A Boy Who Bakes?
A One Tin Wonder!
I’m not one to roll with the hype or jump on the bandwagon… unless it’s awkwardly late like my sourdough and banana bread recipes…. but moving on.
Having watched Edd Kimber’s Youtube videos for quite a while and knowing him from the Great British Bake-Off (GBBO, for short), I was understandably excited for his latest cook book ‘One Tin Bakes’. Suffice to say, I was not disappointed. It is a neat collection of classic bakes mixed with new fun takes on tasty treats that I was not expecting, the Roasted Plum Roll cake being one that springs to mind.
They are all gorgeously presented with Instagram worthy pictures and written in a way that’s easy to read and follow, which is perfect when your elbow deep in cake batter looking for the next step!
But I’m not here to wax lyrical and, as with all things, there are some things that are worth mentioning (not all negatives):
- Portion size – much of what makes things simple can, inadvertently, end up overcomplicating matters. One issue I’ve noticed is that some recipes are definitely more for entertaining or sharing. The sheer size of a cake that’s essentially 13” x 9” can be a bit of a challenge for lone bakers. One example of this is the Burnt Basque cheesecake (see image) - it uses 1.2 kg of cream cheese and, in the end, is over 2 kg of cheesecake. Don’t get me wrong, that is complete cake goals; however, for one or two people, it is a little monstrous. As I said, this isn’t a gripe, and sharing is caring. My neighbors certainly don’t complain about the free cake flowing from my kitchen of late! Be aware though you may have to half a recipe or learn to share if attempting some of these bakes.
- Dietary needs – I’m not a fussy eater but there are certain foods I, still in my adult life, am not a fan of (dried fruit, nuts etc). Call my tastes unrefined but I am who I am and, as a result, I’ve learnt a few tricks in terms of replacing or leaving them out of recipes. If you are not a fan of these flavours then a good proportion of the bakes in the tidy collection may not be for you. If you are a fan, then you are in for a treat!
If you are vegan or have any food intolerances, please do check before buying as this may not be the book for you.
Bar those two points, this is an incredible collection of very well thought out recipes that are sure to delight! They are easy to follow and will wow any one you decide to treat!
I will definitely be baking up a storm and sharing the pics on my blog and Instagram!
You can find his book at most supermarkets, bookstores and, as ever, Amazon!
Treat yourself!
