Marie Rayner - The Best of British Baking: Classic Sweet Treats and Savory Bakes

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Interior and Designer: Mando Daniel
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Photography 2021 Darren Muir. Food Styling by Yolanda Muir. courtesy of Body Confidence Photography.

Hardcover ISBN: 978-1-63878-643-6
Paperback ISBN: 978-1-63807-302-4
eBook ISBN: 978-1-63807-967-5
R0

For my father, who has always
been my biggest fan

Contents

An exciting thing is happening. In recent years, Ive noticed a trend of people wanting to make their own baked goods. Whether they have been inspired by The Great British Bake Off or simply want to fill their free time, more people are getting into the kitchen, finding a stand mixer, and grabbing a rolling pin. Thisis a wonderful thing!

I have always been an avid home baker. When my five children were growing up in Canada, I loved to bake cookies and cakes to put in their packed lunches and offer as afterschool snacks. On weekends I would bake them pies, and of course every holiday or special occasion meant baking even more goodies to help make our family celebrations special. I have never relied on store-baked or processed goodsmaking my own has always been more rewarding to me.

Yet when I moved to Great Britain to work as a personal chef on a manorestate more than 20 years ago, I had never seen such a wonderful variety of baked goods in my life as what greeted me there. Fruited scones, tiffin bars, Eccles cakes, lemon drizzle cake, sausage rolls, iced bunsthere was no end to the tantalizing delights that winked at me from the shop windows!

Cupcakes were not just cupcakes; they were fairy cakes! What in the world is a tiffin cake? How could one fail to fall in love with baked goods with such fancy names? I wanted to try them all, and I really wanted to bake them all. I was inspired by great bakers like Mary Berry and James Martin, who made me believe that I, too, could become a great baker.

Over the next 20 years, my baking journey would take me across the length and breadth of not one but four very individual countries in the United Kingdom: England, Scotland, Wales (which together make up Great Britain), and Northern Ireland (not to be confused with the Republic of Ireland, which is a separate country entirely). Each nation places their own unique stamp and flair on the baked goods produced within their various counties.

Perhaps your ancestors, like some of mine, came to North America from the British Isles. You may have a longing to get back to your roots and taste the cakes and goodies that your grandmother used to bake. Some of you may wish to visit Britain and test out some of their bakes and cakes. Maybe you have been inspired by watching British baking shows. Whatever your reasons, your love of British baking has brought you here today to learn more and to get stuck into some great British baking recipes, so welcome!

Im happy to bring to your table all of the expertise and a wealth of knowledge gathered during my years of living and baking in Britain. I promise that new great and tasty things are about to come from your kitchen! Dust off your apron and crack open your baking cupboards. Youre about to get started on one of the most delicious baking journeys of your life!

When I came to Great Britain, I thought there wouldnt be much difference between the baking I had done at home in Canada and what existed there. This was an English-speaking country, after all. Oh, how wrong I was! Toe-may-toe, toe- mah -toe!

British Baking 101

Before working in Great Britain, I had always baked with the most basic ingredients. I had no idea that so many varieties of sugar existed, or even flours. Being so close to the European continent meant that the UK was armed with many more choices for ingredients to use in baking than Id previously known of.

I found there was a proper way of doing things and a definite regional difference between one area and the next. Since the UK comprises four separate countries, its not surprising that the cakes and baked goods of each one would vary a great deal!

Generally, I found their baked goods to be less sweet than what I was used to in North Americaeven the bread. There is a considerable difference.

I soon learned to bake by weight, rather than by volume. Baking by weight is a more accurate way of baking, as it leaves no room for error.

British bakers use more natural ingredients and flavors in their baking and far fewer processed products. They rely heavily on the use of dried fruits and fresh dairy products, of which they have some of the best in the world.