The Great Scandinavian Baking Book Reviews

• One of the best baking books I own!

  
  By A3K4BXOA14AXDB on 2000-09-20
  I bought the older hardcover version of this cookbook that was issued in 1988 and there probably is not a lot of difference between the two versions. I highly recommend this cookbook for two reasons.

  First of all, it is written by Beatrice Ojakangas who, in my opinion, is the queen of all recipe book writers:) I own a number of her cookbooks and she writes in a very clear, concise way. All of her recipes are accompanied by a cultural anecdote or an informative note or two about the recipe so that you feel that you own more than a cookbook - you gain an insight into the Scandinavian culture and way of life.

  Secondly, and just as important, the recipes in this book are simply delicious. They run the gamut from breads and rolls to mouth watering pastries, both sweet and savoury. I had seen the many shapes that Danish pastry came in and they looked somewhat daunting to prepare but, in her book, Ms Ojakangas provides easy to follow diagrams that made them a breeze to shape. Being a chocoholic, I never thought that desserts could be tasty unless they were loaded down with the stuff. I stand corrected!:)

  Again, I highly recommend this book. The recipes are delicious and it is an excellent book for anyone who has ever felt daunted by baking. Well done!
  
  

• the Bible of Nordic baking

  
  By A3B3LMHKEF9YYV on 2004-12-20
  In my Norwegian-American family, baking well is considered a high art form. Christimas wouldn't be Christmas without the seven kinds of fresh-baked cookies, and the whole point of our Sankta Lucia celebration is the Lucia buns, fragrant with cardamon and saffron. And where would we be without home-baked rye bread?
  
  Although most of these recipes came down through the family, I now always double-check with Ojakangas' book. She's accurate, clear, easy-to-understand, and everything we've ever baked from this book has turned out just as well, if not even better than when we use the family recipes.
  
  I always measure the quality of my cookbooes by how grungy they get from spilled incredients, etc. Well, this one's a winner, with the pages automatically falling open to all our family favorites.
  
  

• Delicious treats

  
  By on 2001-12-04
  This book is loaded with recipes for all kinds of baking, from hardtack to fancy layer cakes. It covers all the classics recipes from Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Iceland. Anyone familiar with baking from those countries will find thier favorites, and for those who are new to this region's baking plenty of delectable new discoveries are in store.Many recipes come with little stories and explanations about the traitions. The only thing I miss are photos, which make any cookbook even more tempting.
  
  

• The Great Scandinavian Baking Book

  
  By on 2003-01-06
  This book is a fantastic compilation of recipes. It brought back heart-warming memories of my Great Grandmother in the kitchen. I absolutely recommend this to those who enjoy staying in touch with their ancestory, and those curious about scandinavian cooking.
  Enjoy!
  
  

• A treasure for bakers!

  
  By A7O8FD40SEULY on 2006-11-09
  I bought this book when I first moved to Minnesota, figuring I ought to learn how to bake like a Minnesotan. What I didn't anticipate was how much enjoyment I would get from this book - the delightful scents of cinnamon and cardamon, the pleasure of a warm coffee cake laced with almond paste and fragrant with vanilla, complementing my morning coffee.
  Every recipe I have tried has turned out well (though my cakes don't look as beautiful as the pictures, but I'm no artist); I think so highly of this book, I recently bought copies to give as gifts to friends who love to bake. In fact, though I have lots of recipe books, this is the one I usually turn to when I want to bake something homey and delicious.
  
  
• True Minnesota
  By ASUFUR29947B3 on 2002-11-22
  Being from Duluth, Minnesota, hometown of Ms. Ojakangas, and a fan of baking, this book is one of my favorites. I believe that it captures true Minnesota and Scandinavian baking. Every recipe is wonderful and well written. I have had the opportunity to meet Ms. Ojakangas and to watch her bake and she is wonderfully inspiring.
  
  
• Great baking book
  By A25T1HAJBA2SAK on 2006-09-26
  I just picked this book up a few weeks ago and have already made several of the recipes in it. I'm impressed with everything. Clearly written, and I haven't had any recipe problems at all. Like other reviewers, I also enjoy and appreciate the short background she provides with the recipes - it's so enjoyable to think of these baked goods in context.
  I love the organization of the book - breads, sweet roll/coffee breads, cookies, savory things (filled pockets and pies, etc). It's a long, full book, with lots of recipes - it feels like a basic and yet comprehensive survey. There must be huge numbers of recipes and variations for all of these things, but at the same time, you feel that she hasn't probably left out anything that's important or commonly eaten. At any rate, I'm thrilled with the things I've made so far and look forward to trying even more of them.
  
  
  
• Nana's Recipes Made Better
  By A1Y14WIWHNBU2U on 2007-09-09
  I was another one who bought this on its first release, only my copy was lost to me during a move. While I regret the loss of the hardcover, I bought this paperback as soon as it was again available (only to give it away and buy it again - yes, it really is THAT good!)
  
  Beatrice Ojakangas has never steared me wrong in a recipe - ever. While I've tweaked and changed, I have never landed a complete dud following her suggestions. She sticks to the real ingredients (that means butter - not margarine, etc)and her recipes are always clear to follow.
  
  This book allowed my family to recreate the baking of my childhood and in most cases go a step better, and as a result of it all my older children learned an appreciation for fine Christmas Cookies where the recipe mattered more than the artificially colored "decoration cookies" so common to our modern culture. I can't thank the author enough!
  
  
• The Great Scandinavian Baking Book
  By AAC8G2QPXUMTA on 2007-01-18
  I just love this book. Everything I have baked from this book has gotten rave reviews from my family.
  
  
• Exceptional Baking Book
  By A48QKK0CR2S51 on 2007-06-26
  This cookbook was quite obviously a labor of love for Ojakangas. A lot of research and thought was put into this book which contains traditional Scandinavia recipies, some fairly simple and some more complex. The only thing that could be an improvement would be a section of color photos showing the final products -- but there is no way I would take away a star just for that reason (especially because the book does contain many drawings).
  
  
• If you want to bake delicious breads and cookies but are HOPELESS in the kitchen...
  By A2OU1P5EGO7KPT on 2007-12-27
  BUY THIS BOOK!!! Everything turns out! Everything is delicious! You will be the star of all of your family gatherings! We are always asked to, "bring the buns." Our nieghbors wait each Christmas morning for us to drop off their Swedish Tea Rings. The magic of Beatrice Ojakangas is that she has researched, tested, and refined her recipes so thoroughly that they are not only authentic, beautiful, and delicious but absolutely foolproof.
  This is a FABULOUS cookbook!
  
  
• An Addictive Baking Book
  By ABYLSNI0MGXZB on 2008-01-10
  The Great Scandinavian Baking Book is an addictive collection of recipes from author Beatrice Ojakangas. From Cardamom Coffeebread (Pulla) and Sweet Cream Waffles to Danish Strawberry Scones (Kraemmerhuse) and almond glazed Swedish Tea Rings (Vetekrans), once you start baking from this book you'll have a hard time putting it away. I was delighted with everything I made and appreciated how Ojakangas introduced me to the many delectable ways Scandinavians use cardamom in their baking. Her recipes are easy to follow and accompanied by conversational intros that share cultural tidbits or serving tips. Although there are no photos in this book, when more complicated steps are required to complete a recipe the how-to portion is frequently illustrated with helpful diagrams. The lack of photographs is really the only thing about it I didn't absolutely adore about the book, which will make a welcome addition to any kitchen and is appropriate for beginner and experienced bakers alike. You'll revel in the heavenly aromas emanating from your oven, not to mention the baked goods you'll soon be enjoying with a cup of hot coffee or tea.
  
  Chapters: Breads for Meals, Breads for Coffeetime, Cookies and Little Cakes, Cakes and Tortes, Pastries and Pies, Savory Pies and Filled Breads. Chapters about mail order sources, baking tips and ingredients are also included.
  
  
• Best ever!
  By A1DU2OIRBZRVBA on 2008-02-25
  This is the best most complete Scandinavian baking book that I have ever come across that is published in English. It has many recipes that my Great Grandmother brought over from the old country (Denmark), just not all her familie's special variations. The recipes are easy to follow and always come out tasting great. Many of them taste just like you were sitting at a Cafe in Kopenhagen and any of the recipes in this book will enrich your gifts of Christmas cookies and make you a big hit at the holiday parties.
  
  
• Best of the Best!
  By A28DN80EGD0LXX on 2008-06-03
  I've purchased and read a variety of cook books over the years and have always had an interest in European traditions and cooking. This is one of the best baking books I've come across! Its definately the best european cookbook I've come across to date. Its got U.S measurements, easy to read recipes, a good variety of recipes, and interesting notations about the cultures.
  
  
  I give it 4 stars instead of 5 because some of the intricate braiding recipes could have had better illustrations/instructions and I'm overwhelmed by some of the recipe sizes. (For example, Some recipes make 3 loaves of bread, or 4 dozen cookies.)
  
  
  
• Amazingly authentic!
  By on 2002-01-20
  I am part Swedish and Norwegian and this book is absolutely an essential part of my holiday baking. She serves up the most authentic and traditional recipes available for Scandinavian baking. Her other books are great, too. My grandmother was impressed by my browned butter cookies and from another book, lefse. Highly recommended for all Scandinavians, or those who just love the food and culture!
  
  

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