Sharp Melissa - Modern baker: a new way to bake: cakes, biscuits and breads made from natural ingredients and sourdough starters

This ebook is copyright material and must not be copied, reproduced, transferred, distributed, leased, licensed or publicly performed or used in any way except as specifically permitted in writing by the publishers, as allowed under the terms and conditions under which it was purchased or as strictly permitted by applicable copyright law. Any unauthorized distribution or use of this text may be a direct infringement of the authors and publishers rights and those responsible may be liable in law accordingly.

Epub ISBN: 9781473551008
Version 1.0

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Ebury Press, an imprint of Ebury Publishing,
20 Vauxhall Bridge Road,
London, SW1V 2SA

Ebury Press is part of the Penguin Random House group of companies whose addresses can be found at global.penguinrandomhouse.com

Text copyright Melissa Sharp 2017
Photography Laura Edwards 2017
Cover design by Two Associates

Melissa Sharp has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this Work in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

The nutrition and health claims made in this book have all been checked by a registered food nutritionist. All recipes labelled as healthy have been checked to ensure that they do contain ingredients with levels of micronutrients that warrant a EU registered nutrition claim such as High in Iron. All nutrition claims relating to ingredients themselves have also been checked. Any other health claims made have been researched and do not state fact but indicate that this is what research suggests. Please be aware that many of the recipes contain coconut oil which is very high in saturated oil and so from a nutrition standpoint it is important that these recipes are seen as a treat and are eaten as part of a balanced and healthy diet. We also talk about the health benefits of novel ingredients that are not always easily available. This is because we are passionate about trying new nutritious foods but this should not be misconstrued to imply that you need to cosume these foods to achieve a healthy diet, nor should consuming these ingredients warrant/excuse an otherwise unhealthy lifestyle.

First published by Ebury Press in 2017

www.penguin.co.uk

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

Editor: Louise McKeever
Designer: Sandra Zellmer
Photographer: Laura Edwards
Illustrator: Charlotte Orr
Food Stylist: Annie Rigg
Prop Stylist: Polly Webb-Wilson
Production: Lucy Harrison

ISBN: 9781785035555

If youve become used to thinking cakes are bad, bread dangerous and baking best kept as an indulgence, this book is a whole larder full of good news. It will transform your ideas and show you a revolutionary way to bake that is absolutely delicious and also positively good for you.

Modern Baker is a thriving bakery and caf in Oxford where we make the healthiest breads and cakes it is humanly possible to produce that still taste delicious. All of our many kinds of breads are made with natural sourdough starters our own wild yeast cultures teeming with beneficial lactobacilli bacteria made with just stoneground flour, water and fresh air and then fermented for 48 hours. Many of our cakes, biscuits and bars use our sourdough starters, too. Research shows that sourdough is great because it addresses the vitally important issue of helping to improve our gut health. It also naturally reduces Glycemic Index (GI) and gluten levels.

More and more people are realising the importance of a healthy digestive system for our overall wellbeing. Gut health is no longer a squeamish subject. When the ingredients are combined to make sourdough they explode into the millions of fermenting microbes that our gut is crying out for, vital elements of which survive through baking. This opens the door to a wealth of benefits that can transform our overall health.

Sourdough bread can be an everyday, health-giving delight, but who doesnt also love the occasional sweet treat? The way we make them at Modern Baker ensures that there is no reason not to enjoy these too. We only use unrefined ingredients to sweeten our treats, such as coconut sugar, dates, maple syrup, raw honey and lucuma. Although evidence shows these are all better for you than the white sugar generally used in baking, they are none the less sugars and should still be regarded as occasional treats. Coupled with stoneground whole grains and as many wonderful nuts, seeds, fruits and other nutritious ingredients as we can pack in, baking has never been so good for you. Every ingredient earns its place according to our three core principles of good provenance, nutritional benefit and great taste. Nothing is included just for the sake of it.

We believe passionately that its possible to make wonderfully delicious cakes, biscuits and bars that also make a positive contribution to a healthy diet. Whats more, the recipes are so simple to make. There are no complicated instructions here, you can rustle up a batch of something delicious in less than an hour. Finally, we can all have our cake and eat it!

All of our recipes are vegetarian and each is clearly marked with symbols to show if they are also gluten-free (GF), dairy-free (DF) or suitable for vegan (V+) diets.

This book is a labour of love, packed with fabulous recipes that are positively, proactively good for you and, most importantly, simple to make and excellent to eat. The Danish concept of hygge holds that the value to the soul of making simple pleasures special is central to our wellbeing, so any food that ignores the pleasure principle is missing the point. Sometimes a slice of cake or a hot chocolate can be just the thing. Its no accident that the shop embraces a fresh Nordic aesthetic: hygge operates at its heart.

Before you get started on putting into practice the art, science and miracle of natural fermentation in your own kitchen, find out how Melissa started on her transformative journey to becoming a Modern Baker.

In January 2010, aged 36, I found a lump in my right breast. The consultant told me it was benign, but gave me the option to have it removed. My gut told me I should, and that small procedure was the beginning of an incredible journey that changed my life. My lump turned out to be home to an aggressive, triple-negative, grade 3 cancer. The full house of chemo- and radiotherapy was prescribed.

My new boyfriend, Leo, had been through his own bout of trauma and illness and had already adopted alternative, healthy ways of living. He immediately bought an organic cabbage, blitzed it, and encouraged me to drink it. Not long after, we were discussing the detoxing merits of coffee enemas, a topic I had never imagined ever discussing with anyone, let alone a partner! Very quickly I found myself talking to a number of alternative practitioners. Their advice was clear: supplementing my chemo with an array of natural supplements, organic green juices and probiotics, cutting out dairy and eating only grain-fed meat, were all likely going to improve my bodys ability to cope with the massive dose of toxins it was about to be hit with. I moved in with Leo.