The Modern Baker Time-Saving Techniques for Breads, Tarts, Pies, Cakes and Cookies

This book receives significant praise for its successful and varied baking recipes, with many reviewers reporting excellent results even from seemingly complicated bakes. The author, Nick Malgieri, is frequently lauded as a legend and an incredible teacher, known for his clear instructions and effective techniques, including some appreciated time-saving methods. Readers consistently highlight the book's beautiful illustrations, lush photography, and attractive layout, which make it a pleasure to browse and inspire enthusiasm for baking. It is also commended for providing valuable insight, techniques, and a wide selection of delicacies, making it suitable for both novice and experienced bakers, with useful introductory sections on ingredients and equipment.

Despite the widespread acclaim, some aspects of the book drew criticism. A common complaint is the extremely small font used for ingredient lists, which many found difficult to read. The book’s physical weight was also noted as a minor inconvenience by some. While most recipes are highly successful, a few reviewers mentioned instances where baking times were longer than stated, or specific recipes had minor flaws, such as a runny sauce in a savory pie or a slightly dry focaccia. This led some to feel the need to modify recipes or to express a slight hesitation in trusting every instruction implicitly. Additionally, while the photography is generally excellent, a few readers wished that every single recipe included a picture.

In conclusion, this book is largely regarded as an excellent baking reference, offering a diverse collection of recipes that range from easy to quite complex. Its primary strengths lie in the author's proven expertise, the general reliability and quality of the instructions, and its strong visual appeal. This book is particularly well-suited for enthusiastic bakers who appreciate detailed guidance, are looking to expand their repertoire with a variety of interesting recipes, and are open to tackling both simple and more advanced techniques. Readers who can overlook minor issues such as small print and the book's weight, and who are comfortable with occasional experimentation, will likely find this a highly valuable addition to their kitchen.