SIFT: The Food Book of the Year – Times & Sunday Times

A long time admirer of Nicola Lamb’s work, there was no question in buying this book. Even recipes I’m skeptical of turn out amazing. (Not a walnut fan but have made the miso walnut cookies weekly since first attempt at recipe). The custard tart is addicitive, and the coriander seed cake with honey cream cheese frosting is a stealthy keeper. It’s almost savoury, but not? So good. I love how she guides the time necessary for the various recipes (and how to adapt or change for own needs) which is especially crucial for me as a mum of two small kids. The three day recipes aren’t something I have time for yet but cannot wait to get a chance to try my hand at pain suisse and I already know her lamination guidance is exceptional from puff school days.

I have bought recipe books in the past- however when receiving I always felt disheartened and that they were either too complex or too simple/done before. This is the perfect middle ground. I found Nicola on Substack and fell in love with her recipes. They simply JUST WORK. I love the sheer amount of knowledge, science and love that has been put into the book. The organisation of the book is impeccable, so many unique pages and ideas. Every single recipe appeals to me and with the amount of explaining I feel determined to nail them,which is not usually the case. My first bake I've made is the Brown butter banana cookies- I had an overripe banana and thought to try this first recipe, I'm really not a banana fan (the odd few which hates banana bread) in baked goods- however these tasted so so delicious. Honestly I can't wait to bake every single recipe in the book. Thank you Nicola💖😊😊🍪

This is a really, really good cookbook, a treasure for any self-respecting baking lover wanting to take their skill to the next level, and an excellent gift too. Nicola's love for baking is very clear and her way of explaining things and structuring recipes, has inspired me with all sorts of my own "what if I tried that instead" ideas, something that has otherwise only happened with Jamie Oliver. High-quality print, design and cover. Truly beautiful recipes. A pleasure to read.

Wow, what an amazing book this is. I am not particularly good at baking, and am a recipe following cook at best, but love this book. The first part, about a third of the book, is educational and incorporates food science, and is reminiscent of Kenji's Food Lab (also amazing) and a really interesting and useful read. I have since looked at Nicola's website which goes into even more detail! The remainder is recipes, of which I want to try most of them. So far I have only tried the lemon meringue tart. As you will see from the pic, this wouldn't grace any fine dining restaurant through my clumsy ability, but this was the first time using pastry rings and even making a Swiss meringue - and it still tasted amazing. Yes there is room for personal improvement but this is what this book does so well, it makes you want to learn and improve and is encouraging at the same time. I love the timelines, which accurately suggests how long things will take, which I wish more people would do. I already consider this to be one of my most important owned cook books and couldn't be happier with it.

Half the book is theory which is very helpful and well explained although there’s no shortage of amazing recipes. Honestly no other book has compared from the explanations and recipe options to the end results. As a novice I can’t believe some of the pastries, cakes and bakes I’ve managed to create - I think this book alone has gotten me into baking, and was a source of calming relief during early months of some difficult evenings as a new mum. I’ve bought other books since and just don’t taste as good or are very fussy. I’m keeping it in mind to buy for any friends in future. P.S the ultimate chocolate cake was incredible! feels like a lifetime achievement that I managed to make such a thing

This is a very good book. Although it goes into the science of baking, and how and why things work (or don't work) it's written in a 'non-sciency' way and is engaging and interesting. The recipe section is also very good, but some of the recipes are quite complicated and perhaps best suited to bakers with some experience. The recipes refer to using a stand mixer and the different attachments, so if you don't have one you are going to have to work out how to achieve the desired result with a hand-held one, or even by hand. All the egg measurements are by weight, which can be tricky - getting (say) 100 grams of egg out of a larger amount is not easy. All in all though a good book, and a lot of things are clearer to me now!

I love the recipes in this book, but I bought it for the technical nerdery, which is very easy to understand. This is a great companion to Nicola's 'Kitchen Projects' newsletter.

This is not just a recipe book, it's a treasure trove. As a bit of a nerd, the first section of the book with how and why techniques and ingredients work (sugar, yeast, etc) really appeals. The writing is clear and factual but is backed up by helpful diagrams that are also beautiful! The second half of the book is recipes, split into chapters by how long each recipe takes, eg an afternoon or a weekend, or by basic recipes you need in your toolkit. This is a book to be used - you'll want some post-its to flag your pages as there is some flicking back and forth, for example with the rhubarb tart above I needed one page for the tart shell, another for frangipane, etc. I think this is an advantage because although the recipes are accessible for beginners, it means us middling bakers can mix-and-match and customise recipes to suit our tastes. The thing about Nicola's recipes (if you don't subscribe to her newsletter Kitchen Projects, you should), is that they always, always work. I'm never worried about trying one of her recipes before an event because I know it'll work. No need for a practice!

Bought as a gift for my sister. She loves it. It’s simple and clear without over complicating recipies and explains the practicalities of how ingredients work together. Great book for cooks of all capabilities.

Un libro increíble! Creo que es un libro que te enseña mucho, lo uso de manera recurrente no solo para ver recetas también para consultar aspectos mas técnicos o diferentes técnicas! Me encantaría que el libro se traduzca al Español, desde luego lo tengo como un libro esencial en mi cocina!

Nicola’s knowledge about baking is amazing and she is incredibly generous about sharing everything. Her recipes are perfection. And I can’t believe we have access to so much gorgeous information in this book. Buy it! You won’t be able to stop baking from it.

It is an amazing book, filled with incredible well written knowledge.

This not your average cook book! This is very structured teaching guide with so much information about anything baking related! Think school level teaching book in the best possible way! Plus after the educational section, you find so many great recipes!Very well done book!