Fat + Flour: The Art of a Simple Bake

Rucker (author of the James Beard Award–nominated Dappled: Baking Recipes for Fruit Lovers), who is the chef and owner of Fat + Flour Bakery in Los Angeles, came up with the idea for this book when the pandemic forced her to face some tough business truths. Isolation became an inspiration to her to remove any unnecessary fussiness in her recipes to spark creativity in new ways. Reducing the number of tools and steps needed, Rucker has created a very accessible and comprehensive book. Her greatest shift began when she decided to use the Cold Butter Method (CBM), which eliminates the need to temper any fats needed for the recipes. Her edits to her recipes create streamlined results that will increase confidence in readers. From boozy banana snickerdoodle cookies and white-chocolate coconut brownies all the way to showcasing five distinct banana bread options and caramel peach pie, this outstanding baking book has something for every taste and dietary preference, all accompanied by mouth-watering photographs. An added bonus is the highlighting of vegan baked goods in every category, which were created to cope with the rising cost of eggs and butter. The recipes were developed and tested in home kitchens to ensure good results.