The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book (Transcontinental, 2009)
Written by Elizabeth Baird and Canadian Living
Reviewed by Barbara Barnes

The aroma of holiday baking always puts me in the mood for the festive season.  Recipes from The Complete Canadian Living Baking Book are on my list to help get spirits high. This new baking compendium, designed for Canadian home kitchens, provides the perfect recipe for successful baking this holiday season.

Elizabeth Baird and the Canadian Living Test Kitchen staff received the Silver medal in the English Cookbook Category of this year’s Canadian Culinary Book Awards for this new must have cookbook. With seven comprehensive chapters and over 300 colour photos of step by step procedures and recipes for year round baking, you can’t help but get inspired to do some holiday baking! The photo of the Snowflake Forest Wreath, a decoration made with made with gingerbread dough, is on my to-do list and would look perfect hanging in any home this holiday season.

This book contains all the essentials of home baking- the ingredients, equipment and techniques. There are many helpful hints and suggestions for variations on the tested until perfect recipes. You will find recipes and everything you need to know for making perfect cakes, cookies, pies, yeasts breads, spoon desserts and more in this new volume. I particularly like this cookbook because it reflects our diverse Canadian baking traditions and has been compiled and tested using ingredients which are readily available in our marketplace.

The recipes also include nutrition information. Although, I am not sure that I want to know how many calories were in those Stilton and Walnut Biscuits I just ate! They were absolutely delish and one of the recipes from the book I am adding to my holiday repertoire.

This cookbook is the consummate collection of baking recipes and an incredible reference for both novice and well-seasoned Canadian home bakers. It would make a great present this holiday season. I have purchased a copy for one of the people on my gift list because it answers the question, “Mom do you have a good recipe for a chocolate birthday cake”!

Printed and bound in Canada, the book retails for $34.95 and is worth every penny!

---

Barbara Barnes is a home economist who has authored more than 20 ATCO Blue Flame Kitchen Cookbooks. She presents regular cooking segments on the CTV Edmonton Noon News.