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(More customer reviews)I had the great good fortune of meeting Annalise about eight months ago at a celiac support group meeting. I had previously used a recipe of hers (available on her Foodphilosopher website) for angelfood cake. I was impressed with it and was really looking forward to the publication of this cookbook.
This is gluten free baking with no apologies. Annalise is a very wise lady, passionate in her quest for excellence in gluten free baking. She has gone into the kitchen and rethought how we bake with gluten free flours. The result is an amazing collection of recipes that can go anywhere with the wheat-eating crowd and pass as the "real" thing.
Texturally her products are moist and don't have the grainy mouth feel for which gluten free baked goods are notorious. And taste - she points out in her introduction how much flavor wheat flour has, and then proceeds to compensate for the lack of flavor in the gluten free flours by carefully rethinking her porportions of fats, liquids and flavorings. The result is, product after product, items that not only look beautiful but truly taste delicious. I used to call the lack of flavor in a gf product the "dead spot" - something was missing in my gf baking, but I didn't know what. Annalise's recipes fill that spot completely.
I've been baking for over 40 years. I've been baking gluten free for almost 7 years. I've bought breads ready made, baked from mixes and from scratch. I have had the great pleasure of tasting Annalise's breads, made by her own hand, on a few occasions at our local celiac support group meetings. These are outstanding in terms of crunch, crust and flavor. She has made a real breakthrough with her French/Submarine bread recipes.
I have personally baked the chocolate chip muffins, lemon squares and chocolate ricotta muffins from this book. They are all unbelievably good. I have had a wonderful time making her angelfood cake in the past, and have had the pleasure of helping her test out new recipes for cinnamon buns and a crumb cake. My family of five (three gf eaters) are all impressed. And my non-allergic daughter, who still can and does eat wheat, can't wait for me to bake the crumb cake again - she probably ate 1/2 of the first one by herself.
A word of warning - while Annalise's flour blend for cakes and muffins may look "traditional" to you, it is not. Don't think that this is the "same old same old" - it is not. And, when Annalise advises using a specific brand of brown rice flour (Authentic Foods) in her blend because of the fine grind, pay attention folks! It really makes a difference in the end product.
Did I mention that Gourmet Magazine ran a November, 2005 article spotlighting her recipes? Go buy the book and bake all these goodies you've been missing. That's what I'm doing for my family.
Susan
Northern New Jersey Celiac Support Group
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Gluten-Free Baking ClassicsThis revised edition of Annalise Roberts' popular cookbook is a welcome choice for those allergic to gluten who want to enjoy delicious fresh-baked foods. Roberts presents easy-to-use recipes and techniques for baking everyday basics like bread and cookies as well as classic treats like brownies and biscuits. Sample delights include Multi-Grain Artisan Bread, Hazelnut Cake, and Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Doughnuts. These recipes use precise mixes of non-wheat-based, gluten-free flours that only the baker need know are allergy safe. Gluten-Free Baking Classics is designed for all skills levels, from beginner to seasoned, and the book is especially useful for novices since it contains detailed instructions on how to get started, as well as timeless baking techniques and guidelines to assure success. Also included are tips on how to incorporate gluten-free baking into a busy weekly schedule, and the book explains why baking wholesome and delicious breads, muffins, cakes, and other items is so important for emotional and physical well-being.
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