The Joys of Baking: Recipes and Stories for a Sweet Life

Seneviratne (The New Sugar and Spice) instills her genuine passion for baking in the recipes and stories throughout this beautifully written cookbook. In the introduction, she recommends ingredients and the equipment needed to prepare the recipes she includes. For example, using unsalted butter is key to controlling the amount of salt in prepared items. She suggests using espresso powder in chocolate desserts to enhance the flavor of the chocolate. Instead of dividing chapters by specific desserts or pastries, Seneviratne titles the chapters after feelings and emotions: Courage, Grace, Bliss, Love, and Wisdom. Recipes include crème brûlée tart with pears and chocolate, Neapolitan ice-cream cake, and guava cream cheese rugelach. The gorgeous photographs will leave new and experienced bakers longing to make several of the featured recipes.