GBBO Cookbooks: Yes, I Need A Recipe For That!

[Quilt Fairy]

I was browsing Amazon and I noticed that there are a slew of cookbooks from GBBO, including the current season we're viewing in the U.S. as well as books by Paul and Mary.  They're not cheap ($17.99 for most of the Kindle editions), so I wondered if anyone had purchased them and your opinion.

[Athena]

The GBBO cookbooks are expensive for those on this side of the pond and not all the recipes are by Paul, Mary, or the contestants.

 

You can actually find a ton of recipes on the BBC Food website for this show. It includes every technique bake for all five seasons and some of the contestant entries. Mary and Paul's recipes for their BBC food shows are on that website as well. I own two of Paul's books and one of Mary's. I generally like the photography and style of both their books, but they aren't easy to come by here.

[Quilt Fairy]

I have read that a lot of the recipes are on the BBC website, but for me a good cookbook is something I need to hold in my hands. Delicious sounding recipes, scrumptious pictures, you can get some sinful enjoyment without baking a thing or gaining a calorie. Anyhow, Amazon has made getting books from overseas so easy these days that I was shocked at the price discrepancies I found. For the latest book that covers the season we're watching now, the UK Amazon Kindle price is £6.99 which converts to $10.59 but the US price is $17.00. The hardcover difference is even great UK price £9.00 ($13.64), US price $30.96.

[halopub]

You could try to calculate if it's cheaper to order various books directly from Amazon UK. The lack of VAT for non UK buyers can cover part of the international shipping costs. There's also eBay. For the £9.00 GBBO hardcover, Amazon charges £6.98 for shipping, which comes out to about $24 total. 

 

If you want to support your local PBS station, you could always buy the international version from their store, but I think it's full retail.

 

I'm more curious about books the individual contestants have published. Richard has just submitted his to his publisher for review and season three's James Morton looks like he's written some interesting stuff. I bet Chetna could write a terrific book too.

 

I can't get used to the admittedly more accurate method of weighing ingredients in Brit baking books. I'm all about those measuring cups!

[Athena]

I'm more curious about books the individual contestants have published. Richard has just submitted his to his publisher for review and season three's James Morton looks like he's written some interesting stuff. I bet Chetna could write a terrific book too.

 

I can't get used to the admittedly more accurate method of weighing ingredients in Brit baking books. I'm all about those measuring cups!

 

I agree. I'd like to see all of their books and John's books too. I've found that not just the winners have cookbook potential, most of the top contestants from all the whole series seem book worthy.

 

I'm the opposite. Once I went metric, I found it difficult to go back. I usually convert most of my recipes. I buy cookbooks from UK authors (Nigella, Lorraine Pascale, etc.) and then it bugs me a it when I find out the US publishers have converted the measurements.

[shandy]

I'm a weight over volume person for baking, just because I'm not an instinct baker, and the results (for me) are so much more consistent, esp for chocolate cakes and pie crust. But cups and spoons for sauces and stovetop cooking.

[Rickster]

Weight measures is definitely the way to go. Not only is it more accurate, for me it just makes the whole process cleaner and more organized, especially in a smaller kitchen like mine. Much easier to pour ingredients into a bowl on a scale than digging into a bag of flour with a cup measure. I really don't get the resistance to it in the US, unless it's the expense of getting a scale.

[shandy]

I buy cookbooks from UK authors (Nigella, Lorraine Pascale, etc.)

 

Thank you so much for mentioning Lorraine Pascale. There are so many chefs on the cooking channel it is easy to miss the more interesting ones. She is great. I like her bold flavors and her quick and simple approach.  And from watching an Oreo Brownie recipe on the tube, like Nigella, she is not at all prissy about American tastes! Thank you. 

[halopub]

Has anyone had a chance to check out Richard or Luis' books?

[feverfew]

I haven't read Richard og Luis' books, but I've just ordered Ruby's Crumb and and John Whaite Bakes At Home (funnily enough those two weren't my favourite bakers, but I really like the look and feel of their cookbooks).

 

A question for all of you bakers at home: When the bakers bake layered cakes, they use shallow tins. As far as I can tell, they don't really sell those in my country (spring forms all the way!), and I wanted to order some online. Do any of you guys have any recommendations for brands etc? I guess I'll need two or three if I wanted to make a layered cake, but on amazon I can't really tell whether they're shallow like the ones on Bake Off, and I don't want to buy something I basically already have ( I've been forbidden to buy more cook wares unless I really need to - I have way too much stuff already). Also;  loose base or not?

[Athena]

I haven't read Richard og Luis' books, but I've just ordered Ruby's Crumb and and John Whaite Bakes At Home (funnily enough those two weren't my favourite bakers, but I really like the look and feel of their cookbooks).

 

A question for all of you bakers at home: When the bakers bake layered cakes, they use shallow tins. As far as I can tell, they don't really sell those in my country (spring forms all the way!), and I wanted to order some online. Do any of you guys have any recommendations for brands etc? I guess I'll need two or three if I wanted to make a layered cake, but on amazon I can't really tell whether they're shallow like the ones on Bake Off, and I don't want to buy something I basically already have ( I've been forbidden to buy more cook wares unless I really need to - I have way too much stuff already). Also;  loose base or not?

 

John was one of my favourites so I'd be interested to know how you find the book and its recipes.

 

As for the cake tins, I recommend you google or look for "shallow cake tins" focusing on UK sites such as Amazon.co.uk. I think most of the bakers have used a "standard" cake tin, but check the measurements for the length. Traditionally, these kind of cake tins are not loose base. It's really a matter of cost as loose base would mean they are easier to use and more multi-purpose. Good luck.

[feverfew]

John was one of my favourites so I'd be interested to know how you find the book and its recipes.

 

As for the cake tins, I recommend you google or look for "shallow cake tins" focusing on UK sites such as Amazon.co.uk. I think most of the bakers have used a "standard" cake tin, but check the measurements for the length. Traditionally, these kind of cake tins are not loose base. It's really a matter of cost as loose base would mean they are easier to use and more multi-purpose. Good luck.

Thank you - and I'll be sure to write when I've tried a few of his recipes. I've bought two different sized tins now - look forward to trying them out when they get here.