Ren Behan - Author Wild Honey and Rye

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Review and Giveaway: Bake Me I’m Yours Sweet Bitesize Bakes and a Bake Swap!

Well, it has been an exciting summer for us so far, but not as exciting as for my friend Sarah Trivuncic from Maison Cupcake who had her first book published by David & Charles. Bake Me I’m Yours…Sweet Bitesize Bakes popped through my letter box just as the school holidays were starting. Just in time, in fact, for some family baking fun and my first ‘bake swap’ by post to celebrate the book’s arrival.

About Sarah

Sarah has been writing her food blog Maison Cupcake since 2009. Her blog was one of the first two blogs that I started to follow regularly early in 2010. I remember always being captivated by her posts and felt that Sarah had gathered a real sense of community on her blog. Many of Sarah’s regular readers became familiar to me and I started to hop along to other blogs through her links and via the comments that people left. By the time Sarah launched her blog event ‘Forever Nigella’ in January 2011, I had been blogging for just two short months and Sarah’s event was the very first blog event I plucked up the courage to join in with. I took part with two recipes (which I still love making, particularly Nigella’s Marmalade Pudding Cake) the and the rest, as they say, is history!

It has been very exciting for me to watch Sarah’s journey unfold and I was hugely excited for Sarah when the offer for her to write a baking book came along. I’ve enjoyed chatting to Sarah about the process of writing a cookery book at various occassions throughout the year and I was also very happy to be able to offer my help in testing one of Sarah’s recipes – the banana mini whoopie pies and marshmallow fluff.  Sarah has very kindly given me an acknowledgement at the back of her book alongside other testers and supporters, which made recieving her book extra special – thanks Sarah!

Bake Me I’m Yours…Sweet Bitesize Bakes

Bake Me I’m Your’s…Sweet Bitesize Bakes features a range of baking projects with simple to follow recipes (that work!) alongside fillings and toppings and step-by-step decorating techniques. You’ll find recipes for sponge cakes, including red velvet cake, banana whoopie pie shells, macarons, madelines and coux buns.

Sarah also shares fool-proof recipes for fillings, such as, chocolate ganache, marshmallow fluff and lemon curd, as well as showing us how to pipe, work with sugar paste and make pretty and simple decorative flowers and bows.

Photo Credit: Sian Irvine

Once you have worked your way through the basics, there are over 25 projects in five sections to dive into – Fondant Fancies, Mini Cupcakes, Cutesy Cookies, Little Tiers and Petit Fours.

I got stuck into making Sarah’s Banana mini whoopie pie shells again (I had tested them for the book) for the Bake Swap, this time using Nutella as the filling as I wanted them to travel well and keep in the post overnight. They came out beautifully.

I’m desperate to have a go at making my own fondant fancies now, particularly the Orange Blossoms with a hint of orange water and marmalade. Sarah’s Bring out the Bunting biscuits are also delightful and I’d love to have a go at making Sarah’s Pretty in Pink mini eclairs.

Photo Credit: Sian Irvine

This book would be perfect for anyone looking to improve their home baking skills and take them up to the next level. There’s plenty of advice on baking tools and equipment and if you follow Sarah’s methods and advice, you’ll be able to produce some stunning bitesize bakes!

Likewise, this book would make the perfect companion for anyone looking to host an impressive home baked afternoon tea or mini bakes party.

I’ll leave you with a couple of photos from my the Bake Swap hosted by BakeMe.com. Thank you to my Bake Swap partner Andrea Jones for sending me some delightful home made chocolate bournon biscuits in return!

You can read all about Sarah’s Pop Up Launch Party here, too with some stunning photos of Sarah’s bakes.

Scroll down to the very bottom on the post to be in with a chance of winning a copy, too!

 

 A simple Nutella filling…

 

 

 My mini Banoffi Whoopie Pies go out by post… 

 My bitesize bakes arrived by post…

 

 Review copy my own. Bake Me I’m Yours…Sweet Bitsize Bakes is available to buy through RUCraft (priced at £7.49)  Amazon and Barnes and Noble.com. Giveaway copy will be sent out by Sarah.

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About Ren

Ren Behan is a British-born food writer of Polish descent. She is a mum to three young children (13, 10 and 5) and spends lots of time with them in the kitchen. Ren writes about seasonal, family-friendly food on her blog www.renbehan.com. She also contributes recipes and articles to online and print food publications, such as Food52.com, GreatBritishChefs.com, Huff Post Food and JamieOliver.com. She holds a Diploma in Food Journalism with Distinction and has completed a Food Styling course at Leiths School of Food and Wine.

Ren’s cookbook, Wild Honey and Rye: Modern Polish Recipes, draws upon her Polish heritage and regular travels to Poland.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. I love fudge that my cousin makes, as you bite into it you can feel the sugar crunching between your teeth, yum!

    Reply

  5. I have such a sweet tooth I enjoy most sweet treats but my absolute Favourite has to be a banana split, (just heavenly)

    Reply

  11. I love Syrup Waffles. Totally gorgeous, and totally full of calories. My brother always brings them back from the Netherlands just for me. The Dutch ones are so much better!

    Reply

  26. I’m partial to a bowl of chocolate mousse with whipped cream and raspberries on the side …. deeeelicious!

    Reply

  44. every year my sister throw a party and we have to bring a treat for the table these ideas look like they would impress

    Reply

  64. I love Cheesecake – Love the little individual mini ones (my attempt at stopping me demolishing a big one!)

    Reply

  82. Hehe my favourite is chocolate birthday cake, bought myself a small one the other day all for me:D

    Reply

  103. I really enjoy a slice of homemade cake but, if I haven’t baked, I do like those chewy chocolate chip cookies you get in a bag of five from the supermarkets!

    Reply

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