Cookies Unlimited [Hardcover]

All traces of willpower dissipate somewhere between the rich, moist, and chewy Cheese Cake Brownies; the delicate, crispy Palm Beach Lemon Cookies; and the flaky, tender Portland Fig Cookies, bursting with an unbelievably decadent filling of dried figs, currants, walnuts, and spices. Trust Nick Malgieri, award-winning author, James Beard nominee, and director of the baking program at Peter Kump's Cooking School in New York, to gather a collection of more than 350 cookie recipes that we can't live without.

Each mouthwatering recipe begins with a short introduction. Sometimes Malgieri tells us what the cookies will look and taste like, sometimes he tells us a bit about their origins, and sometimes we meet the people who first shared the recipes with him. In each case he is sure to pique interest. If Malgieri says that nothing is homier or more comforting than his old-fashioned moist Currant Squares, how can we not make them on the next cold, rainy Saturday that comes along? And if he says he helped Pierre Hermes (the famous Parisian pastry chef) make his extremely delicate Orange Tuiles, and that it wasn't difficult, that should be enough impetus for us to make them just to impress our friends.

Malgieri has divided the book into chapters by type of cookie (bar, drop, refrigerator, rolled, molded, piped, filled, etc.), just what we'd expect from a great teacher like him. The chapters begin with hints and tips for the kind of cookie and recipes follow. If we had lots of time, and plenty of hungry friends, we could work our way through the book and arrive triumphant, at the end, master cookie makers, but we're probably more likely to skip around a lot--everything sounds so tempting! From "heavenly" Caramel Pecan Cookies and "elegant" French Vanilla Sables to "delicately flavored" Little Italy Pine Nut Macaroons and "nutty, fragrant" Almond and Hazelnut Biscotti, Malgieri's enthusiasm for his subject is contagious.

Most of the recipes fit on one page, a detail anyone can appreciate because there's no need to mess the book with sticky, buttery fingers. The instructions are detailed when they need to be, such as the exact Ateco plain tube number to use for the piped Butter Almond Fingers, and are beautifully clear and simple when that's all that's necessary, such as with the quick, easy Golden Coconut Macaroons. Even if you think that the last thing you need is another cookie cookbook, think again, because this one is simply chock-full of recipes you'll make, and make again. --Leora Y. Bloom

Cooking teacher Malgieri (Chocolate, How To Bake, etc.) offers more than 200 recipes for cookies of all sorts, from homey favorites like Cheesecake Brownies to more unusual sweet treats such as Ricotta Drops and Swiss Hazelnut Bars. Some are as American as Loaded with Chips Chocolate Chip Cookies; others are lesser-known European specialties, with a good number from Italy, reflecting Malgieri's heritage. Most are easy, as cookies should be, and the recipes are clearly written. A good companion to Holly Garrison's excellent Cookie Book (Macmillan, 1996), this is recommended for most baking collections.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

For the kid in everyone, master baker Nick Malgieri offers Cookies Unlimited, recipes for a multitude of cookies that make baking them a year-round delight. Malgieri's systematic approach to baking starts with bar cookies, then moves to more complicated categories such as biscotti, fried cookies, macaroons, and sandwich cookies. He includes recipes for crackers and other savory cookies. Malgieri thoughtfully credits the sources of many of these recipes, and his clear, detailed instructions befit his status as one of the country's leading baking teachers. Even the index exceeds expectations by giving access to recipes by ingredient. This is the sort of irresistibly compelling cookbook one wants to open to page one and start baking one's way through to the end. Mark Knoblauch
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

One of America's most talented bakers, Nick Malgieri presents an unparalleled collection of everyone's favorite treat: cookies. With more than four hundred recipes from around the world, Cookies Unlimited is one book that truly lives up to its name, offering delectable cookies both familiar and unusual, American and foreign, easy and elaborate. Malgieri's bar cookies, drop cookies, refrigerator cookies, piped cookies, biscotti , fried cookies, and sandwich cookies are just some of the many temptations in this comprehensive treasury.

More than a recipe book, Cookies Unlimited is an indispensable teaching tool, guiding the home baker through every step in the cookiemaking process. Malgieri clearly and carefully describes fundamental techniques as well as advanced baking skills; from whipping up simple chocolate chip refrigerator cookies to piping perfect meringues to building a stunning gingerbread house, every technique is explained. Each chapter includes both easy cookies and elaborate ones, ensuring that bakers of all experience levels will find Cookies Unlimited useful and accessible. Malgieri's recipes are flawless, his stories and tips are enlightening, and the results are spectacular.

Beautifully illustrated with four-color photographs and instructional line drawings, Cookies Unlimited is an inspiring resource for every baker and cookie lover. Whether you are baking for the holidays, filling the family cookie jar, or even trying your hand at making cookies for the first time, this is the only book you'll ever need. There are few things in life better than home-baked cookies, so indulge and enjoy!

Nick Malgier is the author of Perfect Cakes; Chocolate; Cookies Unlimited; and How to Bake, which won the 1995 James Beard Award for Best Baking Book. He directs the baking program at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City and is a frequent guest teacher at schools across the country. His recipes and articles have appeared in the New York Times, Gourmet, Chocolatier, Food & Wine, and Cooks Illustrated, among many other publications. Malgieri also appears frequently on the Food Network. He lives in New York City.