A HALF BAKED BOOK REVIEW: October

Out of the Box Desserts by Hayley Parker

Before I begin my first official book review for Half Baked, I’d like to welcome any and everyone who wandered their way over to this blog! It’s been quite fun (and challenging) choosing and making these delicious recipes and hopefully reading this will give you some inspiration to try something new!

This months book, I think, is a great choice for a first book review because it’s unique angle should make it interesting for all bakers, old and new. The book’s title is an exact description of what you’ll find inside, out of the box. Not only does this book feature an array of recipes (from strawberry milkshake cupcakes to maple bacon pecan baklava) the recipes utilize store bought mixes which you already might have at home. The book is a new release at Elmhurst Public Library, and its pretty powder blue cover with a gooey chocolate cake on the cover was enough incentive for me to snatch it off the shelf.

The book begins with an introduction by the author, Hayley Parker, who’s blog The Domestic Rebel was where she first began sharing her delicious recipes. The introduction is witty and relatable, a common theme throughout Parker’s book, as she inserts little stories before each recipe allowing the reader to get to know her and her unique desserts.

Upon flipping through the book the first few times I immediately saw multiple recipes I wanted to try but attempted to keep my selection diverse.

Before I begin to explain my experience of attempting to create these scrumptious desserts I’d like to reference the saying my mother always said to me as a child, “Do as I say and not as I do” the beautiful thing about baking, that I have learned, is that it is a scientific and thoughtful process which requires practice- something I have not quite achieved yet. However, I learned something new with each bake, and hopefully you can learn from my mistakes too!

SALTED BUTTERSCOTCH COOKIES

Okay, this one was an easy one, and admittedly it would have been pretty difficult to mess this one up (although I did make my cookies a bit too small so they browned a little too much). Great for parents to do with kids, this will take that boring sugar cookie mix you have left over at home and transform it into some all new flavors.

Personally, I found these a bit too sweet for my palette, so I brought them to the PR office at the library where I work, and they were gobbled up quickly. Butterscotch pudding mix is added to sugar cookie mix which gives it a rich brown color. Sea salt is sprinkled over the dough just before it enters the oven and getting a bite of butterscotch chips with a little bit of saltiness is a nice surprise.

BEST BUTTER CAKE

Immediately upon reading the title of this recipe I knew that I would be making it. In fact, when I handed the book over to my mother to see if she had any requests, she was so adamant that I make this cake that she even offered to buy the ingredients.

The cake is spongey and melt in your mouth buttery, but it also has a sweetness almost like an angel food cake. I served a slice of it with fresh strawberries but really any topping would be great (Chocolate syrup, whipped cream, or fresh berries).

However, this was my first time ever making a cake In a bundt pan and as I learned later, I made a pretty amateur mistake. I greased my pan using a spray and lightly dusted with flour which meant that after the cake cooled I couldn’t get it out of the pan. I later found after double checking, that the book does give the instruction to use a cooking spray. So after I had a panic attack and banged on it several times with the palm of my hand, I finally turned to google. I was able to extract the cake finally by sliding a butterknife along the edges between the cake and the pan but after reading multiple articles online I realized hat I should have greased the pan with melted butter. Not only does it look like I took an enormous bite out of the top of the cake, but it also turned a dark brown color from the baking spray.

Rookie mistakes aside, this cake was delicious and I think its a wonderful and easy thing to make, to bring to a party, or prepare for a friend.

 

BLACK FOREST BROWNIE CHEESECAKE

Alright, this one is gonna have to be the winner for me. An amazing combination of flavors go into making this unconventional cheesecake including a crust made of brownie (yes brownie!). It’s chocolatey, it’s gooey, it’s tart, and a little dollop of cool whip on top gives it a lightness and a pretty little swirl. The ingredients for this bake were very easy to find and inexpensive. The cherries are canned ones you can pick up at any grocery store and the directions to swirl them into the cheesecake before baking making this dessert look so beautiful.

A hit in the office (my boss left with the tuber ware container I had it in and I never saw it again), at home, and amongst my friends, this dessert is a must try from this book. It has a wow factor to its appearance that will make anyone think it took you forever.

 

 

FINAL THOUGHTS

I really enjoyed not only making these recipes but also reading this book because the author is a great story teller. She uses her recipes to give us a look into her past and to get to know her and her perspective as a baker. I also think this book is a great purchase to keep in your cook book repertoire when you find yourself with left over boxed mixes.

This book is available right now at Elmhurst Public Library and I highly recommend you check it out and get in on these delicious desserts.