This week's featured cookbook: Treasured Hershey Favorites Recipes
Welcome to "Weekly Recipe Guide." Here, I highlight cookbooks that are distinctive, user-friendly, or hold a special place in my heart. While finding a dish online is simple, browsing through an outstanding cookbook offers an enchanting experience all its own.
I envision this series to be an engaging space to encounter new culinary voices—a platform where I uncover obscure themes and reintroduce timeless classics. As this is the initial week of my cookbook series, I thought it fitting to kick things off with a book of personal significance. The very first cookbook I ever utilized: Hershey's Favorite Recipes.
I can't recall who gifted it to me during my teen years, but this cookbook was a festive present from one of my family members. There's a touch of humor there, considering it likely came from a parent, and two out of three of my parents had no idea where my career aspirations were headed. I had no idea at the time, but this sweet-themed hardcover published in 2000 played a crucial role in charting my culinary journey.
That winter, I couldn't get enough of scanning each recipe because they truly seemed achievable. I selected the Giant Peanut Butter Cup Cookies as my debut culinary endeavor, prepared them for my high school Drama Club bake sale (or perhaps it was the Concert Band—either way, I was cool and it still hasn't worn off), and returned to find they had all been sold out. My initial baking victory, and I've been basking in that sweet success ever since.
An Excelent Choice for Novice Bakers
Beyond nostalgia, I suggest this cookbook primarily for beginners, those seeking easy-to-follow recipes, and chocolate dessert aficionados. This book is a compilation of clear-cut recipes with simple ingredient lists. Of course, Hershey'sPOWERFUL promotion of their products in the ingredient list is beneficial for the reader's confidence by allowing them to recognize the same common components in each recipe. Plus, their cocoa powder has been a regular in my pantry. The straightforward instructions, free from jargon, cater to the needs of a budding baker's visualization skills.
Most of the recipes call for just three to five steps, which is remarkable considering the intricate recipes that saturate modern online platforms. It seems like every recipe I come across online for sweets requires a decent amount of skill, practice, and time to perfect. Show-off culture isn't particularly conducive to newcomers, and this cookbook returns to fundamentals. Not in a mundane manner, but in the classic sense: straightforward, dependable, and delectably satisfying.
The Dishes You Can Anticipate
This cookbook is entirely dedicated to desserts. While the majority of recipes revolve around chocolate, there are sections focusing on peanut butter, fruit-infused concoctions, and even a selection of less calorie-dense and indulgent treats titled "The Healthier Side." If you're seeking reliable staples you can rely upon, such as a scrumptious chocolate cake or a foolproof brownie recipe, this is the book for you.
This week, I chose to prepare the "Hershey's Perfectly Chocolate" Chocolate Cake recipe on page 10 to assess if it still held up to my more sophisticated palate. The instructions were precise, accurate, and yielded a rich, moist, intense, chocolate cake. My sole suggestion is to double the frosting recipe if you favor a denser coating.
$16.83at Amazon
How to Obtain it
Hershey's Favorite Recipes (Favorite Brand Name Recipes)$16.83 at Amazon $16.83 at AmazonDespite not having touched this cookbook in a while, it continues to be in print. I recently acquired a new copy for a paltry $8, and there are those who happily sell it used for even less. I highly recommend this cookbook as a delightful gift choice, whether it's for yourself, a friend, or your baking-interested nephew.
This cookbook, 'Hershey's Favorite Recipes,' is an excellent choice for beginners due to its easy-to-follow recipes and simple ingredient lists. Each recipe features Hershey's products, which can boost the reader's confidence by recognizing familiar ingredients. (food-drink)
Novice bakers will appreciate the straightforward instructions and clear-cut recipes with minimal steps, making it simple to bake delicious desserts without requiring a lot of skill or time. (food-drink)
