"The Craft of Baking" by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox

Whether she knows it or not (and I think she might know it), Dorie Greenspan has been my culinary guardian angel, and her award-winning cookbook, Baking: From My Home to Yours, has acted like a personal recipe box for me no matter the occasion, helping me step up my game in the cookies, cake, and pie departments. And while Baking will always have a spot on my frequently used cookbook shelf, there's a new baking book that's caught my eye: Karen DeMasco's The Craft of Baking. Written with Mindy Fox, The Craft of Baking takes a seasonal approach to flavor profiles as filtered through an urban farmstand (James Beard Award-winner DeMasco is the pastry chef at Locanda Verde and has worked at Craft and Gramercy Tavern). Autumnal standouts include Apple Cider Muffins, Pumpkin Spice Bread, Maple Custard, Concord Grape Pie, Apple Fritters, and Butterscotch Cream Pie with Gingersnap Crust. I've dog-eared the Spicy Caramel Popcorn recipe to make this weekend. And as someone with a weakness for all things malted, I can't wait to whip up a pint of her Banana Malt Ice Cream and top it with a dollop (or two) of Malted Chocolate Sauce.

Demasco begins the book with plenty of advice on setting up your pantry for baking with her recommend brands and shopping resources (living near a Whole Foods will come in very handy) and sprinkled throughout are "Building Your Craft" sidebars with tips on variations or mastering a technique. I just love how DeMasco uses the color of various dog breeds to monitor which stage you're at when making caramel.

(Maybe it's just me, but every time I look at the cover of the book I "see" Parmesan cheese. A quick office poll reveals I'm the only one who thinks this, and readers can rest assured that the cover shot is of Lamnigton Cupcakes--tiny vanilla cakes rolled around in toasted coconut.)

The Craft of Baking is an urbane collection of inventive recipes for bakers of all levels.

Recommended for fans of Baking: From My Home to Yours, Baked, and Dolce Italiano.

--BTP