Book Review: Milk & Cookies

Ah, milk and cookies, that iconic American after-school or bedtime snack. I was introduced to the concept by my very favourite godmother as a wee nipper on one of her far too infrequent visits from America. Even now, as a proper grown up, I can't resist the temptation of a cold glass of milk and a tasty biscuity treat to nibble on every now and again.

So it should come as no surprise that I was instantly smitten by the whole concept of Milk & Cookies, a wonderful recipe book jam packed of goodies from Tina Casaceli, chef and owner of the Milk & Cookies Bakery in New York. The book provides a number of basic base dough recipes; vanilla, dark chocolate, oatmeal, peanut butter and sugar cookie, and demonstrates how you can use each base to create a mouthwatering selection of cookies. Plus there is some great advice about just exactly how to create a perfect, never-fail cookie dough.

There are also chapters dedicated to speciality cookies, including classic american treats like Snickerdoodles and S'mores, and a selection of traditional italian family favourites which is ideal for those wanting to perfect their biscotti, ciambelli and sfingi making skills. Finally, for those who are not so enchanted by the charms of a crumbly cookie, maybe we can tempt you with some delicious brownies, shortbread or cookie bars instead. Kahlua Brownies anyone?

The recipes are easy to follow and ingredients are listed in both American cup measurements and the equivalent weight in ounces so you won't even need to get your US/UK conversion table out. They also include advice on how best to store you cookies, that is if they even last that long.

Milk & Cookies: 68 Heirloom Recipes from New York's Milk & Cookies Bakery by Tina Casaceli is published by Chronicle Books. Available on Amazon for £11.04, RRP £16.99