Bake from Scratch

Happy holidays, bakers! It’s that time of year when we’re all looking for a little warm inspiration in the form of spicy gingerbread, wintry peppermint, and boozy fruitcake. Look no further than this November/December issue! From our Christmas tree-shaped baked goods to our American layer cakes blowout, we have the showstopping celebratory sweets your holiday plans deserve. If you’re looking for wintry flavor, our peppermint-packed recipes are guaranteed crowd-favorites. For an epic holiday centerpiece, flip to our guide on crafting bûche de Noël, or turn to our deep-dive on coffee cake for the perfect holiday wake-up call. Finally, we take you around the world with five mouthwatering holiday cookies from across the globe. From a take on traditional German lebkuchen to our showstopping persimmon upside-down cake, this issue has everything you need to satisfy that holiday sweet tooth.

Bake from Scratch

Editors Letter

Contributors

The Baker’s Ultimate Holiday Gift List • WE SEARCHED THE MARKET FAR AND WIDE TO BRING YOU THE BAKER’S DEFINITIVE WISH LIST OF MUST-HAVE KITCHEN EQUIPMENT, INGREDIENTS, AND COOKBOOKS. IN THE SPIRIT OF GIVING, WE’RE SHARING THE SEASON’S SWEETEST HOMEMADE GIFTS TO BESTOW UPON YOUR NEAREST AND DEAREST, TOO.

Kitchen Essentials • FROM REVOLUTIONARY BAKING PANS TO STUNNING SERVING DISHES AND INDISPENSABLE TOOLS, THESE PRODUCTS WILL TAKE YOUR BAKING TO THE NEXT LEVEL

The Season’s Sweetest Reads • WE’RE DREAMING OF UNWRAPPING THESE NEW COOKBOOK RELEASES BY THE PASTRY QUEEN OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A RENOWNED SCANDINAVIAN RESTAURATEUR, AND OUR OWN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Fruitcake Cookies • OUR EDITOR-IN-CHIEF CARRIES ON A FAMILY HOLIDAY TRADITION BY BAKING HIS GRANDFATHER’S FRUITCAKE COOKIES, MADE WITH A BOX MIX. WE REVAMPED THE STORE-BOUGHT VERSION AS A FROM-SCRATCH RECIPE BAKED WITH JUST AS MUCH LOVE AND A LITTLE BIT OF RUM, TOO.

Holiday Baking with Miro Uskokovic • THE PASTRY CHEF AT GRAMERCY TAVERN SHARES HOME RECIPES AND HIS INSPIRING STORY

Mulling Spices • THIS SPICE BLEND IS THE BEST WAY TO BRING WARM HOLIDAY CHEER TO YOUR BAKING

O Tannenbaum Tree-Shaped Baking • FROM A TWO-TIER CITRUS POUND CAKE TO FROSTED CRANBERRY-STUDDED BLONDIES, THESE FIR-INSPIRED BAKED GOODS ARE CUT, STACKED, AND ARRANGED TO RESEMBLE ONE OF THE MOST MEANINGFUL EMBLEMS OF THE SEASON

Buche de Noel • FROM MASTERING GENOISE SPONGE CAKE TO CRAFTING MUSHROOMS FROM MERINGUE, OUR GUIDE TO CREATING THIS HOLIDAY ROULADE WILL HELP YOU ACHIEVE YULE LOG PERFECTION

Great American Layer Cakes • DON’T BE FOOLED BY TITLES LIKE “ITALIAN CREAM” OR “GERMAN CHOCOLATE.” THESE HOLIDAY CENTERPIECE CAKES ARE CERTIFIED AMERICAN SPECIALTIES, WITH FINE-CRUMBED LAYERS CLOAKED IN LAVISH FROSTINGS AND PACKED WITH DECADENT FILLINGS.

Peppermint to Be • WITH FOUR RECIPES BURSTING WITH COOL PEPPERMINT FLAVOR AND FEATURING CRUSHED CANDIES AND EVEN PEPPERMINT EXTRACT, WE SHOW YOU WHY THE SEASON’S MOST ICONIC CANDY IS MUCH MORE THAN A STOCKING STUFFER

A Pop of Persimmon • EVERY WINTER IN JAPAN, AS THE VIBRANT AUTUMN FOLIAGE FADES AFTER THE FIRST FROST, PERSIMMON TREES ARE JUST HITTING THEIR STRIDE. RIPE, TENDER PERSIMMONS HANG FROM EVERY BRANCH BY THE DOZEN, LIGHTING UP THE SNOWY LANDSCAPE IN BURSTS OF FIERY ORANGE. DERIVED FROM THE LATIN WORD DIOSPYROS, MEANING “DIVINE FRUIT,” PERSIMMONS ARE NATIVE TO EAST ASIA AND ONE OF THE MOST VERSATILE YET UNDERUSED FRUITS OF FALL AND WINTER. HERE, WE USHER IN THE NEW SEASON BY BAKING WITH PERSIMMONS.

Around the World in Five Cookies • FROM THE SUNNY ARCHIPELAGO OF THE PHILIPPINES TO THE WINDSWEPT BRITISH ISLES, WE’RE ROUNDING UP OUR FAVORITE FESTIVE COOKIES FROM ACROSS THE GLOBE

Coffee Cake Customized • THE ULTIMATE HOLIDAY WAKE-UP CALL? COFFEE CAKE. WE BRING YOU ONE BATTER, THREE WAYS. IN ADDITION TO OUR CLASSIC...