Cake Decorating Product Reviews

Reviews

So I bought season 3 a few weeks ago from a certain "Bullseye" Big box store, where I found it completely by surprise. Season 2 just came out on DVD just a few monthes back and just landed on the Charm City Cakes site not to long back. So I emailed Charm City Cakes asking why I could locate no information on Season Three on their site or Food Networks Site. I received an Email back from Mary Alice, one of the stars of the show saying they had no idea what I had and it must be a bootleg. So I emailed the pictures of the item and she was completely flabbergasted at it being out and noone at the bakery was aware of its existance. As of this post its still not listing on their site or Food Networks. The Season is just as awesome as the first 2 and we are anxiously waiting for more seasons. So to Duff, Mary Alice, Geoff and the rest of the Ace of Cakes crew, keep up the good work, and to everyone else PLEASE buy the dvds so they will keep putting out more!

Reviews

The pancake puff is so much fun to use. The picture shows two sticks being used to flip, but I found it is easier with only one. I have made eggs, pancakes, and I am trying to find a good doughnut recipe. I can definitely see myself using this for a long time!

I got this on clearance and was somewhat apprehensive after reading the less than glowing reviews here. I have to say that they must have done some improvements to the pan because I had no problems whatsoever making these today. 1) The pan comes with a cover for the handle, so no worries about it getting too hot. 2) I had no issue with the pancakes sticking. I used a non-stick coating spray and heated the pan for 10+ minutes on low. There was no sticking, no burning and I was able to flip the pancakes puffs easily using the stick and my fingers. 3) I used regular pancake mix, so I can't speak to some of the concerns with the brownies and such. I will try that tomorrow. If you can get this for a good price, I would not let the negative reviews deter you.

I just got this today and used a brownie mix from a box as my first attempt. I haven't gotten the hang of flipping them yet, and stupidly used a spoon which scratched the teflon. I didn't think it'd scratch that easily. Hopefully it'll be ok. I plan to keep using it and mastering it. So until then, my rating is only 3 stars.

The pan is non stick and a child could turn them over. They are the easist food to cook. It is basically mistake proof. You polk the long tooth pick to the side to scoop it up against the edge of the pan and turn it with the other forefinger. It's that easy and they come out delicious. You can use regular pancake mix and put maple syrup on it. Or you just fill the pan half way and put chocolate, fruits or what ever you like and then just pour the rest of the mix on top and turn them in two minutes. That's it. You can make them sweet by putting powedered sugar and cinnimon on the top. Trust me, adults love these pancakes too and they are impressive looking. You can get good recipes on the willima sonoma site. The only down side is the handle gets very hot. The new william sonoma pancake pan has now eliviated the problem.

I have wanted this pan for a while since I seen it on TV, even my husband thought it was cool! I found it at Target for half price which was a steal! I read through the previous reviews and took a lot of things into consideration before using it. Let me tell you it's so easy to use! Yes learning how to use the sticks is a bit of a challenge, but once you figure it out, easy. A few quick notes. You have to be PATIENT with this pan, if you are not patient then it's probably not a good choice for you. You have to make sure the pan is preheated but not too hot, I use between 3 and 4 on and electric stove. Grease the pan as well with a little oil, not much a little goes a long way! My kids love this pan, the little bite size pancakes that come out of it, which I tried first, they loved!! Then they wanted to try eggs as puffs, so I cooked scrambled eggs, they were too cool! Again they were loved by my children! And with 4 kids, trying to get them all to eat can be a challenge! The only complaint that I do have is it only makes 7 at a time, with a big family it can be time consuming. I will be going out to see if I can get another one, running two pans will me things go smoother. I can't wait to try more things. I really want to try the brownies that everyone seems to be having a problem with. I think an even lower temp like 2 will work well for them. I'll post my results after I try them! Overall, fantastic pan, fun and so easy!

Reviews

Wow! Three loaves baked in the week since I got the book and they all came out GREAT! I have never made yeast breads - intimidated by kneading and punching down and all. This book is full of scrumptious recipes that really are easy. I made the basic whole wheat first - very good! Then tried a gluten-free for my partner - it was moist and tasted really good - not grainy and dry like some gluten-free. Next tried the Peppered Pumpkin, except I used butternut squash and nutmeg, since I am not fond of pepper. Best yet! I still have enough dough in fridge for another loaf of each (I halved the recipes.) Recipes are very easy to follow, directions are very similar for the different varieties. Initial prep took 10-20 minutes (less if you weigh the flours instead of scooping and much easier clean-up), then it was less than five minutes of "work" time on baking day. Do be prepared to let dough rest for 90 minutes once out of refrigerator, then let fresh baked bread rest a bit before cutting (I have yet to be able to wait the recommended two hours!), so you cannot really come home and throw the bread into the oven in time for dinner an hour later that evening. Lots of info in the book about various alternate techniques so you don't have to have a bunch of special equipment. Lots of trouble-shooting assistance. Then the web-site has even more info. If you love fresh bread, but have been reluctant to try it, this book is for you!

I am a big believer in dutch oven cooked no knead bread. Thiir first book is kind of a variation on that theme and many of the recipies are quite good and tasty. The book uses all the exotic flours that I've been dying to try at my local co-op, but, I have to say, these breads just don't taste as good. The crumb is usually very compact, making a dense loaf. I have tried several of the recipies and none have been superstars.

I've never been great at baking, but this book offers such simple, fool-proof recipes. I'm loving the diversity of the various recipes and the ease of use. So glad a friend turned me on to it.

I have made several different breads from this book. Each has proven to be VERY easy, nutritious, and exceptional in quality and taste. I don't think I've ever used a better bread book. No kneading really and I don't even mix it with my bosch, I just mix it by hand in one of those containers you'll see offered on Amazon along with the book. I don't have a pizza board I just use a thin wooden cutting board I have on hand. I've tried baking on a stone as well as the cast iron pot and both worked out very well. This book will pay for itself in one batch of bread!

"Healthy Bread in Five Minutes a Day" is a very good bread recipe book. Keep in mind that what you are really paying for is a book of bread recipes. The "five minute" recipe the book is based upon is easily explained in about two pages of this book. So 99% of the book is nothing but recipes for various breads. As for the five minute bread recipe itself, I can echo the testimony of others that it works very well. I usually make a batch of bread dough and put it in the refrigerator to use on another day. It's amazing how much it rises in the refrigerator. If you follow the authors' advice and don't wash the dough bucket between batches you will find the dough takes on a nice sourdough flavor. And it is true you can leave it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. When you're ready to use it the dough rises very little prior to baking, but proofs up very well in the oven. The crust is very crisp with a nice soft interior. If all you want to learn is the basic five minute bread recipe you don't need to buy this book. I'm sure it has been detailed on various web sites for free. If you want a book of recipes for interesting breads based on the five minute recipe, though, it is well worth the purchase.

Reviews

This is the best book if you have kids with food allergies. My daughter is allergic to dairy, egg, and peanuts. My son is allergic to wheat. Since getting this book I have made banana muffins, cinnamon rolls, and cookies that both my kids have gobbled up! I didn't think this was going to be possible. The most important thing is that everything tastes fantastic. I made the cinnamon rolls for brunch and they were eaten by everyone. My family and friends all ate seconds. This book is just the best. I did order the rice flour online from the source she recommends and I think that was the right move. It is expensive but makes a great baked good. If you love to bake, but have to accomodate food allergies this is an excellent resource. I'm going to make the chocolate cupcakes for my son's birthday this week and I can't wait!

The Allergen-Free Baker's Handbook is simply a bible of how, what and yum. Cybele Pascal has literally thought of everything. I was put in the incredible position of being one of Cybele's "taste tester's" due to my own allergies to gluten and dairy. In fact, it was the one and only time I was thrilled to have celiac disease. I was always overjoyed when she would walk into our school carrying that giant tupperware and ask me if I wouldn't mind reviewing her latest tart or crumbcake or cobbler. Honestly everything blew my mind. It had been so many years since I had any "normal" desserts. And these cookies and breads were absolutely delicious. I would share them with my allergy free family and they also loved the baked goods. And I felt happy serving them, because they are such nutritious mini meals. You can just taste that she put her whole heart into every possible aspect of cooking for those of us who have been deprived of life's delicious treats. What a guide this is. From stocking my pantry to finally understanding just what these ingredients are about, to helpful websites, to the proper kitchen tools, to such simple steps in creating these delectable foods. oh and the photos will make your mouth water. Each recipe starts off with a personal anecdote that feels more like a series of really sweet short stories that end with an incredible recipe and eventual yummy healthy beautiful dessert I walk away from this book with all the knowledge and more importantly the desire to bake and enjoy all those delights that I haven't tasted since my childhood. As I have repeated to my children all day, I wish Cybele was my mother! Love, Amy

I recently purchased this book on the advice of a friend who eats a gluten-free diet. I have a dairy allergy, but had been eating wheat. My friend boasted of how good he feels eating this type of diet. I started baking some of the recipes and was so surprised at how much i enjoyed the food. All of it was as good if not better, than the original. However my greatest discovery was that I actually had a wheat and gluten intolerance, and had been suffering with symptoms I thought were normal. After eating this diet for a time, all my symptoms disappeared, and I felt better then I had in many years. Thank you, Cybele!!

This book is fantastic. My son is GFCFEFSF. Baking had been SO impossible - especially without using eggs. Converting "normal" recipes to GFCFEFSF produced some disappointing results. I was really feeling sorry for myself and mourning my loss of baking - which I love. It's one of my stress-reducing activities. Now, with the help of this book, I can bake great desserts. I've had the book for 2 weeks and have already made several recipes - all great. The other day, my 2 and 4 year olds had a cupcake from the book - took a bite and cheered "Yea!" - with huge smiles on their faces. It was awesome. So many people take those things for granted, but I am so thankful to this book for giving us these moments! Can't wait to keep baking!

I've tried many GF vegan recipes out there(over the past 5 years). Usually there might a handful of gems in an entire cookbook while the rest of the pages never get flipped to again. So far every single recipe in this book is something that I would make again. She includes a wide variety of different treats not just changing 1-2 ingredients and calling that a new recipe on the next page. The ingredients that are called for are easy to find and you won't break the bank buying them. She doesn't use any bean flours, which I personally I'm not crazy about the taste of, in her recipes like most GF baking books do. GF Everything about this book is great including the heavy paper that it is printed on and the beautiful pictures. Give this book a try, you really won't be disappointed.

Reviews

So far, all recipes I have made have turned out delicious. Would not even know that they are calorie/fat conscious! the blintz pancakes are delicious! The fettucini with mushrooms is also good. Most recipes make at least 4 portions and are easy to cut in half if cooking for 2. I have the original cookbook, too and this is a great compliment. the TV show site gives a lot of the recipes online, but having all details , including pictures, in one place is quite handy!

I was very satisfied and not disappointed by this book . Although I liked the first book, it has many more recipes and I believe they taste better too. The updates on the people also helped with encouragement. The snack list of 100 calories or less was very useful.It seems to have more suggestions for variations of a recipe.For example, the chicken cordon bleu recipe has suggestions for a greek and mexican versions.

This book is filled with AMAZING recipes. I've tried a few already and can't wait to try more. Highly recommend!

I loved the first volume of this book and was so excited to see they brought out a second volume. The recipes are very yummy and easy to make. I am proof that this book works - I've already lost 10 lbs!

great follow up to cook yourself thin!! i love both the books. this one is even better with recipes that show calories, total fat, sodium, and sugar. im not big on counting calories but i do like to know im eating something i already like but with half the calories.

Reviews

I am physically disabled, and scraping and cleaning pans in a pain in the rumpus roast. While I felt this item was more gimmick than fact, I thought it'd be OK for heating an occasional item, so I bought these. Was *I* wrong. When cooking my premade items, not TV Dinners, frozen prepared Chicken Cordon Blu, etc they have more flavor, cook more evenly, and clean much easier. Also the cupcake/muffin tins make great mini j-ello- molds. I gave my brother's professional chef partner some for his birthday and he loves them.

At first I was skeptical about these silicon bakeware items, but they work great. Remember to let cakes cool in the pans before you turn them out or you risk tearing the cake. They do not need any spray on the pans before use! I'm giving away my old pans!