The Violet Bakery Cookbook
Claire Ptak is famous for making the wedding cake for Prince Harry and Meghan in 2018. I heard her on a podcast and really loved her story. She worked at Chez Panisse in California and then took a leap of faith and moved to London where she eventually had a stall in a farmers market selling baked goods. Her approach to baking is fresh and simple, focusing on great, seasonal ingredients and interesting flavor combinations. I love to read cookbooks, and her book is a great read. When I get a new book, I read it cover to cover and savor all of the stories about the recipes, check out the tips and tricks, go over the pantry section and make a list of what I want to make. This book hit all the high spots for me. Claire's story is great, her recipes are interesting, her ingredients are different than the norm and her take on food is fresh and classic at the same time. I was in London a couple of years ago and wanted to go to her bakery but did not have enough time! Oh, just to say I'd been there! Alas, maybe next time.
My absolute favorite recipe in this book is Grandma Ptak's Red Velvet Cake. I've made a lot of red velvet cake in my day, and this is by far the best recipe I've ever tried. Simply amazing. Her technique is different than any other one I've made, and the product is just great. My husband's favorite cake is red velvet, so I make this one often. I've made him a birthday cake, cupcakes for work and even cupcakes for a friend's wedding. This recipe does not disappoint, and you must try it.
Aside from my favorite cake, everything else is lovely. Strawberry ginger and poppy seed scones for example. Yummy. Savory choices like a kale and ricotta bread pudding that would be amazing for brunch for a bunch. Or butternut squash quiche. I adore butternut squash and like finding new ways to use it other than just cooked and mashed. This quiche is full of butternut squash, cream and sage and makes for a spectacular fall dinner option.
If you want to explore the more unusual ingredients, this is the book for you. Some of Claire's recipes use things like spelt, pink peppercorns, buckwheat flour or lemon verbena. I like to stretch my baking and cooking skills and this is a great book to expand your horizons. The recipes are not difficult and are traditional in one sense but use things that are a bit different. Strawberry and lemon verbena jam for example or Loganberry and geranium jam. Like I said, traditional but with a twist.
But there are traditional recipes like Chewy Ginger Snaps that take you right back to Grandma's kitchen. How about Blackberry crumble tart in the warmth of summer or Alice Waters' apple galette for a fancy dinner party? I haven't tried her ice creams yet but since it's been 100 degrees out lately, I think it's time to try! Walnut praline ice cream sounds really great.
I've included an Amazon affiliate link below in case you want to try out this great cookbook. Enjoy!
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