Alice Arndell is a mother and home baker from New Zealand. From what I have read about her, she understands perfectly that baking is a science, and that decorating is an art. She understands that baking is not only about providing a sweet treat for your family, but can be cathartic for the baker too.

This book is very appealing to the eye. The cover image displays a fine vintage tea set, plates laden with goodies, and a hand reaching for an irresistible morsel. The photos within are lovely and bright, with a fashionable retro style in soft pastel tones. It is such a pretty book. I am very pleased to say that each recipe contains at least one photo, and this is a big plus in my opinion.

The recipes are largely sweet, which is absolutely fine by me. There are a few savoury recipes included, and even a few surprising savoury ingredients included in the sweet recipes. A lot of the recipes are classics that you will recognise, but I think some that are regional to New Zealand, as the author includes recipes from friends and family.

The recipes have been split into chapters of intriguing titles: Delicious, Decadent, and Daring. These are followed by a section of Hints & Tips, where the author discusses ingredients and essential equipment. There is a page of conversions between metric and imperial for weights and measures. The book ends with a useful A-Z index of the recipes

There are some very well illustrated and clearly written tutorials on some basic techniques. I think that because of this the book would be appealing to novices, although an experienced baker can enjoy the delicious recipes within too. There are some detailed photo tutorials on some of the basic skills, and each recipe contains a handy tip. I like that the recipe instructions are in a numbered ordered list instead of a block of text. I personally find that much easier to follow.

The only small concern I have is that the recipes are an unusual combination of grams and cups. Maybe this is normal in New Zealand, but could potentially be off putting to a novice. A British novice may be put off by the use of cups, and an American novice by the use of grams. From my experience, a lot of US households don’t even own weighing scales. That being said, a set of measuring cups are readily available here in the UK and I am sure a keen US baker could easily get their hands on some cheap scales. I don’t think the author’s New Zealand origins cause any further difficulties. I didn’t see a single ingredient that was not obtainable here, although a few translations may have been helpful (apparently, kumara is the New Zealand word for sweet potato).

My favourite recipes were Chocolate Brioche, Peanut Butter and Caramel Slice, and the Sundried Tomato Feta and Basil Rolls. You have to treat yourself to this book. Your biggest dilemma will be choosing which one of the gorgeous recipes to make first.

Alice In Bakingland is available now from Harper Collins.