THE COOKBOOK
Sweet by James Martin
(£20; Quadrille)
TESTED BY Rebecca Almond
He’s the face that welcomes us to the weekend as the happy-go-lucky anchor of BBC One’s Saturday Kitchen, but the Yorkshire lad gets serious in his latest book as he swaps chin-wagging over barely edible omelettes for turning out technical bakes. Eight years after the success of his previous puds book, Desserts, James is back with a northernsize helping of treats to hit the sweet spot.
This time, though, there’s not a stodgy pudding in sight (apart from the baked double chocolate pudding with cream). On the whole, the recipes are smarter than those James has produced before. “Dessert is the last food you taste, so it needs to create a lasting impression,” he says. These sweets are definitely impressive.
It’s not straight in at the deep end, though. The book opens with a section titled Basics: how to make proper puff, choux, pâte brisée – as well as the various doughs and types of meringue. As a Victoria sponge kinda gal, this isn’t really what I’d call basic… But James does cover more everyday kitchen skills such as lining a tin and piping techniques. I particularly like the Troubleshooting pages at the back of the book, as well as the list of recommended equipment. (Note: this book does require decent baking kit.) The chapters cover chocolate, cream, fruit and pastry desserts, as well as chocolate cakes, cakes with fruit, and tea-time treats.