Baking with Cookie Molds - Review

Baking With Cookie Molds

Author: Anne L. Watson

Publisher: Shepard Publications

Release Date: November 30, 2016

ISBN: 9781620355077

Pages: 222

BLURB:

SPECIAL NOTE! -- ANNE WILL PERSONALLY ANSWER ANY QUESTION OF YOURS AFTER READING THIS BOOK. ASK ON HER WEB SITE, AND YOU'LL NORMALLY HEAR BACK WITHIN HOURS!

Beautiful to look at but hard to use. That's the reputation of cookie molds. But should it be?

In this groundbreaking book, Anne L. Watson restores cookie molds to an honored place in the baker's kitchen by revealing long-lost secrets of their use. With Anne's techniques and recipes, tasty cookies with lovely, detailed designs will literally fall from the mold into your hand.

Learn how to make traditional molded cookies like speculaas, springerle, and shortbread, as well as modern ones like White Chocolate Lime Cookies and Orange Blossom Wedding Cookies. Learn the tricks of sandwich cookies, layer cookies, chocolate backing, and exhibition cookies. And learn about the molds themselves -- the many kinds, their history, the best places to find them, how to treat them, what makes a good one, and which to avoid entirely.

With nearly two dozen recipes and almost a hundred photos, "Baking with Cookie Molds" will quickly have you making cookies that both amaze and delight.

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Anne L. Watson is the author of a number of popular books on home crafts and lifestyle, as well as children's books and many novels. In a previous career, she was a historic preservation architecture consultant. Anne lives with her husband and photographer, Aaron Shepard, in Bellingham, Washington.

My Thoughts:

Making cookies from cookie molds is truly an art form. I've tried in the past with no real success and tucked the molds away for "another day". With no real instructions with the molds, I had set myself up for failure.

When I stumbled across Baking with Cookie Molds  (quite by accident), I got excited and had to request it so that I could once again try my hand at making the cookies. This time I had instructions, and detailed ones at that! Now - I had to remember where I stored the molds! 

The first part of the book is about molds and their history. It's written in a very informative and entertaining way. I enjoyed the photography of the molds as well as the story. The second half of the book gets down to business. It has everything you need to know from start to finish to create a successful molded cookie! If you follow Anne's tips, hints and instructions, you will have success. I did!!! 

I love all the recipes. You have pretty much basics, then move onto fancies and the author even tells how to create your own recipes for the molds. 

I cannot sing praises loud enough for this book. If you have ever wanted to lean the lost art of cookie mold cookies, this is definitely a must have! Anne's book is AMAZING!!!

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley. I was not required to post a positive review - but one of my honest opinion. 

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

Can cookies really be healthy and taste good as well? YES!!!! I came across a pin on Pintrest called Skinny Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies from Sally's Baking Addiction and they looked good, but I had wondered if they would taste as good as they looked. The answer was yes, but I did tweak the recipe to more my style.

These cookies are perfect to give to your children in their lunches, after school snacks, a midnight snack or when you really want that chocolate fix but can't bring yourself to fill yourself with empty calories.

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

The original recipe called for almond milk which I eliminated. I also cut out the salt, cut back on the honey and added a few other ingredients that kicked up the cookies and made them even more yummy!!!

Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies

1 ripe banana - the riper the better
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Quick Oats
Chocolate chips

Any or all of the following:
Coconut
Raisins
Walnuts, pecans, etc
Dried cranberries

Mash the banana and continue to mash until it liquefies. Add peanut butter, honey and the cocoa and mix well. Add coconut (optional) and mix well. Add the oatmeal a little at a time until you get a nice soft dough like consistency. You don't want it dry, but you don't want it wet either. I use about 2 cups of oatmeal. Sometimes more, sometimes less - depending on my additions. Mix well. Add chocolate chips and dried fruit and nuts. Mix well. Drop by tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Let set up and store in airtight container. I keep these in the refrigerator or freezer.

For the original recipe, visit Sally's Baking Addiction.

The World's Greatest Christmas Cookies

The World's Greatest Christmas Cookies
Publisher: Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Pub Date: September 01, 2011
Spiral-bound: 160 pages
ISBN: 9781616263959

About the Cookbook:

When Only the Best Will Do. . .

Wonderfully unique, The World’s Greatest Christmas Cookies will delight cookie lovers and bakers alike, and make your holiday celebrations even sweeter! Featuring recipes organized into a variety of categories including no-bakes, filled cookies, bar cookies and more—plus creative tips, ideas, and inspiration for the season—this sure-to-become-a-favorite cookbook is overflowing with only the best cookie recipes for the entire holiday season and beyond.

My Thoughts:

I know... you are asking yourself why am I posting a Christmas cookie cook book now, right? Well, it's not too early to start thinking about your favorite cookies for Christmas. You see, I am always hunting for new and exciting recipes to add to my Christmas cookie baking, which means I am always trying out new Christmas cookbooks. My baking philosophy is much like the quote in the introduction: "Birthdays are all about cakes, and Christmas is all about cookies." So what better time than now to start looking for those recipes that will "wow" your family and friends?!

The World's Greatest Christmas Cookies boasts many delightful recipes and is filled with photographs that will get you out of your chair and want to start baking! There are so many types from drop to frosted cookies and so many delicious recipes to try: "Chocolate Mint Snow-Top Cookies", "Pumpkin Cookies", "Caramel Apple Cookies" and "Mocha Kisses" to name a few.

The pictures are drool-worthy and makes one want to start baking right away. The recipes we tried were delicious, however, for the seasoned baker, many will be familiar and some are variations of old-time favorites.

Throughout the book are helpful tips that will help both the beginning baker and the seasoned baker alike. These can save the baker frustration and will produce some delicious cookies that look as good as they taste.

Please take note: the copy I have from NetGalley (not a finished copy) has some photos that do not match the recipes and Mrs. Santa’s Cinnamon Cookies on pg 15 appears to be missing sugar. I looked for an errata online, but have not found any, so it is very possible that the finished book does not have these flaws.



I received a copy of this book from Netgalley courtesy of Barbour Publishing. I was not required to write a positive review, but instead, one that gives my honest opinion.