Cupcakes, Cookies & Pie, Oh My! [Paperback]

I have to admit, that I love the authors other books. I dont always have the motivation to do the more difficult ones, but just looking at the pictures makes me smile. This book is just as interesting and wonderful. The advantage of this book is that she uses desserts other than cupcakes (although cupcakes are still heavily used). This allows for a lot more creativity. There are some really novel ideas here, like high heeled cupcakes that really look like shoes! And a pie topped with marshmallow pigs under a blanket. However, this book is not necessarily all about the pictures...it gives great guidance on techniques. It is loaded with step by step how to pictures. I think it really helps give the reader more confidence if they are cautious about trying a recipe. You get to see things almost every step of the way. I also like that there are a good mix to projects including many holiday themed ones. I cant wait to get started!

This is a terrifically clever book filled with wonderful ideas for making baked goods that delight the eye. The projects range from the lovely (The Whiteout Cake) to the hilarious (The Spider Bite) with some truly inspired designs such as the Social Network Cake and the cupcakes made into high heels, which is sure to delight anyone who loves pretty shoes. The instructions seem very straightforward, and if these are not easy or quick projects, they're ones which will garner a lot of "oooohs" and "aaahhhhs" from your guests, and some good laughs, too.

But here's my problem with the book -- and I freely admit that your mileage may vary on this one -- a great many of the recipes make my teeth hurt even to think about. When the emphasis of a baked item is on style, you have to be willing to use a lot of sugar to produce decorations which many adults (like me) won't eat. And since the point of baking is, for me at least, to produce something that delights the palate, many of these projects, adorable as they are, seem fairly unappetizing.

If you're baking for children who will eat anything sugary, if you're baking for an event where you don't really care if people eat your baked goods, then this is the book for you because it demystifies a good deal of the process of turning out awe-inspiring cakes, cookies, pies and so forth. You can be the hit of your child's kindergarten class, create hilarious Halloween treats, and be that person, the one who always shows up with the show-stopping dessert.

First off, I want to adress the concern that people have expressed in past books such as the NY Time Besteller, Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make, their first book. I bought that book and was imediately hooked on their stylish but accessible approach to making awe-inspiring desserts. All their books and their website now feature indices that list many online sources for all the items and/or basic candy Clay or dough recipes that they use to create their adorable Fluffy Lambs, Gnome Sweet Gnomes, or High-Heeled cupcakes. In truth, most of those special sugars and candy melts which you can't make can be purchased right here on Amazon! Also, as stated above, this book and most of their others contain ALL the basic recipes for their basic Candy Clay, Quick Doughs and Perfect Cake Mixes which are ALL made with normal household items plus or minus an ingredient here or there. The photos in the books and videos on the website are also a terrific help. Even a basic cook can learn how to make these Centerpiece Desserts with a single trial run. If you've never baked a cake or iced one though, you might need to start with a one of their simpler creations first.

That said, let me point out that I received the Advanced Reader's Copy so there were some page numbers missing when they referred to these basic Candy Doughs but all I had to do was pencil them in. No fuss at all! The book contained all the templates needed and the instructions were easy to follow. The two items that really cought my eye were the cupcake Year of the Dragon centerpiece and their take on Monet's Water Lillies that includes a base of blue Jell-O and using a very clever technique for the Water Lilly petals involving the ever-present candy melts and the backs of plastic spoons. Oncs set, the petals can be gently removed and formed into the Lillies atop minicupcakes frosted with pale pink which are then sit into round cut-outs of the Jell-O "Pond" . Very clever! Also a big favorite of mine were some lovely miniature cake bites for small apetites and some techniques for smaller layer cakes that are truly dazzling, especially the Whiteout Cake. That lovely crytsal creation would make a nice surprise for anyone's Wedding Anniversary or for a bridal Shower without breaking the bank. Also included in the book are sections for the various Holidays including an inspired Day of the Dead Cupcake idea or their "Pigs in a Blanket" cupcake idea that takes the name literally with sleepy little piggy cupcakes under a candy-clay blanket that can be removed for serving and saved for treats later in the week. The Cake section has some other terrificly fun ideas such as a crispy treat Skatecoard cake, a Sock Monkey Cake and a lovely little Bichon Frise doggie cake made with poundcake and frosting complete with his own doggie bowls.

Some reviewers have suggested that these desserts are too sweet for the average person. One should remember that there is nobody commanding you to eat an entire confection yourself! In fact, many of these centerpieces come apart easily into single servings or can be cut in half or into individual slices. As someone who has to watch my blood sugar, both highs and lows, I am especially concerned about cupcake books that slather the icing on both as glue and the primary decoration. With this, I believe their 4th book, food Stylists Karen Tack & Alan Richardson have done their best to create memorable and unusual desserts such as their Poundcake version of Shrimp Cocktail, complete with tails, served over Jell-O "ice cubes" ! They have tried to keep their serving sizes appropriate or easily sliced or borken down from the full creation. Also, these are special occasion desserts intended for parties, holidays, birthdays and such. I don't think there's any harm in serving half of a larger cupcake to a person or child.

In fact, making and serving these creations could be a good exercise in portion-control for children; showing them that even on special occasions, we do not stuff ourselves silly with sugary treats. Add a balanced meal before-hand, followed by one appropriate serving of these lovely treats and you can send some of the leftovers home with each child for their parents. Just be sure to take lots of photos and to go to their website. They are on Facebook too. There's a wealth of info there. Other books by these authors wrth getting include: What's New, Cupcake?: Ingeniously Simple Designs for Every Occasion, Hello, Cupcake!: Irresistibly Playful Creations Anyone Can Make.

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