Editors of Southern Living - The Southern Baker: Sweet & Savory Treats to Share With Friends and Family

THE
SOUTHERN
BAKER CONTENTS THE RECIPES WE CHERISH Every Southern baker I have ever met has at least one precious recipe, handed down to him or her from generations before. Made over and over again, year after year, often completely from memory, the recipe is refined and the hands are trained to create this sweet offering ever so perfectly. With a knowing grin, the baker presents it at gatherings and holidays, waiting for the first bite to overwhelm each guest, bringing that unmistakable look of happiness. Whether a humble treat made on a busy weeknight or a heart-stopping, gorgeous masterpiece, each recipe carries with it a piece of our history along with a generous helping of pure love. While there are endless recipes available, some stand the test of time in our minds and in our hearts. This book is brimming with the recipes that every Southern baker should know.

Tested again and again, these are the stars, the desserts worth celebrating, the treats you cant forget. Some bakers keep their prized recipes closely guardedmaybe even treasured as a family secretbut here at Southern Living we want to share every last bit of advice, each and every baking secret, and all our beloved recipes with you, so that they may soon become your familys cherished heirlooms. Happy Baking! Allison Cox Vasquez
Editor EQUIPMENT & TOOLS Baking up gorgeous treats is easy as pie if you have all the right equipment and tools at the ready. small appliances A heavy-duty electric stand mixer comes with attachments: a paddle, a dough hook, and a whisk-like wire beater. A handheld electric mixer is perfect for mixing lighter batters or using with a double boiler on the cooktop. equipment Mixing bowls are essential in any kitchen and come in a range of sizes, including small prep bowls. equipment Mixing bowls are essential in any kitchen and come in a range of sizes, including small prep bowls.

Use glass bowls for microwaving. Baking sheets are a necessity. A jelly-roll pan has shallow sides for making sponge cakes. A cookie sheet does not have raised sides. Muffin and loaf pans are available in nonstick, steel, or aluminum and come with 6 or 12 cups, varying from miniature to jumbo sizes. Its a great idea to have a variety of sizes of loaf pans from 5 x 3 inches to 9 x 5 inches.

Pie plates come in glass, ceramic, or metal and are available in 9-inch, 10-inch, and deep-dish sizes. Tart pans are shallow with fluted sides and can be round, square, or rectangular; common sizes are 10 inches and 11 inches. Cake pans are helpful to have in sets of three in at least two sizes, 8 inches and 9 inches. Other useful specialty cake pans are a Bundt pan , a tube pan, 13- x 9-inch pan, and a springform pan . A wire cooling rack allows air to circulate evenly on all sides of freshly baked cakes, pies, or cookies. helpful tools Dry measuring cups come as a set of graduated cups ranging from 1/4 cup to 1 cup; theyre usually made from plastic or metal.

Liquid measuring cups are generally made from glass and have a pouring spout. Nested measuring spoons come in a set of graduated sizes that range from 1/8 tsp. to 1 Tbsp. Rubber spatulas in small, medium, and large are helpful to scrape batters from bowls into baking pans or to spread fillings. Wooden spoons are perfect for stirring heavy or dense mixtures. Wire whisks come in varying sizes and shapes that are great for custards or creams.

A rolling pin is a must-have, whether a traditional one with 2 handles or a French tapered one. Cookie scoops , available in a variety of sizes, are perfect for scooping muffin batter into pans or cookie dough onto baking sheets. A piecrust shield is placed over a pie while baking to prevent over-browning. A pastry brush is great for brushing crumbs from a cake or coating dough with egg wash or melted butter. A candy thermometer allows you to cook mixtures to precise temperatures. Ceramic pie weights prevent a prebaked piecrust from forming large air bubbles.

A box grater and Microplane grater make easy work of shredding cheeses and frozen butter or zesting citrus fruits and finely grating chocolate. A wire sifter removes lumps from flour or powdered sugar. INGREDIENTS Get ready to bake up a storm with a pantry stocked full of the ingredients you should always have on hand. flours All-purpose flour is great for most baked goods such as cookies, piecrusts, quick breads, and some cakes. Cake flour has less protein (gluten) than all-purpose flour and creates a very tender crumb in biscuits or light cakes. Bread flour has the most protein (gluten) of widely available flours, and as its name suggests, its perfect for breads and also pizza doughs.

Whole wheat flour is nice to substitute for some of the all-purpose flour in a recipe. It gives a nutty, wholesome flavor, without making treats too dense. sweeteners Granulated sugar or white sugar is the most common sugar in the U.S. and is made from sugar cane or sugar beets. Brown sugar is made by adding a little bit of molasses to white granulated sugar, which gives it more flavor. Depending on the amount of molasses added, dark or light brown sugar is created.

Molasses is a dark, sweet syrup with intense flavor made from sugar cane. Its dark richness and acidity give baked goods a deep, truly Southern flavor. Cane syrup is lighter syrup made from sugar cane that has a clean, honey-like flavor. Light corn syrup has the least flavor but highest sweetening ability of syrups. Dark corn syrup is brown in color and has a caramel-like flavor. fats Butter is made from extracting all the flavorful fat from heavy cream and a bit of salt too. fats Butter is made from extracting all the flavorful fat from heavy cream and a bit of salt too.

It adds richness and tenderness to baked goods but has a lower melting point and burning point than other fats. Shortening is a solid fat made from vegetable oil. It is the most stable of fats but imparts little flavor to baked goods. Its perfect for greasing pans and making flaky doughs. Vegetable oil has a mild flavor, making it great for frying or as an ingredient in dense cakes or brownies. dairy Heavy cream is a favorite among bakers because it can be whipped up into a cloud or stirred in to add velvety richness.

Look for the highest fat cream for added stability and flavor. Buttermilk is a cultured cows milk that adds a little acidity to baked goods and fillings. Its distinct flavor and versatility make it a staple in Southern kitchens. Whole eggs give baked goods stability, lift, and flavor, thanks to their unique combination of protein and fat. We tested with large eggs in all our recipes. risen breads & rolls risen breads Follow these basic steps and your bread will rise to the occasion.

Dont be intimidated by yeast; embrace it. A friendly fungus, yeast is the microscopic magic that leavens bread and gives it its unique texture and flavor. At the grocery store, youll see instant (or rapid-rise) and active dry yeast. We recommend active drythe activation (Step 2, below) means the yeast is alive and ready to go to work. Then be sure to knead dough and allow to fully rise, according to your recipe. ....... activating & mixing.......