Lisa Ks Book Reviews

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

BOOK TOUR

I am so happy to be a stop on

author Daryl Wood Gerber's book tour for

FUDGING THE BOOKS

Book 4 in the Cookbook Nook Mystery series

The Agatha Award–winning author of Stirring the Plot returns to the Cookbook Nook in Crystal Cove, California, where February brings Pirate Week, National Chocolate Month—and bitter murder…

Pirate Week is sweeping through Crystal Cove and keeping Jenna Hart and her bookstore, the Cookbook Nook, plenty busy. But she’s not too swamped to also host the local Chocolate Cookbook Club’s meeting—especially because the guest of honor is her friend, candy maker and cookbook author Coco Chastain.

Jenna whips up a delicious event amidst the rowdy festivities, but the mood is soon broken by robberies, simmering tempers, and a dead body—Coco’s editor, Alison. The suspects turn out to be more plentiful than a pot full of gold doubloons, so to prove Coco isn’t responsible for the dastardly deed, Jenna will have to stir up some clues and figure out who’s the real sticky-fingered killer…

INCLUDES RECIPES!

NOTE from author: This is not about “real pirates.” Pirate Week is a fun romp where folks dress up like pirates, climb rock walls, go whale watching, and take in Pirates of Penzance or hunt for missing gold doubloons.

A treat from

Daryl Wood Gerber

People ask me where I find my recipes. I look in my recipe box, given to me by my mother. She was a good cook. I also look on the Internet by inserting words like chocolate + cupcake + gluten-free. Sometimes I find the perfect recipe in a cookbook!

Since I am now writing a series set in a culinary bookshop, A Cookbook Nook Mystery series, I try to find all sorts of great cookbooks to share with my readers. This is a cookbook that I found out about while reading an article in the Los Angeles Times about their test kitchen. The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook. The book is terrific. The authors give all sorts of tips how to make things “better” while still being gluten-free.

And I have to tell you, this cupcake didn’t disappoint. It remained moist and high. It didn’t sink like many gluten-free things can do. And I promise you, your regular flour eaters won’t know the difference!!

By the way, I thought I’d share “chocolate” with you today because my latest book in the series is titled FUDGING THE BOOKS. I have to stay on theme, right?

Where do you find your recipes?

Savor the Mystery!

Daryl Wood Gerber

Tasty ~ Zesty ~ Dangerous

DARK CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

Gluten-free

Ala The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook

Ingredients:

1/2 cup vegetable oil

3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3/4 cup GF flour (see notes below)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk (I used 2%; cookbook asked for whole milk)

2 cups frosting

Directions:

Make sure oven rack is in middle position. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.

Put oil, chocolate, and cocoa together in a microwavable bowl. Microwave at half power, stirring occasionally until melted. About 2 minutes. Whisk mixture until smooth, then set aside to cool slightly.

In separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt together.

In large bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla together. Whisk in sugar until combined. Whisk in cooled chocolate mixture and milk until combined. Whisk in flour mixture until batter is combined and smooth. About 50 stirs.

Using ice cream scoop (*NEW TO ME) pour the batter into the muffin tins, about 2/3 full. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 16-18 minutes. IMPORTANT: Rotate tin halfway through baking. Let cupcakes cool in tin for 10 minutes. Remove cupcakes from tin and let cool completely, about 1 hour.

Note: unfrosted cupcakes can be stored in airtight container at room temp for 1-2 days.

Spread or pipe frosting over top of cupcakes and serve. {I have to admit, I used already made frosting, gluten-free from Betty Crocker.}

Note: as I mentioned above, these cupcakes rose and stayed “risen” after baking. I was amazed. Most GF cakes “sink” a little.

Note re: flour – the cookbook authors said they really liked King Arthur GF multi-purpose flour. I use a mixture I make myself using sweet rice flour, tapioca flour, and potato flour. You choose.

MY REVIEW

The Cookbook Nook Mystery series is one I keep at the top of my favorites list. When I finish reading a book in this series, I get right online to find out how long I’ll have to wait for the next. For the record, the wait time between books in a cozy mystery series is normally around a year. But with this series, it feels like more like two years. So, I can say with all honesty, the worst part of this book was finishing it and beginning my wait!

With perfect settings like Crystal Cove, and the Cookbook Nook and its café, it was wonderful to become lost between the covers of this delightful mystery.

Author Daryl Wood Gerber really throw everything into this story. In this installment, one of my favorite cast of characters is dealing with pirates, thieves, and chocolate! Oh…and murder of course! Fast paced, full of twisty turns and tons of surprises, FUDGING THE BOOKS, is my new favorite in this series. I know, I say that a lot, but when it’s true…hey, it’s true!

Fans of this series and of author Daryl Wood Gerber/Avery Aames are going to go mad over the sweet bounty that is FUDGING THE BOOKS. If you haven’t read the other books in this series, you can start with this one and not feel lost. But please, do go back and read the others too!

And check out the back of the book for yummy chocolate recipes, and the sneak peek of FOR CHEDDAR OR WORSE, book seven in the Cheese Shop Mystery series by Avery Aames.

Available Today!

Daryl is giving away this wonderful prize package!

The winner will be picked by random draw and contacted once Daryl's tour is done on August 6.

Enter to win using the Rafflecopter form below.

This giveaway is through Great Escape Book Tours, not Lisa Ks Book Reviews.

www.escapewithdollycas.com

About the author

Agatha Award-winning and nationally bestselling author DARYL WOOD GERBER writes the Cookbook Nook Mysteries, set in the fictional coastal town of Crystal Cove, California. As Avery Aames, she also writes the Cheese Shop Mysteries, set in quaint Providence, Ohio. Fun tidbit: as an actress, Daryl appeared in “Murder, She Wrote”. She is married, loves to cook, and has a darling, frisky Goldendoodle named Sparky. Visit Daryl or Avery at www.darylwoodgerber.com. Connect with her on Twitter, and Facebook, and don’t forget to sign up for her Keepin’ it Cozy newsletter