Bread, buns and biscuits
Baking is both a hobby and a habit of mine. It's something I love to do and which I find meditative. When I'm busy or stressed I find myself dreaming of folding in flour, melting chocolate or kneading dough. It's a great way to while away a few hours in the kitchen, doing something creative, practical and - most importantly - delicious. With that in mind I thought I would take a moment to recommend my current three favourite baking books - for anyone looking to expand their culinary library.
1. Short & Sweet - Dan Lepard
Top of the tree at the moment is Dan Lepard's fantastic baking bible. There isn't too much emphasis on style or fancy photography, and the recipes just work. Any baker will know how valuable that is. I've mainly been focusing on the breads, in line with my New Year's Resolution to bake bread more often, and each one I've tried has worked like a dream and been very delicious. The plain old white loaf takes about 15 minutes of actual work. There's another few hours of resting and rising to go alongside that, but if you're in the house one evening then you could very easily make it while catching up on your favourite TV programmes - just knead the dough whenever you make a trip to the kettle!
2. British Baking - Peyton & Byrne
This gorgeous little book has a touch more glamour than Short & Sweet, and while it may be less of a baking bible it has a mean Jammy Dodger recipe! Full of traditional British baking recipes and the sort of things your grandma might have made for you when you were a kid, this is a nice way to hark back to the 'good old days' - whether you are old enough to remember them or not! I'm really not kidding about that Jammy Dodger recipe either...
3. The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook - Tarek Malouf
If you have ever tried shop-bought cupcakes and wondered what on earth all the fuss was about, then try this book. The recipes aren't always that easy to follow as the methods used differ quite a lot from traditional British baking methods, but the results are worth it. If you want to dip a toe in the water, then borrow this book from the library and try the Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes. You will think they are going to turn out dreadfully when you're at the halfway point, then when you take the first bite of creamy cheesecake frosting and sweet, slightly stiff sponge you will understand just why these little treats became so popular.
Do you have a favourite baking book? A trusty standby or a shiny new treasure trove of ideas? Leave me a comment with any you'd recommend, I'd love to give them a go!
Becky
x
1. Short & Sweet - Dan Lepard
Top of the tree at the moment is Dan Lepard's fantastic baking bible. There isn't too much emphasis on style or fancy photography, and the recipes just work. Any baker will know how valuable that is. I've mainly been focusing on the breads, in line with my New Year's Resolution to bake bread more often, and each one I've tried has worked like a dream and been very delicious. The plain old white loaf takes about 15 minutes of actual work. There's another few hours of resting and rising to go alongside that, but if you're in the house one evening then you could very easily make it while catching up on your favourite TV programmes - just knead the dough whenever you make a trip to the kettle!
2. British Baking - Peyton & Byrne
This gorgeous little book has a touch more glamour than Short & Sweet, and while it may be less of a baking bible it has a mean Jammy Dodger recipe! Full of traditional British baking recipes and the sort of things your grandma might have made for you when you were a kid, this is a nice way to hark back to the 'good old days' - whether you are old enough to remember them or not! I'm really not kidding about that Jammy Dodger recipe either...
3. The Hummingbird Bakery Cookbook - Tarek Malouf
If you have ever tried shop-bought cupcakes and wondered what on earth all the fuss was about, then try this book. The recipes aren't always that easy to follow as the methods used differ quite a lot from traditional British baking methods, but the results are worth it. If you want to dip a toe in the water, then borrow this book from the library and try the Strawberry Cheesecake Cupcakes. You will think they are going to turn out dreadfully when you're at the halfway point, then when you take the first bite of creamy cheesecake frosting and sweet, slightly stiff sponge you will understand just why these little treats became so popular.
Do you have a favourite baking book? A trusty standby or a shiny new treasure trove of ideas? Leave me a comment with any you'd recommend, I'd love to give them a go!
Becky
x