Smoky Paprika and Thyme Soufflé Bites
Cayenne and Sesame Cheese Swirls
Chocolate, Fig and Hazelnut Panforte
Chocolate Pavlova with Salted Caramel Sauce
Chocolate and Hazelnut Rum Babas
Strawberry and Vanilla Custard Kataifi Tart
Baked Sweet Saffron and Condensed Milk Rice Pudding
Pistachio and Cinnamon Doughnuts
Easy Soda Red Onion, Olive and Rosemary Focaccia
Cumin and Coriander Flatbreads
Lining a Tart Tin and Baking Blind
Baking has long been a source of joy and comfort in my life. I have vivid early memories of impatiently waiting alongside my mum and sister for sweet treats to emerge from the oven, and I’ve never tired of that wonderful sense of anticipation. For me, baking is a moment of respite and some time for contemplation. But it’s also time spent bustling around the kitchen with my family and friends. Either way, I think there’s something so joyous about stirring, kneading or whipping together ingredients and waiting (not always patiently) for the end result. I find the aromas, textures and flavours of baking, whether sweet or savoury, completely intoxicating.
In this book, I’m sharing some of my very favourite recipes that I hope will cater to your every baking need and whim. For those who aren’t au fait with the oven, I’ve provided some simple basic recipes and techniques. If pastry’s not your forte, for example, you’ll find fail-safe recipes for shortcrust, puff and choux here, here and here. There are also recipes for other staples such as Classic Buttercream Icing (the absolute best bowl to lick) and Crème Pâtissière. And, because I think it’s often just assumed that everyone knows the basic baking techniques, I’ve provided comprehensive instructions for things like kneading dough by hand and toasting nuts (here and here).
In every chapter, you’ll find a whole host of tempting bakes: sweet and savoury, simple and more complex, traditional and unfamiliar. In Cakes, for example, I’ve included my foolproof