the Junior Baker cookbook photographs Aubrie Pick Contents 7 Let’s Bake! 8 Preparing Equipment 11 Baker’s Pantry 12 Recipes 70 Index There’s nothing like dessert warm from the oven! Head to page 52 to get the recipes for these Mini S’Mores Tarts. Let’s Bake! Cookies, cakes, breads, and other delicious baked confections are the ultimate treats. Whether you’re waking up with a coffee-cake muffin, enjoying an afternoon snack of perfect chocolate chip cookies, or serving buttermilk biscuits with dinner, there are so many ways to savor baked goods any time of day. And what’s more, you can have a lot of fun learning to make these recipes from scratch! With the help of an adult, you can enjoy the satisfaction of mixing together a few simple ingredients to make unforgettable snacks and desserts. Don’t forget to share! This collection of easy-to-prepare recipes, a companion book to Williams Sonoma’s popular Junior Chef cooking class series, will inspire you to explore and create in your own kitchen. You’ll find recipes for making all your favorite confections from the bakery, like cinnamon rolls, shortbread, mini cupcakes, whoopee pies, brownies and blondies, cheesecake, biscotti, and many more. Discover savory breads, like dinner rolls with a homemade spice blend, pizza-like focaccia topped with tomatoes, and scones flavored with bacon and cheese. Also included are plenty of tips, tricks, and solutions for simplifying recipes. A handy guide to preparing equipment, stocking basic ingredients, and testing for doneness will help you become a baking pro! Before you know it, your friends will be asking you to bake their birthday cakes—and you’ll be ready to whip up a festive confetti cake. So crank up the oven, roll up your sleeves, and fill the kitchen with mouthwatering smells. 7 Preparing Equipment Many recipes call for buttering, flouring, and/or lining baking equipment. Here’s how to get it done: Buttering: Use a piece of wax paper to hold a pat of softened, unsalted butter and generously coat the pan's inside, bottom, and sides. Buttering and Flouring: Follow the buttering method above, then add 2 tablespoons flour to the pan. Tilt and shake the pan to coat the buttered surface evenly. Tap out any excess. Lining Round Pans: Butter (see above) the pan. Cut out a large sheet of parchment paper. Place the cake pan right side up on the parchment and trace the circumference. Cut out the circle just slightly to the inside of your traced line so that the parchment fits snugly in the pan bottom, not coming up the sides. Lining Rimmed Baking Sheets: Cut a piece of parchment paper about the length of the baking sheet. Place the parchment in the baking sheet, folding the excess until it fits snugly. Using the paper folds as your guide, use scissors to trim the parchment. Lay it in the baking sheet, making sure that it covers all the corners but does not fold over the sides. Testing for Doneness Most recipes include both a time and a visual cue to test for doneness. It’s important to follow these instructions and to always set a timer! For most cakes, you can use a toothpick to check for doneness: When you think the cake is done, stick a clean toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out clean, the cake is ready. If the toothpick comes out with batter on it, the cake needs more baking. 8 Buttering pans helps stop food from sticking: foods release more easily and pans are easier to clean.