SIFT: The Elements of Great Baking - Nicola Lamb

Divided into two sections, SIFT is a journey into the world of baking, with in depth reference sections and packed with buildable recipes that you can go back to again, and again.

The first half of the book takes you on a journey through the ingredients and techniques that underpin great bakes. Starting with Flour, Sugar, Eggs and Fat, you’ll learn how to master the crucial building blocks of baking before delving into the techniques that bring your recipes to life - Texture, Colour, How Things Rise and, finally, a Technical Overview.

From the learning what’s behind the wobble of a perfect custard tart, to the importance of melting points, to love stories between ingredients, SIFT is designed to give you confidence in the kitchen by teaching you the ‘why’ of baking.

The second half of the book is packed with over 100 recipes, organised by how long you have to bake: Whether you've got an afternoon, a day or a weekend, this book has something for you.

Afternoon recipes include: Flaky cheese and pickle scones, steamed buttermilk plum sponge and chamomile and toasted flour chiffon cake

Day recipes include: Olive oil brie-oche, Apple & Vanilla Charlotte and Feta whipped cheesecake

Weekend recipes include: Croissants, Mocha passionfruit opera cake and Cross laminated galette des rois