Ratio (2009)

Michael Ruhlman strips baking, sauces, and doughs down to their structural building blocks by focusing entirely on elemental proportions of fat, flour, liquid, and egg. By examining how water hydration dictates gluten formation and fat coats starch particles, he frees cooks from slavish recipe adherence. Mastering these baseline ratios allows one to troubleshoot batter viscosities and pastry elasticity instinctively.