next up, brittle.

This has been a banner year for baking books.

I have had this book, The Craft of Baking: Cakes, Cookies, and Other Sweets with Ideas for Inventing Your Own, by Karen DeMasco and Mindy Fox for a few months now and it's just getting better and better. Melissa blogged about it, and has made quite a few things from it with great success. Grammie borrowed it kind of permanently and loves it too—especially the biscotti. It's got cakes, candies, breads—quite a bit of variety. I'm going to try the brittle and caramel corn this week.

There is a very helpful review of it here along with a recipe. I'm thinking last minute gift ideas with this book. Family and friends, act surprised when you get a copy, okay?

I'd like to mention that this book was sent to me as a review copy by my lovely publisher, Random House.