The Complete Baking Cookbook: 350 Recipes from Cookies and Cakes to Muffins and Pies

The definitive book on baking for home cooks.

Nothing says comfort food like freshly baked cookies, a cake, muffins or homemade bread cooling in the kitchen. Creating those mouthwatering baked treats to share with family and friends is one of life's great pleasures.

The Complete Baking Cookbook provides the inspiration to explore the wonderful world of baking. And of course it includes the tested recipes to make it easy and tasty. Written by baker and pastry chef extraordinare George Geary, this collection of 350 easy-to-follow recipes offers a tantalizing variety of goodies from pies, tarts, cobblers and crisps, to cookies, cheesecakes and holiday pastries.

Here's just a small sampling:

• Blue ribbon double chocolate cookies; gingersnaps; maple sugar cookies
• Honey apple spice muffins; orange macadamia rolls; jumbo cinnamon rolls
• Sweet potato pie; apple cherry cobbler; Passover honey cheesecake
• Holiday English trifle; Christmas cherry cake; spring Easter Lemon torte.

What really sets this baking book apart from others is that there is a special section with comprehensive material for each category of baked good. For example, the cookies chapter includes instructions and line drawings on effective techniques (scooping, using a pastry bag), troubleshooting and tips, choosing the right pan, and comparison charts.

With hundreds of recipes and an abundance of luscious photographs, this book will be cherished by home bakers everywhere.

George Geary teaches baking classes in more than 100 cooking schools across North America every year. The author of 125 Best Cheesecake Recipes and 125 Best Biscuit Mix Recipes, he lives in Los Angeles.