OP: Up-to-Date Confectionery

Maclaren & Sons Ltd., 1953. Hardcover. Very Good. Third edition, revised and enlarged.

First appearing as a series of articles in the trade journal The British Baker, Up-to-Date Confectionery was issued as a complete volume in London in the late 1930s. A second edition appeared in 1947, adding American confections to the mix, and this third expanded edition was published in 1953. A fourth followed in 1978.

The book’s long life in print is a testament to its utility for bakers producing goods in massive quantities. Besides the high volume recipes (no yields are provided, but a scone recipe, for example, calls for four pounds of flour, ten ounces of sugar, and a quart of milk), author Albert R. Daniel offers technical instruction and advice for common pastry woes, like why cakes sink or puddings go moldy, and economical options for those working within a tight budget. The section on genoese cakes, for example, besides covering a variety of flavors, also has recipes called “heavy type almond genoese,” “cheaper heavy genoese,” “another cheap heavy genoese,” and “very cheap genoese.”

Everything a professional might need to have in their pastry arsenal—from scones to croquembouches and sculptural exhibition cakes, or even seasonal window displays—is here.

Our copy is in Very Good condition, clean and unmarked. The burgundy boards show heavy wear, but the illustrated jacket is present with missing paper and chipping about the edges. We’ve placed it in a mylar sleeve to protect it from further damage. Black and white photographic inserts throughout.