Your Best Holiday Baking Guide

 Baking is going to be an important aspect for home chef during the next two months. Luckily The New York Times dropped their baking issue in Sunday's papers. There is everything here, from cakes, to cookies to even muffins. These are all perfect for the dinners and parties ahead.

This is a pretty substantial issue and definitely a keeper for all sorts of bakers from experienced to novice ones. Keep in mind that these are not your typical sugar cookie and vanilla cake with chocolate frosting recipes. These have interest. These have spice. These have even fire. There are caramel cookies heated with the Korean gochujang, a red chili paste usually used with veggies or meat..Miso gives layers of unami to pecan banana bread. Again it's used mostly in soups to bring out the flavor.Candied ginger give zing to ordinary marbled shortbread cookies.Lemon bars are given color and tanginess with cranberries. Even a simple apple crunch cake is boozed up with half a cup of bourbon. Even sugar cookies are not the typical holiday recipe. The New York Times recipes gives them color and an earthiness by the addition of freshly ground  Earl Grey tea leaves cooked with butter.

There are some traditional flavors used but not in the way you'd think. The highlight of the issue is a peanut  butter and jelly pound cake. This is a peanut butter rich cake marbled with raspberry jam. The icing is from the jam being mixed with confectioner's sugar.Imagine this finishing a holiday brunch. There's also s'mores brownies and pumpkin brownies ,perfect t for both Halloween and Christmas tree trimming parties. There's also a sweet potato and brown butter snacking cake - just great for those weekends in with family.Yes, every fall baking issue has a doughnut recipe and this one is no different. Home bakers will appreciate the baked apple cider doughnuts , baked in the oven for a lighter taste instead of deep fried. Cheesecake also makes an appearance but it's the Basque kind with a deeply caramelized top. There are also maple pecan sticky buns amongst others for a a lazy morning in.

Go through your Sunday papers for this issue if you haven't already saved it. It;s chock full of great recipes. Bake these for the holiday season and beyond.