Customer Reviews:
 Essential Kitchen Staple May 21, 2007
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
In every kitchen there are essential staples that allow you to create really great food and without which no kitchen would be complete.
This book is one of those staples. Every recipe sounds delicious but unlike some books, this one actually delivers every time.
Because this is the sort of book that you can rely on without fear of disappointment, and because of the quality of writing and the recipes themselves, I highly recommend it and I have bought it as presents for friends who all agree.
I keep coming back to the carrot cake muffins and the chocolate brownies recipes again and again-they're absolutely divine! People say to me they're the best they've ever tasted. Try them for yourself and see.
All Time Favourite Baking Bible May 9, 2007
18 out of 18 found this review helpful
I had heard of the chef Nigella Lawson, the domestic goddess, but I was yet to read one of her books or try her recipes. I bought this last year as a gift for myself, and I must admit that the first thing to attract me to the book was the cover! Very pretty and feminine. But once I got home and curled up with the book and a cup of tea, I realised just why Nigella is known as the domestic goddess; the recipes are out of this world! I looked through the entire book and found lots of recipes that I was itching to make, and the illustrations are gorgeous, a visually stunning baking guide. The book has something for everyone, even if you do not have a sweet tooth, it also contains savoury recipes. The cheese and onion pasties went down a treat, and the pizza rustica was just delicious and unusual too. My favourite recipe was the sour cream chocolate cake, it sounds strange adding soured cream to a cake, but the result was a moist cake, not temple achingly sweet yet still gooey and chocolatey. And the cheesecakes were perfect, much better than the shop bought artificial creations we are accustomed to. Overall I would say that this is the best baking book I have ever read, and I have read a lot of Delia and Mary Berry too. Nigella deserves her domestic goddess name tag and this book is not only a joy to look at but is packed full of some of the best recipes you would ever see.
A baking Bible April 11, 2007
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
This is the one book that I keep going back to for Birthday Cakes (or cupcakes), something to bring to the office, or something to do on a weekend. The cakes have always been well received and there have been requests for the Madeira cake, the lemon syrup lemon loaf cake (which is a BIG BIG hit), the butterscotch layer cake and key lime pie.
I must admit that we are still tinkering with the jam recipes, the setting point is a little difficult to figure out but the jam tastes good though. and the baking time for some cakes can be off by 15-20mins give or take, depending on type of oven (gas, electric, fan) you are using.
with that said, the cakes i have baked have come out yummy the first time and everytime since. A good buy.
Delightfully bad! March 15, 2007
7 out of 10 found this review helpful
Reliable outcomes everytime! The definitive home comfort food book.
I did note one of the gripes - the recipes are sometimes large (enough for 14) but with some elementary mathematics the quantities could be halved. How anyone would wish for a book for years without having a flick through it, buy it and then be disappointed that they only wanted to make two recipes is beyond me! Also moaning that the recipes don't look like they'll work without trying them... no pleasing some people!! Go Nigella!
Used it so much the cover fell off! January 26, 2007
13 out of 15 found this review helpful
I have had this book for about five years now - given to me by my cake loving husband. "Pah!" thought I, "I am already a domestic goddess!". However, to give Nigella her due, she is famous for a reason and she really does know baking. Even if you find her nauseatingly camp and simpering on television, she was always a journalist and this book is well written with amusing and useful comments throughout.
It's a great all round bible of cakes and biscuits with things to bake for all occasions, with children, for children, dinner parties, Christmas and a special chapter dedicated to chocolate - yum!. Nigella is a self confessed bodger and although this is not a desirable quality in a baker, the recipes give the impression that most people would be able to cobble up something resembling the illustration.
The accompanying photographs are just beautiful. Simple, stylish and mouthwatering. There are also some unusual recipes in there that even an accomplished baker like myself would find exciting and refreshing. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes to whip a little something up in the kitchen to delight their family and friends. I have used my copy so often that the cover has fallen off.
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