but it has the prettiest pictures. No book with pretty picture of cakes can be bad right?
The next sans it's red cover is Favourite Cake Recipes by Family Circle. I couldn't find this book for over two years and I thought I had lost it forever. The first cake I baked was from this, chocolate fudge cake, I remember how sinfully awesome it was and how Aditi and I had distributed it to everyone in the society for Christmas. Sigh!
The third and a birthday gift is Sanjeev Kapoor's Cakes and Bakes everyone in India knows of this always smiling and amazing chef who taught India how to cook with Khana Khazana. His recipes are fail-proof! Just follow them to the T and even if you think you have screwed up (unless you have forgotten to add something crucial like flour) his cakes will always, always turn out to be amazing. It also helps that there is a smiley at the bottom of every recipe stating the difficulty level - Easy, Moderate and Hard.
I do have a list of book I would love to have. Nigella tops the list. Her book is like a person, breathing, alive and even though a lot of her recipes have meat, I love the way she writes.
I know that someday, when I have the money, I will own a huge recipe book collection. I cook from them often. There is no denying that, but some of them just speak to you. Some appeal to you with their pictures and some with some never-fail recipes.
These are my go-to for when I bake:
The first from L-R is Great Cakes by Womans day and White wings. The book starts with familiarising you with the equipment, then teaching you how to do make some frosting and cake decorations. The cakes are divided by category into classic, seasonal, novelty etc. Most of the recipes call for the use of White Wings self raising flour, but the regular ones you get at any store would do. I must confess I have never used any recipes from this book, no particular reason, but it has the prettiest pictures. No book with pretty picture of cakes can be bad right?
The next sans it's red cover is Favourite Cake Recipes by Family Circle. I couldn't find this book for over two years and I thought I had lost it forever. The first cake I baked was from this, chocolate fudge cake, I remember how sinfully awesome it was and how Aditi and I had distributed it to everyone in the society for Christmas. Sigh!
The third and a birthday gift is Sanjeev Kapoor's Cakes and Bakes everyone in India knows of this always smiling and amazing chef who taught India how to cook with Khana Khazana. His recipes are fail-proof! Just follow them to the T and even if you think you have screwed up (unless you have forgotten to add something crucial like flour) his cakes will always, always turn out to be amazing. It also helps that there is a smiley at the bottom of every recipe stating the difficulty level - Easy, Moderate and Hard.
I do have a list of book I would love to have. Nigella tops the list. Her book is like a person, breathing, alive and even though a lot of her recipes have meat, I love the way she writes.
lol, I'm a food whore. I jump on good food as soon as I see it. Nigella is the hottest woman on earth (I *might* be in love). :P
ReplyDeleteMy choices are kinda restricted where desserts are concerned because I'm vegetarian and people put eggs in almost everything. Have you tried carrots and dates cake? Try making it sometime. Maybe the idea of having carrots in a cake sounds weird but it's one of the most delicious cakes I've ever tasted (and made :D). And instead of using milk/milkmaid, try using curd sometime. Tastes really good, and not sour at all.
I feel hungry everytime I read your blog. More PLEASE!
Nigella, Sigh! That woman is a domestic goddess (in her own words).
ReplyDeleteI have heard about carrot and date cake. I will bake it soon. Curd is an alternative to egg. But instead of milk?
Yes! I can't bear milk, in anything. So curd it is. And it does taste slightly different, but delicious all the same.
ReplyDeleteOOH! Will try this. Pakka.
ReplyDeleteI make dry coconut cake. :)
ReplyDeleteIn that I use curd. :D
Hey Shreya, I am a first time visitor to this site.
ReplyDeleteGood Job.
http://rakshaskitchen.blogspot.com
@Raksha: HI! Thanks for stopping by. Hope to see you around more.
ReplyDeleteSorry to break the spell :P but Nigella cooks mostly from a packet and tin cans. Of course but, she is gorgeous and all is forgiven... when she licks her chocolate pudding spoon. But then a side of me knows that is a marketing gimmick.
ReplyDeleteRead Julia Child. If Nigella is a domestic goddess, she is a Kitchen Samurai, who taught us all to fight for real food.