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BAKE: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!
The ultimate baking book from internationally beloved baker Paul Hollywood, judge of The Great British Baking Show.
In BAKE, Paul Hollywood shares his best ever recipes for classic cakes, biscuits and cookies, breads and flatbreads, pizza and doughnuts, pastries and pies, and showstopping desserts. From classic cakes like Victoria Sandwich and Chocolate Fudge Cake, through brilliant breads like foolproof Sourdough , to savoury and sweet pastries like Sausage Rolls and Danish Pastries , these are the only recipes you’ll need to create perfectly delicious bakes time and time again.
With more years as a professional baker than he’d care to remember and over 10 years judging the best baking show on TV, Paul has created, tested and tasted a huge number of bakes. He has also traveled widely and learnt so much about the craft he loves. For Paul, one of the most joyful things about baking is how it evolves as we discover new techniques, ingredients and influences. As our knowledge improves, so do our recipes.
Paul combines every tip and trick he has learned together with his incredible technical know-how to create the ultimate collection of incredible bakes.
The ultimate baking book from internationally beloved baker Paul Hollywood, judge of The Great British Baking Show.
In BAKE, Paul Hollywood shares his best ever recipes for classic cakes, biscuits and cookies, breads and flatbreads, pizza and doughnuts, pastries and pies, and showstopping desserts. From classic cakes like Victoria Sandwich and Chocolate Fudge Cake, through brilliant breads like foolproof Sourdough , to savoury and sweet pastries like Sausage Rolls and Danish Pastries , these are the only recipes you’ll need to create perfectly delicious bakes time and time again.
With more years as a professional baker than he’d care to remember and over 10 years judging the best baking show on TV, Paul has created, tested and tasted a huge number of bakes. He has also traveled widely and learnt so much about the craft he loves. For Paul, one of the most joyful things about baking is how it evolves as we discover new techniques, ingredients and influences. As our knowledge improves, so do our recipes.
Paul combines every tip and trick he has learned together with his incredible technical know-how to create the ultimate collection of incredible bakes.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published July 19, 2022
247 people are currently reading
4853 people want to read
About the author
Paul Hollywood
38 books238 followersPaul Hollywood is an English baker and celebrity chef. He has worked as a baker since taking up the career at his father's bakery as a teenager and has gone on to become head baker at a number of hotels around Britain. After returning from working in Cyprus, he began appearing in guest spots on a number of British television shows on both BBC and ITV channels. Since 2010 he has appeared as a judge on BBC2's baking show The Great British Bake Off. He runs his own artisanal baking business, which supplies stores such as Harrods.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 115 reviews
June 20, 2022
Paul Hollywood, The King of Bread and of course the star of the Great British Baking Show, gives us a wonderful book of classics perfect for both beginning and experienced bakers. This book is easy to understand and the pictures are beautiful. I love sourdough bread, so why would I not want Paul Hollywood's recipe? He's Mr. Bread! Likewise for the pizza dough. Of course I want to try it!
I've always wanted to learn to make macarons, and the lime macaron recipe looks amazing. That is top of my list, along with the Victoria Sponge, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Individual Lemon Sponges, and so much more. All the classics are here, and they are shared in a much more casual way than we're used to seeing from Hollywood, who is normally in "baking competition" mode on our tv screens.
If you want a beautiful cookbook of all the classics as shared with you by an experienced and famous baker, pick this one up.
I received a temporary digital copy of this book from Bloomsbury USA via Netgalley, but I will purchase a hard copy of this one. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
I've always wanted to learn to make macarons, and the lime macaron recipe looks amazing. That is top of my list, along with the Victoria Sponge, Sticky Toffee Pudding, Individual Lemon Sponges, and so much more. All the classics are here, and they are shared in a much more casual way than we're used to seeing from Hollywood, who is normally in "baking competition" mode on our tv screens.
If you want a beautiful cookbook of all the classics as shared with you by an experienced and famous baker, pick this one up.
I received a temporary digital copy of this book from Bloomsbury USA via Netgalley, but I will purchase a hard copy of this one. My review is voluntary and my opinions are my own.
March 4, 2023
Thanks so much to Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for the free digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Like most people, I'm familiar with Paul Hollywood through The Great British Baking Show, though I feel like I've mostly heard about his expertise when it comes to bread, so I was curious to see his other recipes.
First off, this was a super quality digital file, and I really enjoyed the layout of the cookbook. It's quite simple and clean, with measurements in cups/weights. EVERY recipe has a photo--the gold standard!--and several also have some step-by-step photos as well. The book is divided into six sections, and there is a good mixture of sweet and savory bakes, which I really appreciated! For the most part quite classic flavors, and while there are obviously a lot of vegetarian options, there are essentially no vegan or gluten-free recipes, which is not at all a surprise, just something to note for those with restrictions. There definitely isn't a strong personal touch IMO, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as sometimes I just want a cookbook and not a lot of touching stories.
I've got a ton of the recipes bookmarked and am excited to make them--this is definitely a cookbook I'm happy to have picked up!
I've Made:
Cheese Crackers - I've made a few different cracker recipes and this is the first one I've made with no liquid, and the technique was super interesting. The texture of these was really light and unusual--I enjoyed them, though it's not my most favorite cracker recipe.
Cheese & Onion Soda Bread - Quick, easy, and delicious! Reminds me of one of my favorite drop biscuit recipes but in loaf form. The recipe was a little unclear in places--didn't specify if sauteed onions should be cooled before adding; there are two types of shredded cheese and it was unclear if both or just the cheddar should be mixed into the dough--but definitely one I'd make again.
Hazelnut and Apricot Cookies - really easy smaller-batch recipe with minimal ingredients. Not overly sweet, but very tasty--the perfect afternoon tea cookie.
Like most people, I'm familiar with Paul Hollywood through The Great British Baking Show, though I feel like I've mostly heard about his expertise when it comes to bread, so I was curious to see his other recipes.
First off, this was a super quality digital file, and I really enjoyed the layout of the cookbook. It's quite simple and clean, with measurements in cups/weights. EVERY recipe has a photo--the gold standard!--and several also have some step-by-step photos as well. The book is divided into six sections, and there is a good mixture of sweet and savory bakes, which I really appreciated! For the most part quite classic flavors, and while there are obviously a lot of vegetarian options, there are essentially no vegan or gluten-free recipes, which is not at all a surprise, just something to note for those with restrictions. There definitely isn't a strong personal touch IMO, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, as sometimes I just want a cookbook and not a lot of touching stories.
I've got a ton of the recipes bookmarked and am excited to make them--this is definitely a cookbook I'm happy to have picked up!
I've Made:
Cheese Crackers - I've made a few different cracker recipes and this is the first one I've made with no liquid, and the technique was super interesting. The texture of these was really light and unusual--I enjoyed them, though it's not my most favorite cracker recipe.
Cheese & Onion Soda Bread - Quick, easy, and delicious! Reminds me of one of my favorite drop biscuit recipes but in loaf form. The recipe was a little unclear in places--didn't specify if sauteed onions should be cooled before adding; there are two types of shredded cheese and it was unclear if both or just the cheddar should be mixed into the dough--but definitely one I'd make again.
Hazelnut and Apricot Cookies - really easy smaller-batch recipe with minimal ingredients. Not overly sweet, but very tasty--the perfect afternoon tea cookie.
June 1, 2022
Our family loves the Great British Baking Show and I adore Paul Hollywood, so I had to request this book even though most of our kids are gluten free and my hubby and I are keto. I have a lot of baking experience and can recognize the quality of these recipes even if I can't make them these days without some heavy modifications. There are color photos for many of the recipes and Hollywood tells you something about each recipe. The steps are easy to follow, demystifying the baking process for novices. In some cases, step by step photos are provided. There's a vast variety of types of bakes, with something for (nearly) everyone. As long as you eat flour, fat and sugar, that is. :) A wonderful book.
No nutritional information is provided for the recipes. The book is not suitable for those who are on special diets such as gluten free, paleo, keto or vegan. For all others, it will be a big hit.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
No nutritional information is provided for the recipes. The book is not suitable for those who are on special diets such as gluten free, paleo, keto or vegan. For all others, it will be a big hit.
I read a temporary digital ARC of this book for review.
November 10, 2022
Nobody knows more about baking than Paul Hollywood. Who better to share favorite recipes for baked goods---both sweet and savory---than Hollywood?
January 22, 2023
C’mon, it’s Paul Hollywood.
June 22, 2022
I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
This was a surprisingly easy-to-follow baking book! I loved the pictures and step-by-step directions mixed with a variety of tips and tricks. Paul used far more exclamation points than I would have expected, but it was fun to go through and read his thoughts on the different recipes. I can see why the lemon drizzle cake is his favorite! This book would be perfect gift for any fan of GBBO.
This was a surprisingly easy-to-follow baking book! I loved the pictures and step-by-step directions mixed with a variety of tips and tricks. Paul used far more exclamation points than I would have expected, but it was fun to go through and read his thoughts on the different recipes. I can see why the lemon drizzle cake is his favorite! This book would be perfect gift for any fan of GBBO.
October 3, 2022
This is putting me in such a fall mood and I love it! I can't wait to try some of these recipes! So many of them sound delicious. Also now I wanna watch more of The Great British Baking Show.
May 10, 2022
I love to bake and I love the Great British Bake Off, so I jumped at the chance to review an early copy.
Paul Hollywood may best be known to Americans as one of the judges on the Great British Bake Off (or Great British Baking Show on this side of the pond), but he has over 30 years of expertise, starting with learning how to make bread at his dad’s bakery as a kid. In this cookbook, Paul gives us classic recipes that he has refined and perfected over the years.
First and foremost, every recipe has a full color photo and everything looks absolutely delicious. Most of the recipes do not seem too difficult and the more complicated ones, like New York Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake (yum!) and croissants (yep, they’re in here too!), have step by step photos of Paul making them. The numbers in the pictures correspond to steps within the instructions so they’re very easy to follow. Any time I got to a recipe I knew was going to be difficult, there was Paul, showing us how it’s done.
It’s not all desserts either. You’ll find recipes for pizzas and savory hand pies, as well as an extensive section on bread, that includes types of bread from all over the world like naan, focaccia, tortillas, pitas, maneesh, and chapatis.
Whether you’ve seen The Great British Bake Off or have never heard of Paul Hollywood at all, I think this cookbook is fantastic. I can’t think of many (if any) desserts that are not in here. If you’re a baker, this is something you should use as a reference. I will be using this often, for sure.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to view an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Paul Hollywood may best be known to Americans as one of the judges on the Great British Bake Off (or Great British Baking Show on this side of the pond), but he has over 30 years of expertise, starting with learning how to make bread at his dad’s bakery as a kid. In this cookbook, Paul gives us classic recipes that he has refined and perfected over the years.
First and foremost, every recipe has a full color photo and everything looks absolutely delicious. Most of the recipes do not seem too difficult and the more complicated ones, like New York Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake (yum!) and croissants (yep, they’re in here too!), have step by step photos of Paul making them. The numbers in the pictures correspond to steps within the instructions so they’re very easy to follow. Any time I got to a recipe I knew was going to be difficult, there was Paul, showing us how it’s done.
It’s not all desserts either. You’ll find recipes for pizzas and savory hand pies, as well as an extensive section on bread, that includes types of bread from all over the world like naan, focaccia, tortillas, pitas, maneesh, and chapatis.
Whether you’ve seen The Great British Bake Off or have never heard of Paul Hollywood at all, I think this cookbook is fantastic. I can’t think of many (if any) desserts that are not in here. If you’re a baker, this is something you should use as a reference. I will be using this often, for sure.
Thank you to Bloomsbury Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to view an early copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
March 5, 2023
My current baking obsession is thanks to Paul Hollywood - I’ve bought 4 of his cookbooks this month alone (including a fantastic British Bake-off cake book). The recipes are all so wonderful, and the sweets aren’t too sweet. Our favorites so far are the Blondies (with pistachios and freeze dried raspberries), the date-filled Sticky Toffee Pudding and the Coffee & Walnut Cake.
August 27, 2022
I won this cookbook here on Goodreads. This is a big, impressive hardback cookbook, almost 300 hundred pages of recipes and high quality photos, with many of the photos being not just the baked goods, but nice detailed instructive step by step shots of various techniques. I liked that every recipe started with a little history, culture, or other discussion, like its meaning or importance to the author. It was also nice to see that there were loads of savory baked goods like empanadas, various British meat pies/pasties, crackers, pizzas, and so on, not just tons of sweets. The recipes run the gamut from very simple to pretty difficult, but they seem fairly accessible for almost anyone. I have not had a chance to try any yet, but I am quite impressed with this cookbook. Definitely recommend.
October 23, 2022
phenomenal. lovely brownies. cheers paul!
June 17, 2022
I mean ... one does not simply _not_ request/read a Paul Hollywood book when it appears on NetGalley, amirite? :D
I may not have Netflix anymore to keep up with "The Great British Baking Show," but that just means I'm in even more need of a Paul handshake (as long as he's not side-eyeing me with those piercing blue eyes and making me second-guess every plan I've got). :D :D
This cookbook is gorgeous--exactly what I expected, and then some, from the master bread maker, who possesses a more extensive repertoire than I ever realized! I loved reading about Paul "beyond GBBO"; frankly, he felt a lot more approachable here than he does on screen, haha. I was surprised to see the recipes he recommends new bakers start with (the Victoria sandwich, for starters, and that cherry cake should be "in every baker's repertoire"); I couldn't help but hear his pronunciations of "ciabatta" and "scohns" in my head as I read (not to mention Mel and Prue kicking it off with "BAKE!"); and I was pretty darn excited that he included a recipe for chouxnuts, even if I'd much prefer to buy and eat one than make it myself.
The book is a veritable encyclopedia (but way more approachable than Brittanica) for the home baker. It explains the "why" behind so many baking quirks, and will only enhance one's baking experience. GBBO fans and non-fans--is there such a thing?--alike will enjoy it, as it features many a sweet and a savoy recipe straight from the show.
Brilliantly photographed, written, and presented, it's deserving of a Hollywood handshake if I do say so myself.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
I may not have Netflix anymore to keep up with "The Great British Baking Show," but that just means I'm in even more need of a Paul handshake (as long as he's not side-eyeing me with those piercing blue eyes and making me second-guess every plan I've got). :D :D
This cookbook is gorgeous--exactly what I expected, and then some, from the master bread maker, who possesses a more extensive repertoire than I ever realized! I loved reading about Paul "beyond GBBO"; frankly, he felt a lot more approachable here than he does on screen, haha. I was surprised to see the recipes he recommends new bakers start with (the Victoria sandwich, for starters, and that cherry cake should be "in every baker's repertoire"); I couldn't help but hear his pronunciations of "ciabatta" and "scohns" in my head as I read (not to mention Mel and Prue kicking it off with "BAKE!"); and I was pretty darn excited that he included a recipe for chouxnuts, even if I'd much prefer to buy and eat one than make it myself.
The book is a veritable encyclopedia (but way more approachable than Brittanica) for the home baker. It explains the "why" behind so many baking quirks, and will only enhance one's baking experience. GBBO fans and non-fans--is there such a thing?--alike will enjoy it, as it features many a sweet and a savoy recipe straight from the show.
Brilliantly photographed, written, and presented, it's deserving of a Hollywood handshake if I do say so myself.
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
May 13, 2022
I love The Great British Baking Show so I bought Paul Hollywood's book How to Bake and it was a wonderful resource for a beginner to make bread (and beyond). I'm still working my way through that book, but the one thing that was hard with it was conversions. I had to convert Celsius to Fahrenheit which was easy, but learning the different names for ingredients in the UK that are different in the US was a steep learning curve. I still recommend that book as a wonderful resource for beginning bakers.
This new book gives measurements in both weight (grams) and American measurements (ounces/cups/tsp/tbsp), but real bakers know weight is the best! There's not as much background included and fewer step-by-step photos than in How to Bake, so this book is best for bakers who already know their way around the kitchen. More difficult recipes (croissants, for example) do have a few step-by-step photos to guide you along.
The recipes included are British classics like shortbread, sticky toffee pudding, sausage rolls, pasties, and Victoria sandwich cake; staples like cookies and sandwich bread; and decadent pastries and desserts like lime macarons, pain au chocolat, and brownie cheesecake.
Bakers who love Paul Hollywood should add this to their cookbook collection as it is a resource they will use again and again.
I received an electronic galley copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
This new book gives measurements in both weight (grams) and American measurements (ounces/cups/tsp/tbsp), but real bakers know weight is the best! There's not as much background included and fewer step-by-step photos than in How to Bake, so this book is best for bakers who already know their way around the kitchen. More difficult recipes (croissants, for example) do have a few step-by-step photos to guide you along.
The recipes included are British classics like shortbread, sticky toffee pudding, sausage rolls, pasties, and Victoria sandwich cake; staples like cookies and sandwich bread; and decadent pastries and desserts like lime macarons, pain au chocolat, and brownie cheesecake.
Bakers who love Paul Hollywood should add this to their cookbook collection as it is a resource they will use again and again.
I received an electronic galley copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
May 10, 2022
The newest cookbook from celebrity baker, Paul Hollywood! More delicious recipes from him including of course, lots of bread. There are other things though if bread seems daunting like cakes, cookies, desserts, etc. Lots of delicious sounding recipes. I'm definitely picking this one up when it comes out.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 4, 2022
Beautiful book with great pictures of yummy baked goods + Paul Hollywood - what's not to like? While I may attempt a few of these recipes, some of the instructions fall a little into the 'are you kidding me?' category. Not all of us weigh ingredients or even own a kitchen scale so when the recipe instructs the reader to weigh the eggs, um, no.
May 20, 2022
Bake by Paul Hollywood is a beautiful cookbook. The photos are gorgeous and the directions are clearly written. I’m looking forward to trying his macaron recipe!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 19, 2024
Got this for Christmas and made the best Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies! Yum and very informative book! Love Paul!!!!!!!!
March 14, 2024
I baked 5 random recipes from this book so I think I can rate this. I always have trouble with oven temps and times but maybe it’s just my oven. I am still afraid of making bread.
August 19, 2024
Fabulous collection!
September 1, 2022
Read my full review here: https://www.between-bookends.com/2022...
So, I love Paul Hollywood. I am not exaggerating when I say I could not have been more excited to receive an advanced copy of his newest cookbook, eloquently titled, BAKE. I am obsessed with The Great British Baking Show and could be happy if it was the only show I ever watched for the rest of my life. I love the competition, the baked goods, and the accents. For anyone unfortunate enough to not be familiar with soggy bottoms, Paul Hollywood is one of the judges of the bake off series. This is not his first baking collection, but this one promises to be his best recipes for the most classic recipes.
I love the style and photography of this book. Paul kicks off each section with some commentary on the category and then each recipe is introduced with a personal connection and tips. I was happy to see the concise ingredient lists for most recipes and simple instructions. Hollywood (I realize I referred to him as Paul earlier, I just feel like we are on first name basis but I’ll try to give him the credit he deserves) insists us that anyone can bake and these recipes are easy as long as you take your time and read through them carefully. He is much more encouraging than his TV personality. I truly felt like he cared about my ability to recreate his favorite classics.
I have to say, I was incredibly motivated to start baking everything from daily tea time bakes to my own bread and English muffins. I wanted to create my sourdough starter right away and imagined my future full of cakes and croissants. Is everyone in the UK extremely unhealthy? I mean seriously how do they keep up with a daily tea time habit? I want to live this lifestyle but something tells me its not in my best interest. Nevertheless I was able to execute my first bake from this book tonight and my chocolate orange banana bread, the very first recipe in the book, is currently in the oven. I never judge a bake by its batter but I already know this one is going to be good. I imagined Paul giving me that icy stare as he watched me pour my overly-softened-turned-melted butter into the batter instead of starting over with a new stick but decided that if this was my week one bake I would just have to bet that someone else would be worse than me.
Although my husband expressly forbid me to bake anything from this book while he was home I still want to incorporate more frequent baking into my routine and I truly felt inspired by Hollywood to do so. I liked his idea of bringing someone a homemade baked good instead of a bottle of wine and using the experience of baking with your family to make lasting memories and traditions. I will definitely turn to this book to achieve that. Even though I’m in the US, most of these recipes seemed like something us Americans would like, although I’m still not sure what Lyle’s Golden syrup is…
I absolutely loved this collection of baking recipes and highly recommend to anyone who is interested in baking more!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an ARC of this book.
So, I love Paul Hollywood. I am not exaggerating when I say I could not have been more excited to receive an advanced copy of his newest cookbook, eloquently titled, BAKE. I am obsessed with The Great British Baking Show and could be happy if it was the only show I ever watched for the rest of my life. I love the competition, the baked goods, and the accents. For anyone unfortunate enough to not be familiar with soggy bottoms, Paul Hollywood is one of the judges of the bake off series. This is not his first baking collection, but this one promises to be his best recipes for the most classic recipes.
I love the style and photography of this book. Paul kicks off each section with some commentary on the category and then each recipe is introduced with a personal connection and tips. I was happy to see the concise ingredient lists for most recipes and simple instructions. Hollywood (I realize I referred to him as Paul earlier, I just feel like we are on first name basis but I’ll try to give him the credit he deserves) insists us that anyone can bake and these recipes are easy as long as you take your time and read through them carefully. He is much more encouraging than his TV personality. I truly felt like he cared about my ability to recreate his favorite classics.
I have to say, I was incredibly motivated to start baking everything from daily tea time bakes to my own bread and English muffins. I wanted to create my sourdough starter right away and imagined my future full of cakes and croissants. Is everyone in the UK extremely unhealthy? I mean seriously how do they keep up with a daily tea time habit? I want to live this lifestyle but something tells me its not in my best interest. Nevertheless I was able to execute my first bake from this book tonight and my chocolate orange banana bread, the very first recipe in the book, is currently in the oven. I never judge a bake by its batter but I already know this one is going to be good. I imagined Paul giving me that icy stare as he watched me pour my overly-softened-turned-melted butter into the batter instead of starting over with a new stick but decided that if this was my week one bake I would just have to bet that someone else would be worse than me.
Although my husband expressly forbid me to bake anything from this book while he was home I still want to incorporate more frequent baking into my routine and I truly felt inspired by Hollywood to do so. I liked his idea of bringing someone a homemade baked good instead of a bottle of wine and using the experience of baking with your family to make lasting memories and traditions. I will definitely turn to this book to achieve that. Even though I’m in the US, most of these recipes seemed like something us Americans would like, although I’m still not sure what Lyle’s Golden syrup is…
I absolutely loved this collection of baking recipes and highly recommend to anyone who is interested in baking more!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Bloomsbury for an ARC of this book.
October 18, 2023
Pure perfection from one of my favorite masters.
December 11, 2022
Paul Hollywood begon zijn carrière als tiener in de bakkerij van zijn vader. Hij is bekend geworden met programma’s als The Great British Bake Off, waarin hij jurylid is sinds 2010.
In Bak! van Paul Hollywood staan zijn allerbeste (80) recepten, verdeeld over zes hoofdstukken. Hollywood noemt het zijn klassiekers die in de loop van de jaren verfijnd en geperfectioneerd zijn. De belangrijkste tip die Hollywood geeft is eerst het recept te lezen, en als je vertrouwd bent met de basishandelingen ga dan eens experimenteren en geef je eigen draai aan een recept. Het boek staat vol met mooi fotowerk van de in dat hoofdstuk opgenomen recepten. En voor houvast in de volgorde van bereidingswijze kun je kijken naar de foto’s van de verschillende fases van het te maken recept.
Taarten en cakes
In dit hoofdstuk staan taarten en cakes die heerlijk bij een kopje thee zullen smaken, iets wat heel belangrijk is in de Britse bakcultuur. De belangrijkste tip die Hollywood geeft, is dat de ingrediënten nauwkeurig afgewogen moeten worden, en op de goede manier gemengd moeten worden. Het kan niet verkeerd gaan. Voor mensen met weinig tot geen bakervaring is een Victoria sandwichcake heel eenvoudig te maken met de alles-in-een – methode. Hierbij gaan alle ingrediënten tegelijkertijd in een kom. Maar hij geeft wel aan dat het beter is om eerst de boter en suiker te mengen tot een homogeen mengsel en dan de bloem en eieren toe te voegen. Hou je van gember, probeer dan vooral de sticky gembercake eens te maken. En voor liefhebbers van chocolade is er genoeg keus; chocolade-toffeetaart of New York cheesecake met chocoladebrownie. Loopt jou ook al het water in de mond?
Biscuits en koekjes
Een leerzaam hoofdstuk, waarin wordt uitgelegd hoe het verschil tussen biscuit en een koekje wordt vastgesteld. De hoeveelheid suiker en boter in het recept bepalen dit en hoe meer boter, hoe zachter het koekje. Het juiste evenwicht tussen suiker en boter is belangrijk voor een goede biscuit die moet knakken. De hazelnoot-abrikozenkoekjes, gemberbiscuits en pindakaaskoeken zijn niet te versmaden. En op zoek naar wat verfijnders, dan is het leuk om eens macarons te maken.
Brood en platbrood
De belangrijkste stappen tijdens de bereiding van brooddeeg worden uitgelegd, waarbij er aandacht is, waarom bijvoorbeeld de lucht uit het deeg geslagen moet worden. Brood of platbrood is altijd lekker. Ciabatta, kaasbrood, zuurdesembrood, Engelse muffins en onder andere tortilla’s, de recepten zijn allemaal te vinden in dit gedeelte.
Pizza’s en donuts
En wat is er leuker dan om in het weekend zelf pizza of donuts te maken? Een goede tip om de pizzabodem extra knapperig te krijgen, is deze voorbakken in een droge koekenpan. En om een goed pizzadeeg te krijgen mag deze lekker lang rijzen, wel 3 tot 4 uur. We vinden in dit gedeelte lekker belegde pizza’s en allerlei soorten donuts; gevuld met room en jam, citroendonuts en bijvoorbeeld soesnuts.
Pasteien, pies en viennoiserie
Hier worden feiten over deeg verteld, zoals de rol van gluten in bloem, het blind bakken van een bodem om een natte bodem te voorkomen en het belang van koelen van deeg.
Worstenbroodjes, empanada’s met rundergehakt, pastei met kip, croissants, pecanpie, loopt jou ook al het water in de mond? Wil je de croissants of worstenbroodjes maken, dan is het aan te raden het deeg een dag van te voren te maken.
Desserts
Een dessert is altijd dé afsluiter van de maaltijd en de recepten variëren van zeer simpel tot buitengewoon ingewikkeld. Wat te denken van meringues, sticky toffee pudding of een pavlova met rood fruit? En om indruk te maken een desserttaart; entremet met chocolade en frambozen. Hierin worden diverse technieken en elementen gecombineerd om zo tot een waar kunstwerk te komen.
Het is jammer dat Hollywood bij de recepten niet de totale bereidingsduur heeft opgenomen. De recepten zijn duidelijk, en kunnen niet mislukken als je de aanwijzingen goed opvolgt en voldoende tijd hebt.
Bak! is een fraai vormgegeven boek met voor elk wat wils om uit te proberen, maar vergeet de weegschaal niet in het oog te houden.
Met hartelijk dank aan Good Cook voor mijn recensie exemplaar.
In Bak! van Paul Hollywood staan zijn allerbeste (80) recepten, verdeeld over zes hoofdstukken. Hollywood noemt het zijn klassiekers die in de loop van de jaren verfijnd en geperfectioneerd zijn. De belangrijkste tip die Hollywood geeft is eerst het recept te lezen, en als je vertrouwd bent met de basishandelingen ga dan eens experimenteren en geef je eigen draai aan een recept. Het boek staat vol met mooi fotowerk van de in dat hoofdstuk opgenomen recepten. En voor houvast in de volgorde van bereidingswijze kun je kijken naar de foto’s van de verschillende fases van het te maken recept.
Taarten en cakes
In dit hoofdstuk staan taarten en cakes die heerlijk bij een kopje thee zullen smaken, iets wat heel belangrijk is in de Britse bakcultuur. De belangrijkste tip die Hollywood geeft, is dat de ingrediënten nauwkeurig afgewogen moeten worden, en op de goede manier gemengd moeten worden. Het kan niet verkeerd gaan. Voor mensen met weinig tot geen bakervaring is een Victoria sandwichcake heel eenvoudig te maken met de alles-in-een – methode. Hierbij gaan alle ingrediënten tegelijkertijd in een kom. Maar hij geeft wel aan dat het beter is om eerst de boter en suiker te mengen tot een homogeen mengsel en dan de bloem en eieren toe te voegen. Hou je van gember, probeer dan vooral de sticky gembercake eens te maken. En voor liefhebbers van chocolade is er genoeg keus; chocolade-toffeetaart of New York cheesecake met chocoladebrownie. Loopt jou ook al het water in de mond?
Biscuits en koekjes
Een leerzaam hoofdstuk, waarin wordt uitgelegd hoe het verschil tussen biscuit en een koekje wordt vastgesteld. De hoeveelheid suiker en boter in het recept bepalen dit en hoe meer boter, hoe zachter het koekje. Het juiste evenwicht tussen suiker en boter is belangrijk voor een goede biscuit die moet knakken. De hazelnoot-abrikozenkoekjes, gemberbiscuits en pindakaaskoeken zijn niet te versmaden. En op zoek naar wat verfijnders, dan is het leuk om eens macarons te maken.
Brood en platbrood
De belangrijkste stappen tijdens de bereiding van brooddeeg worden uitgelegd, waarbij er aandacht is, waarom bijvoorbeeld de lucht uit het deeg geslagen moet worden. Brood of platbrood is altijd lekker. Ciabatta, kaasbrood, zuurdesembrood, Engelse muffins en onder andere tortilla’s, de recepten zijn allemaal te vinden in dit gedeelte.
Pizza’s en donuts
En wat is er leuker dan om in het weekend zelf pizza of donuts te maken? Een goede tip om de pizzabodem extra knapperig te krijgen, is deze voorbakken in een droge koekenpan. En om een goed pizzadeeg te krijgen mag deze lekker lang rijzen, wel 3 tot 4 uur. We vinden in dit gedeelte lekker belegde pizza’s en allerlei soorten donuts; gevuld met room en jam, citroendonuts en bijvoorbeeld soesnuts.
Pasteien, pies en viennoiserie
Hier worden feiten over deeg verteld, zoals de rol van gluten in bloem, het blind bakken van een bodem om een natte bodem te voorkomen en het belang van koelen van deeg.
Worstenbroodjes, empanada’s met rundergehakt, pastei met kip, croissants, pecanpie, loopt jou ook al het water in de mond? Wil je de croissants of worstenbroodjes maken, dan is het aan te raden het deeg een dag van te voren te maken.
Desserts
Een dessert is altijd dé afsluiter van de maaltijd en de recepten variëren van zeer simpel tot buitengewoon ingewikkeld. Wat te denken van meringues, sticky toffee pudding of een pavlova met rood fruit? En om indruk te maken een desserttaart; entremet met chocolade en frambozen. Hierin worden diverse technieken en elementen gecombineerd om zo tot een waar kunstwerk te komen.
Het is jammer dat Hollywood bij de recepten niet de totale bereidingsduur heeft opgenomen. De recepten zijn duidelijk, en kunnen niet mislukken als je de aanwijzingen goed opvolgt en voldoende tijd hebt.
Bak! is een fraai vormgegeven boek met voor elk wat wils om uit te proberen, maar vergeet de weegschaal niet in het oog te houden.
Met hartelijk dank aan Good Cook voor mijn recensie exemplaar.
November 25, 2022
I wasted no time in experimenting with this cookbook!
Paul Hollywood's Bake, My best ever recipes for the classics, arrived today, and the cherry cake above is already out of the oven and cooling down for a sweet something after dinner. It's the easiest cake I've ever made: you bung all the ingredients except the cherries and the almonds into the Kenwood, and when you've blitzed the batter you fold in three quarters of the cherries, and then you press the rest of them and the almonds into the top of the batter.
(The eagle-eyed reader will notice that the pantry held only slivered almonds instead of whole blanched almonds and a mixture of red and green glace cherries, but necessity is the mother of invention as they say.)
As you'd expect from Paul Hollywood, judge of The Great British Baking Show, there is a bit of yada-yada at the beginning, but the main message is that it's easy, you can do it yourself, and people will love you for it .
Next time you go round to someone's house, bake a cake or a loaf of bread and take it with you instead of a bottle of wine or some chocolates. There's nothing like making something yourself. The processes involved, the fact that you can share the experience with your kids and family, it creates those all-important precious, lasting memories. (p.11)
It's true, isn't it? There's just something about baking... I love it when my best friend comes for dinner bearing a tarte tatin. Her husband loves it when I bring a batch of blueberry muffins for breakfast when we go on shared holidays. The Offspring loves my apple tart, which just like my mother's version, is packed with fruit and not too sweet. And The Spouse's favourite is my orange and almond cake... but it could be that there are some challengers in this cookbook...
Chapter 1: Cakes
Chocolate Orange Banana Bread. I have four bananas, they just need to a bit squishier and then I'm trying the recipe.
Victoria Sandwich: interesting to see that he uses half butter/half margarine. I have some lovely posh jams for the filling... see the photo here
Sticky Ginger Loaf: golden syrup and black treacle! And cloves!!
Cherry Cake: I chose this one to do first because we had all the ingredients in the pantry, more or less.
Chocolate Hazelnut Torte : this one is a definite for a dinner party, it looks impressive but is really easy.
Carrot cake: I will need to master the art of piping cream to make it look the way it is in the photo, but the actual cake is simple. It uses wholemeal flour so we can pretend that it's healthy.
Lemon Drizzle Cake... yes, when our lemon tree stops sulking and produces some fruit. (Ok, maybe I did prune it too hard, but still...)
Chocolate Fudge Cake: three layers of total decadence, see the photo and recipe here
New York Chocolate Brownie Cheesecake... to die for.
Fruits of the Forest Cheesecake: the most demanding of the recipes, and I'm not quite sure what he means by frozen 'forest fruits'. Berries??
Plus there are recipes for Blueberry Muffins, Chocolate Brownies, and Blondies.
(You will have noticed that there are four cake recipes with chocolate.)
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2022/11/25/b...
July 20, 2022
Fans of The Great British Bake-Off know him from his steely gaze, his hearty handshake, and his cutting critiques of the bakers, but Paul Hollywood comes by his baking knowledge through old fashioned experience. His father had a bakery, so he was learning how to bake at a time in life when most of us were still out riding bikes or doing homework. He has traveled and learned pastry all over the world, and he has put all his decades of knowledge into Bake.
Hollywood has subtitled this My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics, and that’s exactly what this is. It’s tried and true recipes for (mostly British) classic desserts and breads. These are his favorite recipes. You can tell just by how he talks about them. But there’s also how he talks about baking in general. He sees it as a way to give to others, to bring joy, to be creative, and to connect with cultures all over the world.
Throughout the cookbook, there are some recipes or techniques that get a series of photos to help newer bakers see exactly how to do something, or how the bake is supposed to look throughout the recipe steps. The key steps for bread-making get this treatment, as well as the Victoria Sandwich Cake, Almond and Orange Biscotti, The Ultimate Focaccia, Pizza Margharita, Creamed Jelly Doughnut, Croissants, and Chocolate Soufflés, among others.
There are chapters for classic bakes, like Cakes, Cookies and Scones, Breads and Flatbreads, Pastry and Pies, and Desserts. And then there is the chapter of Pizza and Doughnuts. Hollywood said that’s his favorite meal, so he dedicated an entire chapter to recipes for his favorite pizza and for doughnuts. I’m not complaining, since those are both excellent food groups, but I can’t say I’ve seen them in a chapter together before.
The recipes include just about anything you’d want to bake or eat, from classics like a Lemon Drizzle Cake, Blueberry Muffins, Classic Scones (the Queen Mother said they were the best scones she’d ever had), Shortbread, Baguettes, Chocolate Doughnuts, Pigs in Blankets, and Barry Pavlova as well as more complicated treats like Lime Macarons, Sourdough (including instructions for making your own starter), Hand-Raised Sunday Lunch Pie, Baked Alaska, and Chocolate and Raspberry Entremets.
Basically Bake is a master class in British baking. It’s the best of Hollywood’s experience captured in recipes and gorgeous photographs. If you ever wanted to know what the chefs on The Great British Bake Off learn in a season, then bake your way through this book. It will get you there. A lot of bakers learn what they know from parents or grandparents; they just grow up around baking and absorb the information through the years. For those of us who didn’t get that kind of opportunity, this book is exactly that kind of mentorship.
I thought Bake was a beautiful cookbook. I’ve been a big fan of the Bake Off for years, and I have several other cookbooks from the chefs involved and from the series. They’re good, but I have yet to see one like this from the franchise. Even Hollywood’s other cookbooks, while excellent, don’t feel like this sort of master class in baking. The insights he shares with these recipes, and all the beautiful photos that help guide me when I’m baking, make me feel like this is a must-have cookbook to keep in my collection for a very long time, or until I’ve got all the pages stuck together or dripped with chocolate and find that I need a new copy.
Egalleys for Bake were provided by Bloomsbury USA through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I loved that early copy so much I pre-ordered a hardcover copy for myself.
Hollywood has subtitled this My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics, and that’s exactly what this is. It’s tried and true recipes for (mostly British) classic desserts and breads. These are his favorite recipes. You can tell just by how he talks about them. But there’s also how he talks about baking in general. He sees it as a way to give to others, to bring joy, to be creative, and to connect with cultures all over the world.
Throughout the cookbook, there are some recipes or techniques that get a series of photos to help newer bakers see exactly how to do something, or how the bake is supposed to look throughout the recipe steps. The key steps for bread-making get this treatment, as well as the Victoria Sandwich Cake, Almond and Orange Biscotti, The Ultimate Focaccia, Pizza Margharita, Creamed Jelly Doughnut, Croissants, and Chocolate Soufflés, among others.
There are chapters for classic bakes, like Cakes, Cookies and Scones, Breads and Flatbreads, Pastry and Pies, and Desserts. And then there is the chapter of Pizza and Doughnuts. Hollywood said that’s his favorite meal, so he dedicated an entire chapter to recipes for his favorite pizza and for doughnuts. I’m not complaining, since those are both excellent food groups, but I can’t say I’ve seen them in a chapter together before.
The recipes include just about anything you’d want to bake or eat, from classics like a Lemon Drizzle Cake, Blueberry Muffins, Classic Scones (the Queen Mother said they were the best scones she’d ever had), Shortbread, Baguettes, Chocolate Doughnuts, Pigs in Blankets, and Barry Pavlova as well as more complicated treats like Lime Macarons, Sourdough (including instructions for making your own starter), Hand-Raised Sunday Lunch Pie, Baked Alaska, and Chocolate and Raspberry Entremets.
Basically Bake is a master class in British baking. It’s the best of Hollywood’s experience captured in recipes and gorgeous photographs. If you ever wanted to know what the chefs on The Great British Bake Off learn in a season, then bake your way through this book. It will get you there. A lot of bakers learn what they know from parents or grandparents; they just grow up around baking and absorb the information through the years. For those of us who didn’t get that kind of opportunity, this book is exactly that kind of mentorship.
I thought Bake was a beautiful cookbook. I’ve been a big fan of the Bake Off for years, and I have several other cookbooks from the chefs involved and from the series. They’re good, but I have yet to see one like this from the franchise. Even Hollywood’s other cookbooks, while excellent, don’t feel like this sort of master class in baking. The insights he shares with these recipes, and all the beautiful photos that help guide me when I’m baking, make me feel like this is a must-have cookbook to keep in my collection for a very long time, or until I’ve got all the pages stuck together or dripped with chocolate and find that I need a new copy.
Egalleys for Bake were provided by Bloomsbury USA through NetGalley, with many thanks, but I loved that early copy so much I pre-ordered a hardcover copy for myself.
May 28, 2022
I do not have a crush on Paul Hollywood. My sister, however, does. So I chose to read this book to see if it would be an appropriate Christmas present for her. I’m happy to report that it is. This collection compiles the all the ultimate versions of recipes that are special to the author, with a focus on his roots in northwestern England, where he first learned to bake bread in his father’s bakery.
Bake is divided into six sections - cakes, breads and flatbreads, pastry and pies, cookies and scones, pizza and doughnuts, desserts - the longest of which are the bread chapter and the pastry chapter. Each section starts with a brief introduction before proceeding into the recipes. The recipes themselves are clearly and concisely written. Each is preceded by an explanatory note, which gives the author’s opinion on how simple the recipe is and tips to help navigate the tricky bits of the recipe. Ingredient measurements are provided in both Imperial and metric units. The vast majority of the ingredients are easily found in a well-stocked American supermarket. Only dolcelatte - one of the cheeses on the four cheese pizza - gave me a moment of pause.
According to the author, cake comes first because it is the simplest thing to bake; as long as you measure the ingredients precisely and mix it properly, your cake will turn out well. I was pleasantly surprised by how simple the recipes were. For example, the majority of the cookie recipes are rolled into a cylinder, wrapped, refrigerated, and sliced. Even the two macaron recipes seemed doable. The bread recipes were very straightforward - even the recipe for the sourdough bread. He explained a very simple method for growing an active starter in five days, which was good because it was used not only in the sourdough bread recipe but also in the pizza crust recipe. When appropriate, the bread recipes explained options both for hand kneading and for mixer kneading. At the outset, I was confused as to why pizza shared a chapter with doughnuts. But the mystery was solved in the first sentence of that chapter’s introduction: that’s what the author would want as his last meal on earth. Even though his doughnuts are fried and not baked, he had to find a way to work them into this book. In the pizza chapter, it is! The pastry chapter had the most complex recipes, including six or seven different types of pastry dough. Each type of pastry dough was well explained and illustrated with photographs. The dessert chapter was glorious: trifle, baked Alaska, entremet and more sweet treats that may or may not require baking. But those not requiring baking were included because the author loves sweets of all kinds, just like me!
Full color photographs accompany each recipe so that the reader can start with an idea of what the end looks like. Certain recipes, especially the more complex ones, also have photographic steps, which are numerically cross-referenced in the recipe instructions.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The recipe selection is a diverse variety of Anglo-Saxon favorites, and there were hardly any that I wouldn’t feed myself (except for some of the savory pies). The ingredients are readily available in my area (New England). The recipe steps are clear and easy to follow. What more could I want? More importantly, what more could my sister want….
I received this book as a digital advance reader copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion. I have yet to try any of the recipes from this book, but will update my review when I do.
Bake is divided into six sections - cakes, breads and flatbreads, pastry and pies, cookies and scones, pizza and doughnuts, desserts - the longest of which are the bread chapter and the pastry chapter. Each section starts with a brief introduction before proceeding into the recipes. The recipes themselves are clearly and concisely written. Each is preceded by an explanatory note, which gives the author’s opinion on how simple the recipe is and tips to help navigate the tricky bits of the recipe. Ingredient measurements are provided in both Imperial and metric units. The vast majority of the ingredients are easily found in a well-stocked American supermarket. Only dolcelatte - one of the cheeses on the four cheese pizza - gave me a moment of pause.
According to the author, cake comes first because it is the simplest thing to bake; as long as you measure the ingredients precisely and mix it properly, your cake will turn out well. I was pleasantly surprised by how simple the recipes were. For example, the majority of the cookie recipes are rolled into a cylinder, wrapped, refrigerated, and sliced. Even the two macaron recipes seemed doable. The bread recipes were very straightforward - even the recipe for the sourdough bread. He explained a very simple method for growing an active starter in five days, which was good because it was used not only in the sourdough bread recipe but also in the pizza crust recipe. When appropriate, the bread recipes explained options both for hand kneading and for mixer kneading. At the outset, I was confused as to why pizza shared a chapter with doughnuts. But the mystery was solved in the first sentence of that chapter’s introduction: that’s what the author would want as his last meal on earth. Even though his doughnuts are fried and not baked, he had to find a way to work them into this book. In the pizza chapter, it is! The pastry chapter had the most complex recipes, including six or seven different types of pastry dough. Each type of pastry dough was well explained and illustrated with photographs. The dessert chapter was glorious: trifle, baked Alaska, entremet and more sweet treats that may or may not require baking. But those not requiring baking were included because the author loves sweets of all kinds, just like me!
Full color photographs accompany each recipe so that the reader can start with an idea of what the end looks like. Certain recipes, especially the more complex ones, also have photographic steps, which are numerically cross-referenced in the recipe instructions.
Overall, I enjoyed this book. The recipe selection is a diverse variety of Anglo-Saxon favorites, and there were hardly any that I wouldn’t feed myself (except for some of the savory pies). The ingredients are readily available in my area (New England). The recipe steps are clear and easy to follow. What more could I want? More importantly, what more could my sister want….
I received this book as a digital advance reader copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest opinion. I have yet to try any of the recipes from this book, but will update my review when I do.
May 27, 2022
I suppose that it is best to begin with a confession: my wife and I are huge, long-time fans of The Great British Baking Show and Paul Hollywood is a big reason for that. As the judge that all the contestants fear the most—and are most eager to win the approval of with a coveted “Hollywood Handshake”—he shows himself time and again to be knowledgeable about all things related to baking as well as a master of execution in the culinary arts. So, when it comes to evaluating a cookbook that promises to include Hollywood’s favorite, time-tested recipes for a wide variety of classic bakes, I am more than a little biased before I even begin.
That acknowledged, BAKE is a remarkable collection of outstanding and tantalizing recipes. The thing about the book that is most impressive is the diversity of its coverage. Unlike the bread-centric focus of some of the author’s previous cookbooks—baking bread is his passion, after all—this is a far more balanced selection, including dishes from a broad set of sweet and savory categories that cover just about anything a home baker might want to cook, including Cakes, Cookies and Scones, Breads and Flatbreads, Pizza and Doughnuts, Pastry and Pies, and Desserts. All of the recipes are easy to follow and I really appreciate that the weights and measures were tailored to the U.S. audience. Also, at the head of each category, as well as before each recipe, the author offers lovely personal observations that are both insightful and frequently charming.
For what it is worth, we baked three of the recipes from different categories: Peanut Butter Cookies, White Sandwich Bread, and Yule Log. So, in addition to reading all these great preparations and imagining how wonderful they might be on the plate, we have first-hand experience with how a few of them actually turned out. They were all fun and satisfying to bake and ended up being delicious. However, our bakes were not uniformly successful—without the right pan for the Yule Log we over-cooked the sponge, which ended up being more of a Yule Parfait, but it was still quite tasty. Also, the bread came out great and exactly as described, but was very time-consuming given the required dough-rising and proving. Overall, BAKE is a cookbook that should be an essential resource for any home baker and it is one that we will enjoy using for many years to come.
That acknowledged, BAKE is a remarkable collection of outstanding and tantalizing recipes. The thing about the book that is most impressive is the diversity of its coverage. Unlike the bread-centric focus of some of the author’s previous cookbooks—baking bread is his passion, after all—this is a far more balanced selection, including dishes from a broad set of sweet and savory categories that cover just about anything a home baker might want to cook, including Cakes, Cookies and Scones, Breads and Flatbreads, Pizza and Doughnuts, Pastry and Pies, and Desserts. All of the recipes are easy to follow and I really appreciate that the weights and measures were tailored to the U.S. audience. Also, at the head of each category, as well as before each recipe, the author offers lovely personal observations that are both insightful and frequently charming.
For what it is worth, we baked three of the recipes from different categories: Peanut Butter Cookies, White Sandwich Bread, and Yule Log. So, in addition to reading all these great preparations and imagining how wonderful they might be on the plate, we have first-hand experience with how a few of them actually turned out. They were all fun and satisfying to bake and ended up being delicious. However, our bakes were not uniformly successful—without the right pan for the Yule Log we over-cooked the sponge, which ended up being more of a Yule Parfait, but it was still quite tasty. Also, the bread came out great and exactly as described, but was very time-consuming given the required dough-rising and proving. Overall, BAKE is a cookbook that should be an essential resource for any home baker and it is one that we will enjoy using for many years to come.
May 24, 2022
Bake is a cookbook which shares all of Paul Hollywood's greatest recipes. Not only are there the classics of Pecan Pie and Pain au Chocolat. But, there are unique recipes such as Lime Macarons and Pain du Campagne.
The cover is a classic Paul Hollywood photo. I've seen this lean on him a many times during the Great British Bakeoff and usually it's because he's quite happy or pleased with whatever is occurring in conversation or what's been cooked. A good sign for what's to come inside the pages.
The artwork and style is simple, minimal, and clean. Each section dawns another color highlight before going back to the white background for each recipe. This in my opinion is a great feature as it makes finding sections easier.
The photography choices were really nice. They have a more raw look to them, the colors balanced well and have a very earthy tone to them rather than being overly bright or have colorful backgrounds for each piece of food to stand in front of. There's also prep photos of cooking in the process on certain recipes and that's a nice touch.
5 Stars. We're excited to dive in and try making their breads (we'll be subbing out the regular flour for gluten free flour in most recipes) and the ginger snap cookies brought me back to Christmas at home with my family immediately once they hit the oven.
Now, next on the list is those Lemon Doughnuts because just as Paul Hollywood has said, "you can't beat a good doughnut".
Thanks to the publisher, Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy to read and review. Review will also be posted to my blog (www.kagoodsell.com/book-reviews), GoodReads, TikTok (@unearthingeco), as well as NetGalley reviews.
The cover is a classic Paul Hollywood photo. I've seen this lean on him a many times during the Great British Bakeoff and usually it's because he's quite happy or pleased with whatever is occurring in conversation or what's been cooked. A good sign for what's to come inside the pages.
The artwork and style is simple, minimal, and clean. Each section dawns another color highlight before going back to the white background for each recipe. This in my opinion is a great feature as it makes finding sections easier.
The photography choices were really nice. They have a more raw look to them, the colors balanced well and have a very earthy tone to them rather than being overly bright or have colorful backgrounds for each piece of food to stand in front of. There's also prep photos of cooking in the process on certain recipes and that's a nice touch.
5 Stars. We're excited to dive in and try making their breads (we'll be subbing out the regular flour for gluten free flour in most recipes) and the ginger snap cookies brought me back to Christmas at home with my family immediately once they hit the oven.
Now, next on the list is those Lemon Doughnuts because just as Paul Hollywood has said, "you can't beat a good doughnut".
Thanks to the publisher, Bloomsbury USA and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC copy to read and review. Review will also be posted to my blog (www.kagoodsell.com/book-reviews), GoodReads, TikTok (@unearthingeco), as well as NetGalley reviews.
February 6, 2025
Enjoyable read, nice little stories and quick read when it comes to the little stories. Some good baking tips as well.
I will be making several of the recipes and have already tried some with success.
Knowing Paul Hollywood from watching The Great British Bakeoff, was the main reason I picked up the book.
I have worked with food for a long time but my experience with baking is not as extensive. I am somewhat familiar with many of the foods described in the book and find his recipes, methods and descriptions to be good and helpful.
Cakes, some pastry dough, pastry cream, bread and more recipes and methods are spot on what works either in the recipe from the book or other tried recipes. The methods and techniques are what brings success or failure when baking (IMO) and his are good.
There are a few interesting twists on classics like the trifle and the mango meringue but most recipes are variations of other recipes.
I noticed that there were a few complaints in reviews regarding measurement by weight and in grams for people not using scales. Also about oven temperatures not being accurate. The little bit I have learned about baking is that: almost every oven bakes different, has hot spots and the efficiency of an oven changes over time - you need to adjust recipes to your oven and if you bake somewhere else, be prepared to readjust to that oven. Weighing ingredients is the most accurate way and will give the best results as large eggs have different weights, the way you scoop your flour has a different weight and even seasonal variation in humidity and temperature will affect the results.
A good book, I will be using recipes from it in the future.
I will be making several of the recipes and have already tried some with success.
Knowing Paul Hollywood from watching The Great British Bakeoff, was the main reason I picked up the book.
I have worked with food for a long time but my experience with baking is not as extensive. I am somewhat familiar with many of the foods described in the book and find his recipes, methods and descriptions to be good and helpful.
Cakes, some pastry dough, pastry cream, bread and more recipes and methods are spot on what works either in the recipe from the book or other tried recipes. The methods and techniques are what brings success or failure when baking (IMO) and his are good.
There are a few interesting twists on classics like the trifle and the mango meringue but most recipes are variations of other recipes.
I noticed that there were a few complaints in reviews regarding measurement by weight and in grams for people not using scales. Also about oven temperatures not being accurate. The little bit I have learned about baking is that: almost every oven bakes different, has hot spots and the efficiency of an oven changes over time - you need to adjust recipes to your oven and if you bake somewhere else, be prepared to readjust to that oven. Weighing ingredients is the most accurate way and will give the best results as large eggs have different weights, the way you scoop your flour has a different weight and even seasonal variation in humidity and temperature will affect the results.
A good book, I will be using recipes from it in the future.
July 24, 2022
Paul Hollywood (A BAKER'S LIFE), who has been a judge on "The Great British Bake Off" since 2010, brings readers his 10th book, a compendium of his favorite recipes. "These are the recipes I enjoy, that I have refined and perfected over the years," he writes. "This collection brings together all my ultimate versions of the recipes that are special to me."
BAKE: MY BEST EVER RECIPES FOR THE CLASSICS presents 88 recipes in six chapters: Cakes; Cookies and Scones; Breads and Flatbreads; Pastry and Pies; Desserts; and Pizzas and Doughnuts. ("If I were to choose my last meal on Earth, it would be very difficult not to include a good pizza and a doughnut.") Recipes include Victoria Sandwich ("If you're new to baking, this should be your very first cake. If you get it right, everything else will be easy"); Lemon Drizzle Cake ("my favorite cake of all time"); and Chocolate Brownies ("the best brownies you'll ever taste"). His bread recipes are for two loaves instead of one, with Hollywood noting: "If you're going to the effort of making bread, then it's often worth making two at a time and keeping one in the freezer." He explains the role of gluten in flour and ways to avoid pie crusts with soggy bottoms--for one, by dusting cornstarch on the pie's crust. He updates traditional bread pudding by adding white chocolate and raspberries and breaks with tradition by making pigs in blankets with rough puff pastry rather than shortcrust pastry.
Beautifully illustrated with color photos, these are easy-to-follow recipes with charming anecdotes from a trusted baker.
BAKE: MY BEST EVER RECIPES FOR THE CLASSICS presents 88 recipes in six chapters: Cakes; Cookies and Scones; Breads and Flatbreads; Pastry and Pies; Desserts; and Pizzas and Doughnuts. ("If I were to choose my last meal on Earth, it would be very difficult not to include a good pizza and a doughnut.") Recipes include Victoria Sandwich ("If you're new to baking, this should be your very first cake. If you get it right, everything else will be easy"); Lemon Drizzle Cake ("my favorite cake of all time"); and Chocolate Brownies ("the best brownies you'll ever taste"). His bread recipes are for two loaves instead of one, with Hollywood noting: "If you're going to the effort of making bread, then it's often worth making two at a time and keeping one in the freezer." He explains the role of gluten in flour and ways to avoid pie crusts with soggy bottoms--for one, by dusting cornstarch on the pie's crust. He updates traditional bread pudding by adding white chocolate and raspberries and breaks with tradition by making pigs in blankets with rough puff pastry rather than shortcrust pastry.
Beautifully illustrated with color photos, these are easy-to-follow recipes with charming anecdotes from a trusted baker.
July 27, 2022
Bake: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics consists of great recipes and colorful photographs to inspire readers. I appreciate that the instructions have the conversion for those who know tablespoons instead of grams, as I do not enjoy having to look up the equivalents when making a recipe from someone using the metric system. There is a great introduction, with tips for successful baking, great instruction on bread baking, and overall hints.
The recipes are divided into logical sections, which I have listed below with some of the standout dishes.
Cakes: Chocolate Orange Banana Bread; Chocolate Hazelnut Torte; Lemon Drizzle Cake
Cookies and Scones: Almond and Orange Bisscotti; Chocolate Macarons; Scones
Breads and Flatbreads: Ciabatta; Baguettes; Seeded Sandwich Bread; Hot Cross Buns
Pizza and Doughnuts: Pizza Dough; Garlic and Mushroom Pizza; Creamed Jelly Doughnuts
Pastry and Pies: Thai Chicken Pie; Meat and Potato Hand Pies; Beef Empanadas
Desserts: Sticky Toffee Pudding; Baked Alaska; White Chocolate and Raspberry Bread Pudding; Lemon Tartlets
Overall, those who are familiar with Paul Hollywood can be confident in knowing that this cookbook has a level of proficiency and an attention to detail. Bake is an inspiring cookbook and one that I would recommend to others.
Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, Bloomsbury Publishing. The decision to read and review this cookbook was entirely my own.
The recipes are divided into logical sections, which I have listed below with some of the standout dishes.
Cakes: Chocolate Orange Banana Bread; Chocolate Hazelnut Torte; Lemon Drizzle Cake
Cookies and Scones: Almond and Orange Bisscotti; Chocolate Macarons; Scones
Breads and Flatbreads: Ciabatta; Baguettes; Seeded Sandwich Bread; Hot Cross Buns
Pizza and Doughnuts: Pizza Dough; Garlic and Mushroom Pizza; Creamed Jelly Doughnuts
Pastry and Pies: Thai Chicken Pie; Meat and Potato Hand Pies; Beef Empanadas
Desserts: Sticky Toffee Pudding; Baked Alaska; White Chocolate and Raspberry Bread Pudding; Lemon Tartlets
Overall, those who are familiar with Paul Hollywood can be confident in knowing that this cookbook has a level of proficiency and an attention to detail. Bake is an inspiring cookbook and one that I would recommend to others.
Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Reader's Copy by NetGalley and the publisher, Bloomsbury Publishing. The decision to read and review this cookbook was entirely my own.
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