Gluten-Free Baking with the Culinary Institute of America: 150 Flavorful Recipes from the World's Premier Culinary College

I have made many recipes from this book, and it has never failed me. I baked pretty extensively before the celiac diagnosis, so I have been consistently unhappy with the results of GF baking from other books; tolerable, but not what I have learned to expect. This book, however, has solved so many of the problems inherent in gluten free cooking in the usual, professional, CIA style. The blends are easy to make and store, and the recipes are clear and easy to read. The instructions, especially basic ones, would be a God-send to new bakers, and I am sure they could get excellent results, too. The pastries are divine, the basic white cake is spectacular, and the chocolate stuff is beyond yummy. I bake only GF now, and no one ever knows the difference. This one's a keeper. Definitely reccommend to serious or novice bakers. MMJ

I'm so glad to know about this book, though it is not as comprehensive as I was hoping. It's recipes for bread do not include bean flour choices.

I highly recommend this book. Even if you never attempt any of the recipes, the sections on food science and kitchen techniques are more than worth the price of admission. I bought this book because of the reputation of the Culinary Institute of America. I have been there as a diner and know how high its standards are. To attempt a recipe in this book, fail, and then blame the book is more a commentary on the reviewer than the book. This book is based on baking with varying ratios of 5 'flours', each made up of different ratios of up to 8 ingredients. Yes it is complex, but so is the problem of producing good, repeatable, commercial grade gluten free baked products for the food industry. After all, the CIA is the top rated school in the country for training professional chefs. Any chef picking up this book and working out the details in his/her own commercial kitchen will not expect to try a recipe once and serve the results to their customers. One reviewer failed twice with a recipe that had too much rise. My attempt at the same recipe delivered dense chewy loaves (twice in a row). That is a 'failure' too. There are so many variables using this many combinations of this many ingredients that there will be a long learning curve. Each reader will have their own variables. I plan to keep struggling with the recipes until I get them right. I will stick with one recipe until I get it right and hope to be able to apply what I learn to other recipes and their inevitable failures. One example: the book shows fluid volumes (cup etc..) and weights (oz., pounds) for the ingredients. For sugar, both volume and weight are given as the same, i.e. one cup = 8 oz.. Well one cup of sugar in my kitchen does not weigh 8 oz., it weighs 6.5 oz.. Using weights I was putting in over 20% too much sugar, and I am a diabetic. Your sugar may be different than mine. Check it out. Another major variable is the mixer being used. It is unlikely that a home kitchen has a mixer like one found in the kitchens a the CIA. What does "mix for 4 minutes with a paddle at medium speed" translate into in your kitchen? I am sure your answer will be different than for my Bosch Universal mixer. It should be clear this book is not for the faint of heart. But I am convinced the rewards for working at getting it right will be commensurate with the effort. Good luck, buy this book and have fun learning (failing)!!

Gluten-Free Baking with the Culinary Institute is the best cookbook of this type that I have found. I've searched bookstores and the public library and have tried most of the recipes from other books. They resulted in food that was "just ok". This book has many recipes that I use on a daily basis, including basics like pancakes. This book also details why and how to cook gluten-free. I liked the science of it because I can modify any recipe when I know why the ingredients react in a certain way. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who wishes to bake gluten-free, or as a gift.

I ordered this cookbook to help me bake for my granddaughter who has Celiac's disease. I am very impressed with the different flour mixtures to assure the proper flavor and texture of the finished product. I would recommend this for anyone who has a gluten intolerance. Thank you for offering this book!!!