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Sunday, November 24, 2024

Cookbook Recipe Testing, Vol. 4


Welcome to a different publish in my Newest Recipe Testing collection, and the 4th publish particularly about testing cookbook recipes. See quantity 1quantity 2, and quantity 3.

close-up overhead photo of brownies and blondies.

I like sharing behind-the-scenes peeks with you. Producing high quality and well-tested baking recipes is a number of work, however I’m grateful I can name this my job. Thanks for being right here, and for becoming a member of me on this baking journey. Let’s dive into some thrilling cookbook information!


4th Cookbook Coming September 2025

In the event you haven’t seen it but, I’ve been sharing a number of behind-the-scenes about my cookbook on my web site and Instagram account. I’ve been engaged on this e book for two+ years to this point, and it’s going to be my largest, most polished e book but: 100 recipes protecting many baking classes like breads, pies, desserts, cookies, brownies, muffins, cupcakes, and extra. It will likely be in your palms September 2025, and after pouring my coronary heart and soul into this undertaking, I’m assured saying which you could count on the most effective.

Sally styling a French toast casserole scene.

And it feels so good to be sitting down and typing this…

I imply, unbelievably good…

My Manuscript Has Been Submitted!!

This manuscript took me over a 12 months of intense work to jot down. (And a pair of years of growing recipes!) Although that is my 4th cookbook, producing this one felt very completely different. Since my final cookbook in 2017, I’m now 7 extra years into my profession, I’ve kids, I’ve an even bigger viewers and crew, I’m with a brand new writer, and I’ve extra expertise within the kitchen. I felt extra self-induced stress, and I actually needed to dig for some artistic inspiration.

I discovered it, and I’m actually, actually proud.

The manuscript is out of my palms and with my editor. I really feel a really giant 75K-word weight off my shoulders!!!!

Not solely am I the writer of the e book, I’m additionally the photographer. This previous spring, I photographed my complete cookbook with a crew {of professional} stylists: prop stylist Giulietta, meals stylist Diana, plus my video and way of life images crew, the Paragraphic. (Extra on that to return!) Proper now, I’m ending up some step-by-step images after which the e book will actually be out of my palms. Ahh!

behind-the-scenes photo of Sally taking photo of cinnamon rolls.
behind-the-scenes photo of Sally styling a quiche scene.

Since I’ve been so immersed on this e book, you haven’t seen a number of new materials on my web site the previous 6 months. My mind is often frazzled (I’ve younger youngsters on high of all this… LOL), so I gave myself a number of time and house to create thrilling materials.

I took a number of breaks over the previous month, and now I’m pumped to get again into growing new content material for my web site. (I ship out updates and recipe collections on the common to my e-mail subscribers, so remember to subscribe in the event you haven’t already.)


Let Me Present You Some Recipe Testing & Outcomes

A handful of recipes within the e book will likely be from my web site, however most (about 75) will likely be fully new and unique to the e book. I don’t wish to give an excessive amount of away, however on the similar time, I’m thrilled to point out you ways some recipes got here to life.

The final I left off, I used to be practically completed with the Pies chapter, and able to dive additional into the Truffles chapter and the Brownies & Bars chapter. I ended up including a number of further recipes to the Pies chapter, altering a recipe within the Yeast chapter, and doubtless made 600 different small adjustments to the Desk of Contents that I can’t bear in mind at this level. It’s been a chaotic few months!

peach-topped pie.

Right here’s a sneak peek at among the recipes you’ll see within the e book. This isn’t the images for the e book; these are pictures taken for reference.

The peach pie above is a take a look at recipe that ended up engaged on the 4th strive. It’s a flippantly sweetened creamy peach delight with a crunchy crust, and doubtless one among my favorites within the e book.

Millionaire Bars

Have you ever ever had millionaire bars earlier than? They’re a decadent layered bar with a shortbread crust, thick caramel heart, and wealthy chocolate topping. The caramel layer took probably the most work as a result of it’s troublesome to strike the right stability between gooey caramel and sliceable caramel. I’m glad to report that this recipe labored on the third strive, however we definitely went by means of a number of butter that day. These are VERY wealthy… therefore the identify.

millionaire's bars.millionaire's bars.

Most likely the Finest Bread I’ve Ever Made

Once I thought I used to be completed with a glazed pull-apart bread recipe, I made a decision to offer it yet one more go. What you see beneath is a fluffy, flaky, walnut-studded, glazed bread. It was splendidly scrumptious:

maple bread.maple bread.

However I had a sense I might intensify the flavour (maple) and thicken the glaze. The ensuing pull-apart bread is without doubt one of the finest home made treats I’ve created. I really stated these phrases to my crew member, Beth: “That is the most effective factor we’ve ever made.” LOL.

I’m excited so that you can do that one.

maple pull-apart bread.maple pull-apart bread.

Unhappy-Hat Cupcakes Into Hello-Hat Cupcakes

Ahh, the day my marshmallow-like meringue simply wasn’t working. It was humid outdoors, and the meringue was cussed—it wouldn’t attain stiff peaks. I attempted, imagine me!

Hello-hat cupcakes are frosted cupcakes that you just dip in chocolate. I rushed by means of the frosting, knew very nicely that it was droopy, and wound up with a tragic, deflated mess! Apparently I’m as cussed as this meringue was.

frosted cupcakes with frosting that has melted.frosted cupcakes with frosting that has melted.

I lastly determined to change the frosting to one thing slightly extra secure, and one thing that tastes unbelievable with the opposite flavors within the precise cupcake:

frosted cupcakes.frosted cupcakes.

I ended up freezing the frosted cupcakes briefly so they may dip flawlessly. Right here they’re the day we photographed the step-by-step pictures:

behind the scenes photo of Sally with chocolate-topped cupcakes.behind the scenes photo of Sally with chocolate-topped cupcakes.

Baked Alaska-Impressed Deal with

Don’t fear, the marshmallow-like meringue was redeemed! Right here I examined it on a Baked Alaska-inspired deal with full with peanut butter ice cream. That is DELICIOUS and also you’ll discover it within the Pies chapter:

Baked alaska with peanut butter.Baked alaska with peanut butter.

Tremendous Fudgy, Chewy, & Thick Brownies

I’ve made PLENTY of brownie recipes earlier than. My objective for this e book was to supply a recipe that produced a 9-inch-square pan of fudgy, chewy, and thick brownies made with cocoa powder.

Although I am keen on brownies made with precise melted chocolate, brownies made with cocoa powder are slightly simpler, and supply distinctive chocolate taste. I examined recipes with Dutch-processed cocoa powder, pure cocoa powder, with a mixture of butter and oil, with a splash of scorching water to assist bloom the cocoa, with extra flour, much less flour, and just about each variation in between.

brownies compared together with notes on variations in recipe.brownies compared together with notes on variations in recipe.

It was a CHOCOLATE HEAVY week. I’m excited to share this new brownie recipe, and it’s additionally a incredible base for different bars like brookies and layered brownies. (I’ve a few these within the e book, too!)


I’m going to share some behind-the-scenes concerning the large cookbook photograph shoot quickly, so keep tuned.

Q: Which of those new recipes are you most excited to strive?



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