One of the other pluses is that you probably have most of the staples in your cupboard or refrigerator right now: flour, sugar, baking powder, eggs, butter, milk, vanilla extract, baking chocolate. From there, it’s not a huge leap into the delicious world of cakes, pies, custards, ice creams, and cookies—not to mention Linzertortes, Pavlovas, baked Alaskas, tiered wedding cakes, and croquembouches. Following is a guide to the ingredients you’ll be using most often as you bake and cook your way through the recipes in this book, from angel food cake to zabaglione. Whisk Ratings To help you determine at a glance which recipe fits your skill level, we’ve given every recipe in the book a “whisk rating,” on a scale of one to four whisks. A complete Index of Whisk Ratings begins on page 638. Very easy to make, with no special techniques required. Perfect for the novice. A little more challenging. For the beginner with confidence.
