What To Bake This Weekend
SIFT Edition
WHAT TO BAKE THIS WEEKEND: SIFT EDITION
It’s bank holiday weekend here in the UK which means only one thing: Time for a baking round-up!
And because my debut cookbook SIFT has just been released in the UK *screams* (you can get a copy here, or at your local bookshop - I’ve had a blast popping in and signing in a few places!), here’s some of my favourite recipes from the book to inspire you over the weekend.
Hang on… FIRST… Tell me more about SIFT!
I’d be delighted. WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF SIFT! My new baking book which has everything you need to know to learn how to bake and feel confident in the kitchen.
Over 350 pages, I'll guide you through the fundamentals of baking and pastry through in-depth reference sections and well over 100 tried & tested recipes. We'll start by taking a journey through the ingredients that underpin great bakes - Flour, Sugar, Eggs, Fat - before delving into the techniques that bring our recipes to life - Texture, Colour, How Things Rise and, of course, a Technical Overview. It’s the reference book of my dreams with all the fun diagrams.
The second half of the book is packed with recipes, divided into how long you have to bake: Whether you've got an afternoon, a day or a weekend, this book has something for you! The recipes are buildable, meaning you can hone your lamination skills in a more simple recipe before moving on to nailing cross laminated galette des rois, or perfect croissants. I’ve got you!
BTW…If you’re reading this in a country where SIFT isn’t yet available, I PROMISE i have news coming ever so soon… but in the meantime, there are 300+ fully researched recipes in the Kitchen Projects archive - which is constantly growing - to hopefully keep you busy and baking.
Alright. Let’s bake!
What to bake this weekend: SIFT edition
It is impossible for me to pick between all my favourite children aka recipes, but here are a few of my current faves. Although there are over 100 recipes in this book, grab your copies of SIFT (or order one here / head to your local bookshop) and flick to these pages for a bit of weekend inspiration.
For a quick fix: Miso & Walnut Double Thick Cookies (pg. 197)
I knew I had to include at least one outrageous cookie recipe in this book. I’m thrilled that this is the one we landed on. Salty, umami, rich, and reallyreallyREALLY big.
For a savoury snack: Cheese & Pickle Flaky Scones (pg. 183)
I love a cheese scone and I love pickles. Combining the two just felt right. Btw, I also have a competition - open for UK only sadly atm - to win a KitchenAid on my insta right now. You still have time to enter as I’m picking a winner on Monday :)
For dessert: Plum & Mascarpone Karpatka (pg. 204)
Great plums may be tough to track down right now, but you can use a preserve from last year or a different fruit to make this recipe sing! Wiggly choux and LOTS of cream - who doesn’t want a sliceable elair adjacent centrepiece anyway? Not me!
To feel like a fancy patissier: Passionfruit Flower Tarts (pg. 160)
I loved making these for the launch pop-up. They are SO pretty, but incredibly easy. And that whipped white choc ganache is a dream. And btw, there’s also a guide to how to make your own possets on pg. 101 in the ‘texture’ section.
For lunch: Leek & Mustard Tart (pg. 174)
This is the only recipe in the book that doesn’t have a photo! SO, i’m going to need you all to bake it and take photos so I can make a special post about it! It’s so gooey and tangy and rich and CRISPY. Pie dough / Rough Puff forever :)
To take to a friend’s house: Marmalade, hazelnut, chocolate chip ricotta cake (pg. 147)
This hazelnut ricotta chocolate chip cake on pg. 147, with marmalade glaze is SO simple and joyful. In the afternoon section - it’s impossible to overbake this cake, too. It stays moist for days!
For a flavour bomb: Panna Cotta with Burnt White Chocolate and Soy, page 215
On our first shoot day for this book, I accidentally gave the totally wrong instructions to Holly, our wonderful food stylist, for the blonde chocolate – the oven temperature was off by 30°C. Instead of a gorgeous golden white chocolate, Holly ended up with a burnt white chocolate the colour of mahogany. We figured we’d taste it anyway – I LOVED it; ultra complex and umami. I developed this recipe in honour of that and the result is a uniquely rich and addictive dessert. The addition of soy sauce is optional, but you should definitely give it a go.
For a crowd: 3-Day Focaccia (pg.280)
Bank holidays were MADE for making super bubbly and airy focaccia. Always great for entertaining - what’s not to love?
For chocolate lovers: The Secret Chocolate Cake (pg. 266) or the Choconut Tart (pg. 159)
On pg 267 and pg. 159 respectively (oh, and i DID cheekily post the recipes here on KP, on newsletter, because i love you guys!)
For a proper weekend project: Croissants and Pain Au Choc starting pg 294
I’m so proud to say that there is a HUGE viennoiserie section (a whopping 45 pages!) to teach you absolutely everything you need to know about making viennoiserie at home. From theory to troubleshooting and plenty of recipes to get you going, I can’t wait for us all to make croissants together!
It’s right at the end of the book because I do feel that croissants are a confluence of so many skills and techniques. I’m also so happy the most gorgeous almond croissant 2.0 (pg. made it into the book - you do need a silly little square mould for the full effect, but gosh - torn up croissant dipped in cinnamon syrup, alternating with frangipane and baked til crunchy on the outside. It’s truly one of my great loves.
If you don’t feel like you can jump straight into croissants, I highly recommend starting with a simpler lamination project - flaky cheese and pickle scones pg. 183, or the flaky pie dough for orchard turnovers pg. 211 is a great place to practice those turns!
Already started making my croissants. Absolutely love the book already. Thank you so much ❤️
The book looks wonderful. When are you planning to release it in the EU? I live in Amsterdam.