Kelli Marks is a self-taught baker. She wanted to bake a cake for her grandparents, so she read recipes and experimented and discovered that she loved baking. So she kept reading and experimenting and eventually opened her own bakery, worked as a pastry chef, taught baking, and (now) has written a cookbook.
Easy One-Bowl Baking is a just what it sounds like—a collection of simple bakes that are delicious and easy to make. These are the types of recipes that you could make on a weeknight or a busy weekend morning, or you can use these recipes to learn the basics of baking or teach it to kids. Marks starts you out slowly, by giving you all you need to know about the equipment you’ll need, the techniques you’ll be using, and the best ingredients to make the most of these recipes.
If you have a sensitivity or allergy to certain foods, she’s ready with answers. Many of these recipes are gluten-free, dairy-free, nut-free, or even vegan, and the recipes that don’t start out that way can often be modified as you need it. Throughout the cookbook, she includes tips on different ingredients, techniques, and substitutions, and even ideas for different flavor variations.
She starts with cookies, bars, and brownies. There are the expected recipes that you’ll be looking for: Out-of-This-World Brownies, Raspberry-Pistachio Thumbprints, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Seven-Layer Bars, and a Chocolate Hip and Cashew Skillet Cookie. And then there are the recipes you were not expecting: Key Lime Coolers, Tasty Tahini Cookies, Matcha Cookies, Linzer Bars, and Potato Chip Cookies.
And then it’s on to the Quick Breads, Muffins, and Scones. Because sometimes you need to make Big Ol’ Biscuits, Zucchini-Apple Bread, Honey-Walnut Muffins, and Cinnamon-Raising Bread. Or maybe you’d want to try the Sweet Potato Bread, Pancetta and Rosemary Scones, Strawberry Weekday Biscuits, or the Candied Jalapeno Bacon Corn Bread.
Then it’s (always) time for cake. There are Chocolate Cupcakes for Everyone, Cinnamon Peach Whoopie Pies, a Skillet Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, Bourbon-Vanilla Bundt Cake, Red Velvet Lava Cakes, Baked Alaska Bowl, and Strawberry Angel Shortcake, just to name a few. Then there are Cobblers, Puddings, and Fruity Desserts, like a Blueberry Buckle, Honey-Mango Bread Pudding, Cheesecake Napoleon, Lemon Custard, Baked Peaches, and Coconut Pudding Pie.
And lastly, there are the Yeasted Breads and Savory Bakes. This chapter is about the Buffalo Chicken Breadsticks, Hash Brown Quiche, Stuffed-Crust Pepperoni Pizza, Everything Brown Bread, Cheater’s Kolaches, and Beef Potpie Pockets.
The one downside to this cookbook is the lack of photos. There are so many dishes that would look amazing and so tempting. The photos that are there are mouth-watering, so I just want more. Aside from that, I really like Easy One-Bowl Baking. I love the simplicity and the diversity of the bakes, and I especially love how few dishes there are to wash afterwards. Many of these recipes can be made using just 1 bowl, 1 mixing tool, 1 measuring cup, and 1 baking dish, so it’s perfect for anyone wanting quick and easy baked goods that are high in flavor and low in fussiness.
Egalleys for Easy One-Bowl Baking were provided by Rockridge Press through the Callisto Media Publisher’s Club, with many thanks.
