Jane Dunn is proof that you can take a passion and turn it into a fulfilling career. In 2014 she started her blog āJaneās Patisserieā and over the past seven years, itās gone from strength-to-strength. Regularly pulling in millions of views, Jane has become well-known for her creative recipes and ability to create tantalising sweet treats that bakers of all skill levels can make. I myself have used Janeās blog on numerous occasions and sheās definitely my kind of baker, often developing recipes for hybrid desserts and combining confectionary favourites with classic bakes to create something new.
Janeās first book, named after her blog of course, takes some of her most popular recipes along with plenty of new ones, and itās an absolute treat. As a keen baker myself, I find myself frustrated with recipe books as half the time I make one or two things from them, and then struggle to find anything else thatās to my taste. That absolutely isnāt the case with āJaneās Patisserieā and Iād happily make (and eat) every single recipe.
The book is split into 9 sections ā āCheesecakesā, āCakesā, āCupcakes & Muffinsā, āCookiesā, āBreads & Doughnutsā, āTraybakesā, āDessertsā, āTea Timeā and āSweetsā. What I should probably point out is that Janeās focus isnāt on creating exceptionally difficult bakes that you need a fine degree in art to pull off. Thereās no fondant or modelling in sight, and thatās what makes this book so accessible to anyone with an interest in baking. If youāve got the raw basic ingredients, piping nozzles and bags, and a passion to create something delicious, youāll have a fantastic time.
Trying to pick favourites from this book is near impossible because every recipe is incredible. Janeās āNYC Chocolate Chip Cookiesā recipe, which has been a firm favourite of her blog and was recently demonstrated live on āThis Morningā by Jane, is definitely a go-to of mine. The recipe is super simple, very quick and the end result is mouth-watering. I made of batch of cookies recently and they didnāt even see 24 hours after coming out of the oven.
One section I struggled to leave was the āCheesecakeā one. Jane is known for her cheesecake recipes and if youāre looking for no-bake recipes, this is your new bible. How can anyone resist the āNo Bake Millionaireās Cheesecakeā or the āNo Bake Salted Caramel Cheesecakeā? They are perfect to make as crowd pleasers for your next dinner party. Want drip cakes and layer cakes? Head over to the āCakesā section and wrap your baking muscles around the āDeath By Chocolate Cakeā or the āCookies & Cream Drip Cakeā, complete with Oreos as decoration.
Some of Janeās best recipes are her hybrid ones. Her āChocolate Cheesecake Doughnutsā are to die for as is her āMillionaireās Trifleā, which is perfect for anyone who isnāt a fruit lover but still wants a trifle centrepiece at their dinner party. Thereās even no-churn ice cream recipes, microwave recipes for mug cakes and cookies (both are delicious), and recipes to make your own honeycomb.
An element of āJaneās Patisserieā I love is that Jane offers tips on every recipe that allow you to customise each bake. Those tips give you the confidence to tweak the recipes and if youāre feeling super confident, you can evolve Janeās recipes into your own. Itās a really nice touch and feels a million miles away from the more regimented way that a lot of recipes can be. As Iām sure Jane would tell you herself, part of the joy of baking is experimenting and the more you try, the better youāll get at it.
āJaneās Patisserieā is a wonderful collection of recipes from a seriously talented baker. Itās incredible to watch Janeās continued journey as she builds an incredible platform to show off her talents and inspire a new generation of bakers. Having used plenty of Janeās recipes (seriously, she has the best red velvet recipes out there), I can safely say that they are as tasty as they look. If you love indulgent treats or just want to push yourself to make something impressive, this is the book for you.
Publisher: Ebury Press Release date: 5th August 2021 Buy āJaneās Patisserieā now
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