Summaries and Customer Reviews are supplied by Amazon.com

Average Customer Rating:

Rachel is back

Customer Rating:

and shows how simple and versatile baking can be, with 'BAKE'! Looking for that special Christmas gift? How about a SIGNED copy, from the much-loved Irish cook and TV presenter, 'BAKE' Signed Edition - also available at Amazon, at a sensible price. In this cookbook to accompany the TV series of the same name, Rachel once again offers the delicious, non-patronising and easy-to-follow recipes for which she has become famous. From the introduction:- 'Baking has always been one of my greatest joys. I have such happy memories of my sister and I when we were little standing on kitchen chairs so that we could help Mum make biscuits or buns for the family. Even today, the wonderful warm aromas of baking bread, cakes or cookies always transports me back to those times....... There is no mystery to baking, baking is a simple science which is precisely why it is so satisfying.......it is really just the right ingredients in the right quantities! I have chosen my favourite baking recipes in this collection to give you a wide range of delicious treats and meals that can be baked in your oven. ....there are also many special recipes for those once-in-a-while occasions and celebrations. If you can master a set of weighing scales, then you have all the skills you need to bake.......so what are you waiting for? Get that pinny on and start baking!' And, 'Bake' encourages just that, with clear and simply laid out recipes with an upper case title, quantity made, a descriptive sentence or two, the list of ingredients and the numbered method and any variations, tips or serving ideas. Durable board covers open to 288 high quality matt pages, split over 9 chapters:- Sweet mouthfuls Cakes Puddings Breads and savoury bites Tarts and pies Breakfast and patisserie Baked meals Holiday and celebration Basic recipes and techniques, which includes equipment sandwiched between an introduction and a glossary. Completed with a concise index and a pastel blue ribbon to keep your place! Recipes, which sometimes span more than one page, include:- GINGER AND HONEY SNAPS BAKEWELL BARS LIGHT SWEET SCONES ECCLES CAKES FAIRY CAKES (butterfly buns) BUTTER-FREE SPONGE CAKE DUTCH APPLE CAKE RED VELVET CAKE KUGELHOPF SWISS ROLL CHOCOLATE CAKE BAKED ALASKA RASPBERRY JAM STEAMED PUDDING EASY SODA FOCACCIA BALLYMALOE WHITE SODA BREAD CORNISH SAFFRON BREAD CHICKEN AND LEEK PIE QUICHE LORRAINE TARTE TATIN BAGELS WAFFLES BAKED BREAKFAST OMELETTE CROISSANTS ECLAIRS BAKED RED LENTIL DHAL SIMPLE SAUSAGE AND BEAN BAKE PORK, SPINACH AND MUSHROOM LASAGNE COTTAGE PIE PARTY DOUGHNUTS and...... ..... not forgetting Mum-in-law's:- DARINA'S SIMNEL CAKE! Or........with the holiday season just around the corner...... CHRISTMAS PUDDING WITH BOOZY TOFFEE SAUCE CHRISTMAS CAKE MARZIPAN MINCEMEAT ST STEPHEN'S DAY MUFFINS My favourites...so.... far include:- BAKED BROWN SUGAR CUSTARDS 'These gorgeous and very simple little desserts are a somewhat like crème caramels or French `flan'. The brown sugar adds a delicious rich, toffee-ish flavour, and this is further enhanced if you brûlée it with a blow torch`.....to make it a lovely crunchy top, as advised by Rachel's closing tip! and CHOCOLATE LAVA CAKES 'These gorgeous little puddings should be deliciously spongy on the outside and molten in the centre. Do not overcook them or they will be set all the way through. They are delicious served with vanilla ice cream. and they sure are! More patient cooks than me could try their hand at:- the 'GINGERBREAD HOUSE AND PEOPLE' recipe, complete with plan.......which takes over 2 hours but well worth the effort, I am sure! This superb book is finished with a very comprehensive 'Basic Recipes and Techniques' section, including step-by-step photography in places. Basic recipes include pastry, white bread, sponge cake, meringue, crystallised flowers, icings, chocolate curls, sauces, and strawberry jam. Footnote:- The opening notes on the recipes are in quite a small typeface and are in pastel shades, so can be a little hard to read in places. Most but not all of the recipes include a full colour photograph, but often an 'on-location' shot rather than one of the completed item. This may be slightly negative to those of us who like to see what we are aiming for on the plate! However, in my opinion, it would only drop maybe half a star not a complete one for this! All-in-all, this book is a super addition to any cookery shelf, and likely to gather flour marks rather than dust!

Perfect Start

Customer Rating:

My children and I loved the television series which was an ideal partner with the book. Our nine year old who has never baked before found the lemon tart easy to make. I had never made one before and was also surprised how easy it was. I therefore became more adventurous and tried the Baklava which is rated as intermediate. Again the instructions were easy to follow and the results brought back memories of when we last had some on our Greek Holiday. This book seems to fill a gap in the market as other cook books seem to require attendance at a cookery school beforehand. I would therefore recommend this to anyone who has not baked before as the instructions are easy to follow and you will be encouraged to try even more adventurous recipes.

Another winner from Rachel Allen	Customer Rating:
This girl knows her baking! If cakes, breads and pastry are normally a struggle then look no further. Rachel Allen shows you how to get top results and best of all she makes it easy.Recipes That Really Work

Pretty Good Cook Book

Customer Rating:

As a fairly amateur but keen cook, I wholeheratedly agree with all the other reviewers. This is a good little cook book. I also would have preferred each recipe to have a photo so I know what it looks like and whether I have cooked it right! I am not keen on the typefont either, but having said that, there are great tips (as in her accompanying series) and I do love the end section on jams, sauces etc. One that I will be using quite a bit.

Highly reliable and oh so enjoyable recipes

Customer Rating:

Having watched some of the 'Bake' series on UK food, I was inspired to buy this accompanying cookbook. And very pleased I am too, as the book far exceeds my expectations. Rachel writes in an easy to follow, non-patronising way, giving clear and reliable instructions. The recipes are accurate, giving good results. Rachel also offers top tips (try rolling pastry in cling film - genius!)and ways to vary things to suit you. The illustrations are mouthwatering, and so far all my versions look pretty similar! (Current top favourites are the Fresh cream sponge roll, and the pretty swirled meringues). It has inspired me to bake, lots lots more, and to great success and appreciation of friends and family. I cant recommend 'Bake' enough, for amateur and expreienced cooks alike. P.S. I believe the series is being broadcast on the BBC soon - I recommend watching that too if you can, simply brilliant.