The Messy Baker: More Than 75 Delicious Recipes from a Real Kitchen by Charmian Christie

  • Vanilla sugar--the slow way

    from The Messy Baker: More Than 75 Delicious Recipes from a Real Kitchen The Messy Baker by Charmian Christie

    • Categories: Cooking ahead; Vegan
    • Ingredients: vanilla beans; sugar
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Notes about this book

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Notes about Recipes in this book

  • Mushroom, leek, and Gruyère tart

    • Breadcrumbs on April 02, 2016

      p. 57 – Delicious. I made this as one element of an appetizer dinner and it was a terrific success and a guest favourite. Rich, earthy and hearty – a little piece goes a long way. Definitely a recipe I’ll repeat, perfect for entertaining as the vegetable mixture can be made ahead. Would be lovely as a lunch course as well served with some peppery baby arugula tossed in a salty, lemony dressing. Photo here: http://www.chowhound.com/post/show-spring-2016-meals-1034374?commentId=9832995

  • Blueberry-lime cornmeal muffins

    • Christine on June 18, 2015

      So good! I am a big fan of the blueberry and cornmeal combo and the lime was a nice added touch. I used white whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose. This makes a nice big batch and they freeze well, too.

  • Cranberry-orange oatmeal waffles

    • swegener on July 05, 2015

      The flavor was good, but they did not get crisp even when they burned. After several attempts, I made the rest of the batter into pancakes.

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Reviews about this book

  • Boston Globe by T. Susan Chang

    Perhaps for the very reason that Christie doesn't get worked up over the small stuff, my results rarely turned out looking like the photographs. They went down easily all the same...

    Full review

  • Canada.com

    She is decidedly not in the fastidious camp of home bakers, preferring instead to celebrate the “messy art” of baking. After all, if it tastes good, what does it matter if it isn’t picture perfect?

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  • Parents Canada

    Rarely am I as inspired by a new cookbook - besides being beautiful and irresistibly down to earth, I love how she has divided her recipes...into adjectives like Smudgy, Crumbly, Flaky and Drippy...

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  • Eat North

    ...75 versatile and delicious recipes using natural ingredients, approachable techniques and some full-fat cream here and there. Consider The Messy Baker the Jennifer Lawrence of cookbooks.

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  • Calgary Herald

    ...celebrates the exuberance that can come from being in the kitchen, making a mess and pulling perhaps slightly misshapen baked goods...that taste just as fantastic as those ready for their close-up.

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  • Good Food Stories

    ...a gorgeous yet accessible cookbook that manages to inspire both beginning bakers and old pros looking for a new challenge. Grab lots of napkins before you begin...

    Full review

  • Cookbooks 365

    ...not afraid of having a little fun in the kitchen and making a holy mess while she’s at it. I suspect it’s not all fun and games in her kitchen though, because her recipes are spot on...

    Full review

  • Shelf Awareness

    As appealing as the mouthwatering recipes are, the friendly tips on almost every page are the real gems...Close-up photos of in-progress or finished recipes will boost a reader's enthusiasm...

    Full review

  • Rolling Spoon

    A celebration of real baking in all its messy, boisterous, delicious glory. That pretty much sums up the joy of baking, don’t you think?

    Full review

  • Kitchn by Emma Christensen

    ...a cookbook that will serve you well whether you have a midnight craving or a last-minute bake sale emergency. Don't sweat the details or how well it will Instagram — just bake something tasty.

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  • Monica Bhide.com by Monica Bhide

    Charmian’s voice is warm and friendly and for someone like me, who is not a confident baker, she provides great tips on what to do when disaster strikes!

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  • Publishers Weekly

    Christie doesn’t go rogue when it comes to quality output...but her refreshing approach is apparent from the beginning...Christie’s approach to baking is fun and insightful.

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  • Saveur.com

    Christie's warm personality shines, encouraging the controlled chaos that produces the lopsided pies and uneven cookies I have always adored. So get messy—it's the first step to...something delicious.

    Full review

Reviews about Recipes in this Book

  • Burnt caramel and sea salt sticky buns

    • Good Food Stories

      “Messy” in this sense refers to the layer of caramel sauce hidden under these soft, doughy cinnamon rolls as they bake...You’ll be scraping the pan clean to get every drop of deep, rich caramel.

      Full review
  • ISBN 10 1443418676
  • ISBN 13 9781443418676
  • Published Aug 26 2014
  • Format eBook
  • Page Count 256
  • Language English
  • Countries United States
  • Publisher HarperCollins
  • Imprint HarperCollins

Publishers Text

Since when did every cookie on the plate have to be just like the next? Or each layer of cake exactly the same height? Each piecrust an impeccable work of art and encircled by stunningly perfect pastry leaves? To the uninitiated, all that fastidious, spotless baking is intimidating, not to mention exhausting. The Messy Baker celebrates baking as it happens in the real world—sweet, messy, fun, not always gorgeous, but a way to show love. Which doesn’t make it any less delicious; to the contrary, Charmian Christie’s flavor combinations rise far above the ordinary. Why have a raspberry galette when you can enjoy a raspberry-rhubarb galette with drippy, unctuous walnut frangipane? Or how about a Brie and walnut whiskey tart? It’s all yours without the rigid perfectionism or complicated instructions of other gourmet cookbooks.

Christie’s warm, irreverent voice brings the fun back into baking at a time when home cooks—pulled from pillar to post by jobs and errands—need to have fun. The Messy Baker is a full-service book that not only guides the reader through simple, delicious recipes but is also there to help out when things go wrong. For anyone who gave in frustration when that cake collapsed or the frosting smeared, Christie’s practical advice is here to rescue even the worst disaster and inspire the baker to try the next recipe.

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