Introduction

My vision is that when new bakers open this book and start reading, they will think, I can bake this recipe! The confidence to dive in and start creating will naturally follow. New bakers will feel this encouragement even with the long recipes. There are, undeniably, some recipes that require dedications of time and careful attention, but they are not necessarily difficult. New bakers do not need to shy away from a raspberry almond tart or a covered pie; with straightforward directions, assembling a Black Forest torte is easy. Be assured that there are short, simple recipes too. It was also important to me to include the tips and notes that are often forgotten and go unmentioned but that make a big difference in the success of a recipe. In talking with friends and family about recipes gone wrong, I often discover that only a small detail needs adjustment: a different rack placement, a few minutes less or more of mixing depending on the dough type, a looser measure on the flour. These are precisely the details I want to make clear in the recipes.