Martha Bakes: Martha Stewart's New TV Show

We've baked a lot of recipes from Martha Stewart over the years — her precise cooking style and beautiful plating are especially inspiring when we're making desserts.

So we were interested to hear that next week Martha is debuting Martha Bakes, a new TV show which will teach viewers how to master various baking techniques over the course of thirteen episodes.

We've always appreciated the Martha Stewart method of introducing a well-explained base recipe — say, shortbread — and then offering numerous recipes for variations (a green tea shortbread, a black-and-white layered shortbread). Martha Bakes will follow the same method, teaching the fundamental techniques for base recipes like pâte à choux and following up with instructions for related recipes like éclairs topped with maple-espresso icing.

Each episode will focus on a different topic, from yellow cake to yeast dough, and will demystify "everything from how to make the perfect, no-crack cheesecake to how to create the ultimate devil’s food cake." The show starts Monday, January 31 at 11 AM ET on the Hallmark Channel.

• Find out more: Martha Bakes - The Hallmark Channel

Are you a Martha Stewart fan? Is this a show you'll be watching?

Comments (9)

I would love to watch but we don't get the Hallmark channel! :[

so sad that I don't have the Hallmark channel :(

You know, as much as I love Martha, I have *never* been able to get one of her baking recipes to work correctly for me- my husband and I actually have a running joke about the missing Martha ingredient (or misprinted measurement).

America's Test Kitchen & Cooks Illustrated, on the other hand, have never let me down.

I agree Kealoha...while I love Martha and watch her and have one of her cookbooks, I've never actually used a recipe from her. Ever. ATK though, I've used time and time again.

I agree too Kealoha - I am convinced that she leaves out one critical ingredient or step in every recipe/craft project she has. I've never had any of her stuff turn out for me - so I've completely given up.

I've heard several people complain that her recipes don't turn out well, but I have always had great success.

What I really appraciate about Martha's shows is she showcases some amazing chefs and bakers from all over the world.

I find that all her super early ones (first few years of Living and the books before Living came out) work for me but almost every single baking recipe that isn't attributed to Ina Garten or someone else is straight out of The Joy of Cooking. I remember always cross-referencing recipes back in those days because I was just starting to really get my bearing in the kitchen.

All of her recipes from her show since she got out of the clink always work for me too. Many of them are from respected chefs and writers that appear on her show. And she has all sorts of staff in her various test kitchens now to work out recipes.

However, the recipes from in between the early years and the current era are completely inconsistent! I've noticed many baking recipes from that middle period that are clearly incorrect. I avoided most of her baking recipes for ages until she started bringing on guest pastry chefs from interesting restaurants on her TV show. Those recipes have all been accurate and excellent!

Martha seems to really be taking over North America... Let's see, she has her MSL magazine, Body & Soul, Everyday Food, MSL Weddings... (no more Blueprint...), the Martha tv show, Martha on the radio, Martha newspaper column (syndicated), Martha at Sherwin Williams, Martha at Macy's, Martha at Michaels, Martha at Fine Paints of Europe, Martha at Home Hardware (isn't that where her least expensive paint it?)... Of course, the old MSL tv show is still being rebroadcast... Oops! forgot her high-end furniture line... and the Marc Maronne show, as well as the Everyday Food tv show...

Well, she' no longer at K-mart (is there even a K-Mart any more? Been years since I've been in one...)

And now she adds a baking show?! (didn't she also put her name to house plans or a housing division??)

As for her recipes... Some baking recipes of hers are fantastic, and I make over and over again. But I've found room for other cooks and other recipes... for example, Nigella (best cheesecake ever, bar none), the NewYork Times, Gourmet, Dorie Greenspan... Enough Martha already!