Ever walk past a bakery window and marvel at the assortment of cookies, tarts, pies, and cakes and wonder how they did it? Wonder no more. The secrets to creating them can now be yours. With "Baking For Dummies, " You'lll discover how simple (and fun ) whipping up any sort of baked good from a chocolate layer cake, a classic apple pie to a plateful of scrumptious chocolate chip cookies or black-and-white brownies actually is.

The magic is in the doing and baking expert Emily Nolan shows you how. In almost no time, you'll get down to basics with easy-to-follow tips on: Outfitting your kitchen with a baker's essentials iincluding baking pans (loaf pans, springform pans, glass vs. aluminum pie plates), food processors and blenders, bowls, measuring cups, graters, and sifters Measuring ingredients, preparing pans, working with eggs, zesting fruit, and melting chocolate Getting ready to bake, preparing your kitchen, working with recipes, and using the right equipment

And once you're all set, you'll marvel at how simple creating the smallest baking masterpiece really is: From chocolate cupcakes topped with mocha frosting to a lemon-curd cheesecake, to fluffy blueberry muffins and buttermilk biscuits From scrumptious pumpkin and chocolate cream pies and a classic cheesecake to outrageously delicious chocolate chip and oatmeal raisin cookies From a heart-warming chicken potpie to a yummy cheese souffle

With over 100 recipes to choose from (including ones for soft pretzels and pizza ), eight pages of color photos, a summary cheat sheet of baking essentials, black-and-white how-to illustrations, and humorous cartoons along the way, the book will reward, even a baking novice, with delicious results and allow you to enjoy the unending magic of baking from scratch.

Emily Nolan, a lifelong baker, is a trained pastry chef, cookbook author, and recipe developer. Her baking has been influenced by time spent living in France, Germany, and England, and she hopes to one day own a bed and breakfast.