Stephanie Blackwell - Bake Yourself Happy

I dont know where to start.Maybe with a thank you, for picking up this book, even if you immediately put it down again. There are thousands of fabulous books out there, so Im incredibly grateful to you for casting even one eye over my musings.

For those who dont know me, Im Steph and I love baking. I spend most of my days in the kitchen causing chaos with flour, butter, sugar, eggs and various other ingredients. I will warn you now, if you too find a passion for baking (which I hope you do), your kitchen will take on new characteristics namely serious stickiness, a constant light dusting of flour and the occasional splatter of unidentifiable ingredients across the walls.

I was initially drawn to baking for its healing powers. I have struggled with my mental health since I was 17, and, much as I dont like to let it define me, it is a part of who I am. As such, finding ways to manage it is important. Where some people use knitting, pottery or yoga to find their Zen, I bake. It helps me feel more in control, it releases tension and it improves my concentration, focusing my butterfly brain. When it goes right, its the most rewarding endeavour, and when it doesnt, at least Ill be concentrating on a different stress to the one I started with. Baking unleashes my creative side, too one I didnt think I had. Ive gained friends, and sharing kindness and love through the simple medium of a baked good yields unequivocal happiness for all involved surely the ultimate goal in life?

Back in 2019, when I was still very much a novice at baking, I (somehow) managed to secure a place on The Great British Bake Off. It was a dream to be chosen, and the success I went on to achieve by reaching the final was beyond imaginable. Im not going to lie, putting yourself forward for the nations biggest baking show isnt exactly meditative, however, the experience was life-changing and my appearance on the show has afforded me incredible opportunities like this one: writing about the two things that Im passionate about, baking and happiness.

My aim with this book is to enlighten you to the magic of baking: to help you experience a sense of achievement when rewarded with a tasty outcome, to encourage you to rekindle your inner child and creativity, to enhance your practical baking knowledge and above all improve your sense of well-being. Ive also tried to provide as many tips as possible. Unfortunately, as with all good things, occasionally bakes just dont quite turn out how you expect them to often its simply bad luck and, actually, your greatest lessons are learnt from your biggest mistakes, so there is no failure in my eyes. However, Ive done my best to limit the likelihood of major catastrophe by providing all the tips and tricks that Ive got up my sleeve.

Included in these pages are a few of my favourite creations; those that provide the ultimate calm, satisfaction and joy, be it through improving confidence, releasing tension or boosting mood. Some bakes are speedy, foolproof and rustic, while others require a bit more time, concentration and finesse. This book may not revolutionize your life, and, unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you will become a top pastry chef overnight, but I do hope it can shine a little light on your life in even the smallest way.

For me, baking has been extremely therapeautic. Throughout my adult life, Ive experienced bouts of debilitating depression, an eating disorder, obsessive tendencies and more recently, severe anxiety. Over time, I have learned to accept that it is part of my make-up. My brain is just wired in a slightly different way to others; sometimes the light switch isnt quite working properly, or the circuit becomes overloaded, and I lose power. I then seek some form of control and am prone to employing destructive behaviours. Understanding this has really helped me to be kinder to myself when things get difficult; it doesnt necessarily resolve the initial trigger, nor does it completely negate my instinct to spiral into a black hole of negativity and anxiety, but it does prompt me to engage in some positive activities, which can work almost like a crutch, as I wait for my brain to recover.

Ive tried various forms of therapy over the years, but the activity that revolutionized things for me was baking. I watched YouTube videos on repeat and The Great British Bake Offseries until I knew all the words, then I decided I would have a go and the rest is history. Its the thing I always turn to when I feel out of control it provides comfort, it makes sense of time and gives me purpose, it engages all of my senses and encourages me to focus when my thoughts feel somewhat scattered, it encourages me to connect with others and gives me a boost of confidence when I am being hard on myself.