Courtesy Helen Fletcher
Helen Fletcher, a professional baker and pastry chef for more than 30 years (and an SLM contributor) has just published a new cookbook, Craving Cookies: The Quintessential American Cookie Book. The book makes its official debut October 1.
Anyone who’s tasted Fletcher's baking—whether on the dessert cart at Tony’s; her former University City bakery, Truffes, Inc.; or via her catering—knows her talent. She also has a talent for teaching. The evidence is in the book and in the results. Learning cooking is like learning a sport: There’s always more to know, skills to sharpen, tips to pick up. Especially in baking, where things are more precise, it’s important to know such details as whether a book’s recipes use kosher salt or table salt—it makes a difference.
Fletcher devotes the first quarter of the book to techniques, cooking baking equipment, and ingredients. She’s mindful of cost and accessibility—Trader Joe’s Belgian Milk Chocolate, for instance, is one of her preferences. There’s also a section on cinnamon and which varieties at local spice shops she prefers to use. Are you looking to marbleize frosting on cookies, master press-in pie crusts, roll out dough like a pro? She has your back.
The recipes include Americana, such as a variety of recipes for chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and bar cookies. Her thoughts on shortbread cookies and the resulting recipes take up a whole chapter. Moving off-center, there are things like Bailey’s Chocolate Crinkles, cookie pops, and peppermint ravioli. And there are savory options, such as cheddar pecan shortbreads, as well as gluten-free recipes.
Every cookie has a photo, and there are plenty of how-to pictures from Fletcher's husband, Mike Fletcher, a professional photographer. You can also find more on Helen’s blog, Pastries Like a Pro.
The resulting cookbook offers plenty to crave. Already, I’m pondering the cardamom black pepper snaps for the holidays.
