For the hundreds of thousands of readers who've always turned to Martha for the most authoritative, beautiful books, she's back with her first book in 6 years!

Nobody does the domestic arts better than Martha Stewart and her unparalleled team at Martha Stewart Living, and the subject for which they're best-known and most-respected is this book's: baking.

Taking the same comprehensive approach as her bestselling Hors d'Oeuvres, The Baking Handbook provides over 250 time-tested, foolproof recipes for the best--and most beautiful--baked goods. Each chapter begins with the basics, detailing the batterie de cuisine (the tools, gadgets, and ingredients) and general troubleshooting for the chapter. Then the recipes progress from the simplest to the most ambitious, satisfying every level of home cook. And since Martha is known for nothing if not thoroughness, the Baking Handbook also offers:

• Icons that signal whether the recipe is best for beginners, intermediate cooks, or more advanced bakers.
• Step-by-step photographs of techniques.
• Tips specially designed to help readers make the best-looking desserts possible.
• Make-ahead information, storage techniques, freezing instructions, and troubleshooting tips.

The recipes themselves are for not only the favorite time-honored classics, but also the creative twists and interpretations for which Martha is known, covering the full breadth of categories that any home-baker could want, including:

• SIMPLE BAKED GOODS including biscuits and shortcakes, muffins, scones, quick breads, popovers, and pound cakes, from the most basic Buttermilk Biscuit to Cream Cheese-Chive Butter Biscuits.
• COOKIES that cover everything from biscotti and drop cookies like Chewy Chocolate Chip to such piped-and-pressed treats as Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.
• BASIC CAKES such as Linzer Torte or Carrot-Ginger Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting and SPECIALTY CAKES like Buche de Noel, Pavlovas with Currants and Berries, and Chiffon Cake with Lemon Curd.
• PIES, TARTS, AND GALETTES, from the most fundamental Classic Apple Pie to Strawberry Cream Pie, from Sugarplum Tart with Shortbread Crust to Apricot Blackberry Galette.
• PASTRIES that include Napoleons, Sour Cherry Strudel with Cheese, and Profiteroles.
• FRUIT DESSERTS such as Apricot Blueberry Cobbler and Plum Crisp.
• YEAST BAKING that offers everything from Sugar Buns and Cinnamon Rolls to Breakfast Brioche with Crème Fraiche, Focaccia, Pizza Dough, and even the greatest Homemade Hamburger Buns.