FOUR GREAT BAKES, AND A COOKBOOK REVIEW!

Today I have a very special blog post for you. I am very excited to share a short review of the first cookbook by Martin Sorge. Martin won The Great American Baking Show back in 2023 and just published an amazing cookbook that reflects very well his style of baking: attention to detail, focus on things that truly matter to make a recipe shine, and creativity to come up with clever twists in classics. Normally, I would include a recipe but to do so I would have to ask permission from Martin himself and/or the publisher. I wanted this post to be a surprise for Martin so I did not contact him. I will just share photos of the recipes I’ve tried so far, and direct you to his book. If you love to bake, Great Bakes is a total must-have!

Great Bakes: Modern Classic Recipes from the Midwest, by Martin Sorge. To order, click here.

I will start with perhaps my favorite…

LEMON-GINGER SANDWICH COOKIES

This recipe has quite a few clever twists to prevent common issues with sandwich cookies. The filling is pure genius, using clarified butter to reduce the water content, so that it firms up and holds nicely when you bite into the cookie. The cookie dough contains fresh and powdered ginger, the filling a touch of turmeric. You absolutely need to make this… The texture, the taste, the sharpness of the filling, it is perfection in cookie shape!

BLACK FOREST BROWNIES

Fudgy, intense, sweet but with the bursts of sharpness of sour cherries, this recipe is brilliant and very “uncomplicated”. Martin streamlines things whenever possible, it is part of what makes his book so cool and his flawless baking approachable.

SHORTBREAD COOKIES

One of my favorite sections of the book, I made his basic version (although I did add some bells and whistles with the chocolate drizzle and bling), but Martin offers several variations, including one that is calling my name, Toasted Sesame. I even invested in a new pan for this bake… A 9-inch square pan with removable bottom. Because, why resist, right?

ULTRA-OATY OATMEAL CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

This was an OMG type of chocolate chip cookie, and got two thumbs up by the resident critic, who is very picky about cookies with oats and chocolate chips. They MUST contain nuts, and Martin did not disappoint him… In case you are wondering, no raisins were invited to this party.

And now, time for a little walk through his book…

The book is divided in chapters that are quite unusual and fun in their terminology. First comes…

DUMP IT IN A PAN… The chapter opens with a quote from Dolly Parton; There’s no bad way to eat a biscuit. Considering her recent passing, this is a sweet reminder of who she was and how she’s lived her life. This chapter shares recipes for crisps cobbler, cornbread brownies and biscuits. I will have to pick my favorite recipe from this chapter to be his brownies since it was the first recipe I tried from his book. He offers a few variations for this classic but the Black Forest was outstanding. I would love to try the coconut caramel brownies, as well as his strawberry and tarragon shortcake, and his Midwest cornbread, which I am sure will be spectacular.

BALLS OF JOY… That is how Martin classifies cookies, isn’t it adorable? Opening quote by Cookie Monster, you will have to get the book to see which one he chose. Chapter opens with Shortbread, and Martin has very clear ideas about what makes it perfect. Love the variations, and adored his basic version. Crumbly, just the right amount of sweetness. He went on with Spritz cookies, which I definitely intend to try, particularly his Eggnog version. But I am set to trying his Strawberry Magic Macarons, just looking at the picture makes me dream.

STUFF IN CRUST… Opening quote by Carl Sagan, one of my heroes. I had not seen that one, and it gave me a huge smile. I do think Martin excels at pastry, the chapter is a basic, thorough lesson on pie crusts, including many versions of pies that you probably never imagined making. Oe example Apple, Quince and Vanilla Bean Pie. The lattice work on that one is to die for. Apple Strudel is in there and looks fabulous too. I am looking forward to making his Corn, Tomato and Red Pepper Galette, and Sausage Rolls.

NEED TO KNEAD… Opening quote by James Beard. Martin knows how to pick the quotes, I tell you. This is an outstanding chapter, Martin did his homework and each recipe sounds like a winner. I have not made a recipe from his book yet, but a whole wheat loaf from his blog is a favorite in our home. You can check that recipe here. From the book, pretty much everything in this chapter appeals to me: Big Crusty Loaf, Three-Seed No-Knead Bread,Whole Wheat Toast Bread, Honey Emmer Dinner Rolls, just to name a few. But perhaps my favorite section in this chapter is “Breads that Speak German”. He had a chance to practice bread baking in Germany, and shares his expertise with us. Swabian Soft Pretzels, Bungalowbrot, Vollkornbrot (aka Real Rye Bread), Stollen. A wonderful collection indeed.

NICE CAKES… Martin confesses that cake was his nemesis for many years, and since I was a certified cake-o-phobe, I had to smile. Martin is partial to chocolate ganache or whipped cream to decorate cakes, although he shares a Chocolate Cake with Peanut Buttercream that seems amazing. I am absolutely mesmerized by Nirali’s Masala Chai Chocoflan, Nirali was a contestant in the same season of the Bake Off, and they live in the same city, so they kept swapping ideas and baking together. This gorgeous cake is a result of this sweet collaboration.

BEYOND CATEGORIZATION… Opening quote: The proof of the pudding is in the eating. Indeed it is! In this chapter you will find things such as Chocolate Malt Pudding, Lemon Curd (with variations), Pavlova, Choux Pastry and incredibly cool Sweet Corn Cream Puffs.

NEEDLESSLY COMPLICATED… This is a nod to the showstopper component of the Bake Off. Martin starts giving tips on how to tackle a real intimidating, complex baking project. Having won the competition in that tent, he knows what he’s talking about. The chapter opens with S’mores Croquembouche, moves to Bagel and Lox Paris Brest, but I am also super intrigued by his Piña Colada Princess Cake.

I hope you enjoyed this little review, I close this post congratulating Martin not only for the amazing performance in the tent, but for the beautiful job he did composing and publishing this book!

1 YEAR AGO: A Duet of Macarons

2 YEARS AGO: Caramel Sandwich Cookies

3 YEARS AGO: Miso-Caramel Cracker Cookies

4 YEARS AGO: Mooncakes for Mid-Autumn Festival

5 YEARS AGO: Almond-Raspberry Triangles and a Special Cookbook Review

6 YEARS AGO: Sweet and Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

7 YEARS AGO: Roasted Cauliflower Salad over Hummus

8 YEARS AGO: Queen of Sheba

9 YEAR AGO: Brunch Burger

10 YEARS AGO: Mango Salsa with Verjus

11 YEARS AGO: Raspberry Bittersweet Chocolate Chunk Brownies

12 YEARS AGO: Scary Good Pork Burgers