New York Christmas Baking

“New York Christmas Baking is our surrender to all of the sweet temptations that the city... has to offer,” begins this winning debut cookbook by German design team Nieschalg and Wentrup. In addition to such Christmas staples as sugar cookies, gingerbread people, and snickerdoodle cookies, there are a handful of recipes that the authors acknowledge are not Christmas specific (some are borrowed from non-Christian cultures) but are nevertheless ubiquitous in New York City, such as rugelach, black and white cookies (“a true New York classic and sold in just about every bakery”), and challah buns. Theirs is a tourist’s view of Christmas in the city, with accompanying photos of a wreath-adorned Grand Central Terminal and the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree—but the recipes themselves are creative and accessible, among them gingerbread cookie cups filled with chocolate and whipped cream; stained-glass cookies; and upside down cake with cranberries. Other tempting treats include candy cane–shaped bread stuffed with cranberry and cream cheese; pumpkin spice whoopee pies; and chocolate-peppermint pinwheel cookies. This festive and inviting cookbook will certainly put home bakers in the Christmas spirit. (Nov.)