Busy Baker

internationally,her latest television series is quite a hit too; its broadcast rights have been bought by more than 30 countries. “The show is about different kinds of baking,and not just breads. I hope people will watch it and say,look at that lovely cake,” she says.

An accompanying book Bake! has sold more than two lakh copies in the past six months in the UK and Ireland. “It took longer than my other books to research and to test recipes for because with baking,it’s a bit of a science,isn’t it?” she explains. So what is so different about this recipe book that has sold record copies? “You can’t just say,‘Oh,I’ll make a raspberry and coconut cake and throw a few ingredients together and it works.’ my book is about something that anyone can do once they follow a few easy steps. I am a practical cook and my recipes are accessible. I’m not trying to create architecture on a plate,” she smiles.

Allen may be baking the freshest bread,she thoroughly enjoys Indian food and its use of spices. “I think it’s the best vegetarian food in the world,” says Allen,adding,“I love masoor dal. That’s what I probably make most regularly at home because I just find it so convenient. I also love kulfi.”

Allen could never decide what she wanted to do when she was a teenager. “When I left school,I did a cookery course,and it was actually on the first day of the cookery course that I realised I absolutely loved it.”

While baking seems to have become a popular form of cooking now,one must make sure to weigh ingredients exactly when baking,cautions Allen. “Once you use good ingredients,then it’s definitely the first step to make something that tastes good.” Besides Bake,Allen is currently shooting another series for UKTV,called Rachel Allen: Home Cooking. “I love the variety television offers. I am able to visit some fantastic people who are making lots of different things.”