I just purchased "Baking at Home" by the ACI. It looks like a very nicely arranged book, with some good looking recipes, and some interesting variations on the classics. I thought it might occupy a nice middle ground between my "Essentials of Baking" (Williams Sonoma) and "Professional Pastry Chef" (Bo Friberg) but I am totally disappointed.
I have tried two recipes, one for challah, and the other for mudslide cookies. Both were completely unworkable as written. The batter for the mudslides was liquid, and the cookies spread out to the size of pankcakes, burning in all but the centers. The challah was simply bizaare and couldn't possibly work as written in the book. After muddling through the recipe, I managed to produce something barely edible.
I have had baking disasters in the past, but I always (rightly) blamed myself, rather than the recipes. However, in this case, having had extensive experience with both challah and similar cookies, I can say with reasonable certainty that the recipes just plain don't work. These recipes are garbage. Not only don't they work, I am doubtful that they CAN work under any circumstances. I am tempted to throw this pretty (and expensive) tome in the trash. Anyone thinking of purchasing this, beware.
I have tried two recipes, one for challah, and the other for mudslide cookies. Both were completely unworkable as written. The batter for the mudslides was liquid, and the cookies spread out to the size of pankcakes, burning in all but the centers. The challah was simply bizaare and couldn't possibly work as written in the book. After muddling through the recipe, I managed to produce something barely edible.
I have had baking disasters in the past, but I always (rightly) blamed myself, rather than the recipes. However, in this case, having had extensive experience with both challah and similar cookies, I can say with reasonable certainty that the recipes just plain don't work. These recipes are garbage. Not only don't they work, I am doubtful that they CAN work under any circumstances. I am tempted to throw this pretty (and expensive) tome in the trash. Anyone thinking of purchasing this, beware.