Bake from Scratch Jan/Feb 2018

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF BRITISH BAKING! Thanks to the craze sensation of The Great British Bake Off (I am obviously a big fan), the baking world has become enamored with our friends across the Atlantic, looking to them for inspiration—and we’ve been eager to bring some of their European taste and tradition to our kitchens here at home. We asked Edd Kimber (winner of the first season of The Great British Bake Off) to join us in producing an entire issue dedicated to British baking. Fortunately for all of us, he said yes. Not only did Edd introduce us to the amazing bakers who are featured in the pages that follow, but he shared his home country’s baking culture and a glimpse into his London life. In May of last…

WHAT IS BRITISH BAKING? Despite being born here and making a living as a baker, when we decided to put this issue together, I didn’t initially know exactly what you would describe as British baking. There are the obvious old-fashioned, more traditional things—the scones (try my Traditional English Scones!) the Victoria sponges, and the things we see as classics—but I wanted to show you more than that, to reveal what Britain has to offer today. This meant sharing a little of what is traditional and lot of things that demonstrate who we are right now—bakeries, bakers, and recipes that I hope excite and inspire you. I especially wanted to highlight the amazing bakers we have in this country. One of my favourite experiences was the British Bakers Potluck (page 71), which…

Makes 8 I don’t think there are many things better than a scone topped with clotted cream and jam. Scones are known the world over for a good reason! My recipe is fairly traditional but incorporates a slightly unusual kneading and resting technique I was taught at Le Manoir, a two-star Michelin restaurant I spent a little time in after The Great British Bake Off. If you don’t have time for the resting, don’t worry—bake them as soon as they have been formed. They will still taste excellent; they just won’t look quite the same. 2¾ cups (344 grams) plain/cake flour 1 tablespoon (15 grams) baking powder ½ teaspoon (1.5 grams) kosher salt ¼ cup (57 grams) unsalted butter, cubed ½ cup (100 grams) caster sugar ½ cup (64 grams) raisins or sultanas, soaked in hot water…

PHRASES WE PICKED UP ACROSS THE POND ALL MOUTH AND NO TROUSERS | Someone who is all talk and no game. BLIMEY | An expression of surprise. (Our editor-in-chief uses this every chance he gets!) BOB’S YOUR UNCLE | A way of saying “you’re all set” or “you’ve got it made.” It’s a catchphrase dating back to 1887. CRIKEY | Expression of surprise. DIZZY HEIGHTS | A situation in which you have a lot of success. DODGY | Not to be trusted. DONE AND DUSTED | Expresses that something is complete or finished. GAINED A STONE | A saying to express when one’s stomach is full of food. HUNKY-DORY | No worries. LOVELY JUBBLY | Used to express approval or delight. OFF YOUR TROLLEY | Going crazy or mad. PUDDING | A British catchall term for dessert. RUBBISH | Trash or garbage. SMASHING |…

SALTED CARAMEL DREAMS (Hardie Grant, 2017) by Chloe Timms “I might be a little bit biased with this recommendation as I am the biggest fan of salted caramel and, over the last few years, Chloe Timms of Fatties Bakery has become a friend. All the best friends make sweet things, right? Chloe’s bakery specialises in all things salted caramel, and I find it next to impossible to walk past her street food stall and not buy at least one thing, preferably her Goldmine Brownie—a beautiful, dense brownie with silly amounts of salted caramel dolloped throughout.” SHORT & SWEET (Fourth Estate, 2011/Chronicle Books, 2013) by Dan Lepard “Dan Lepard is one of the UK’s most respected baking experts and the author of several books, but this one stands out as his best work. Dan has a…

Your latest cookbook, Afternoon Tea at Home (Ryland Peters & Small, 2016), explores the art of afternoon tea. Why do you think afternoon tea has had such a resurgence in the past few years? Food is like fashion. Food trends come and go, and it just so happens that afternoon tea is right back in vogue. It’s elegant, eccentric, glitzy, and fun all at the same time. What is the difference between a “high tea” and a “low tea”? “High tea” is more like an early dinner taken at around 6 p.m. and is traditionally more regal than “low tea,” which is more similar to afternoon tea. “Low tea” consists of sandwiches and sweets taken in the afternoon. In more recent times, afternoon tea has become more like “high tea” in its growing…