Anneka Manning gives readers a personalised baking class at home in this beautiful, must-have reference, which features over 90 sweet and savoury recipes -- many accompanied by variations. BakeClass is an accessible, practical guide for any home cook who wishes to develop or improve their baking ability, regardless of their current skill level. Unlike other baking books, it follows a unique lesson sequence that builds your know-how and confidence in a progressive and practical way to help you become the baker you want to be. In hints and tips throughout the book Anneka shares all the clever tricks she has learned over decades as a baking authority.
This cookbook, BakeClass is absolutely luscious and indulgent, from the heavy card stock pages to the accurate, representative and beautiful pictures. The inside covers make you feel as if you need to brush away that flour.
BakeClass is divided into lessons by technique, using the recipes to illustrate the technique. Brilliant! This is a teaching book you will love to eat your way through as you perfect the techniques.
As an American not an Australian, there were a few ingredients that momentarily gave me pause, (golden syrup or 'light treacle', which is neither Karo syrup nor molasses) but I love, love, love that the author, Anneka Manning, gave them in weight (both metric and standard) AND that she gave temps for convection ovens! Thank you! So very many of the recipes give 'variations' that sound as wonderful as the original recipe.
Rather than being organized by entrées and desserts, this cookbook focuses on how to bake using several recipes to teach a specific method. These range from easy dry + wet ingredients to kneading, whisking, and cramming your ingredients. Recipes range from classics to fresh takes on common dishes.
Brilliant - the perfect resource for all your baking needs.
My View: Why do I bake? I enjoy the process, I enjoy creating something from a list of ingredients. I like to share the creations with people I love, I want control of the ingredients that go into the food I eat - no artificial colours, artificial flavours, preservatives, Trans fats or gums or fillers in the food I prepare. I decide how much sugar and salt I include. I decide the type of flour I use.
Cooking and in particular baking brings people together. I love it. I share the results of my baking often. Sometimes I give it all away. It I gives me such a wonderful feeling. If you feel the same – then this book is for you! Step by step, method by method there is something here for all to make and share and give away. These recipes are so easy - I have already made the Zucchini and Pistachio Loaf - even my zucchini hating husband enjoyed this, the Chocolate and Walnut Fudge Cookies are divine (my daughters tell me this!) the Date and Orange Loaf is perfect for a picnic (again ask my daughters) and the Pecan and Cinnamon Oat Biscuits are perfect to share around the office.
There are so many evocative memories in this recipe book- whose grandma made them macaroons? Or sponge cakes or Berry and Coconut Slice? Or meringues? You too can take on these cooking traditions with the aid of this book or create your own traditions. The recipes are so easy – and instructions are by methods, personally I prefer the measure and mix or food processor methods but I am happy to make any of the recipes here – the instructions and so clear.