Is that the way the cookie crumbles? How to bake for novices

The Great British Bake Off fever has gripped the nation once again, inspiring the masses to pick up their whisks and attempt to recreate the masterpieces seen on screen. I’ve been baking for a few years now so like to think I know my way around a mixing bowl, but I remember well the uncertainty of giving it a go for the first time. Many failed cakes and a few fire alarms later, I’ve reached a point where I have a good idea of the resources that are helpful to beginners. As a result, I’ll share my hard-earned wisdom to help you all develop into the next cohort of bakers to grace the sacred white tent (or realistically, the cohort after that).

Recipe books are the natural first step for a beginner, but the growth in popularity of the hobby means the variety available can be overwhelming. If you buy one book in your entire baking career, I would recommend you get a copy of Mary Berry’s Fast Cakes. It has a great range of recipes, from more basic sponge cakes perfect for a first try to desserts you can whip up once you’ve gained some confidence. I’d also recommend the Hummingbird Bakery’s Home Sweet Home for a range of easy bakes with a special focus on cupcakes. If you have the chance to visit one of the Hummingbird shops, I’d urge you to pop in. The pretty cakes are arguably worth the equally as pretty penny.

Social media plays such a huge part in our lives and you can use that to your advantage, even with baking

If you have absolutely no idea where to begin, the easiest bake to master before you attempt the iconic Bake Off bread lion would probably be cookies. The ‘all-in-one’ method (pretty self-explanatory) of many recipes means you don’t have to worry about technique or additional skills beyond measuring and mixing. Pro tip: I’d recommend sticking your baking trays in the freezer once you’ve got the balls of cookie mixture on to avoid them spreading and creating a giant monster cookie. Whilst attempting to bake a huge cookie is by no means a bad thing and could even be a welcome comfort in those stressful nights writing essays, freezing the mixture allows for those nicely formed biscuits you can show off.

Social media plays such a huge part in our lives and you can use that to your advantage, even with baking. Have a look at the YouTube videos from Crumbs and Doilies, an adorable shop in London’s aesthetic Soho. Alongside selling bespoke cakes and delicious cupcakes in their store, the founder of the shop Jemma leads some really useful baking tutorials and an aesthetically pleasing Instagram. Pinterest can become your best friend when finding new ideas for delicious creations: I have a steadily increasing board full of bakes I want to attempt, but the recipes on the site can be temperamental. As such, it’s best to find a basic recipe for the main component of the bakes (like a solid cupcake recipe) and then use Pinterest for inspiration on flavour and design combinations.

Start with a simple set of trusted tools and add as you develop your skills to avoid wasting money

Before you get ahead of yourself and purchase all of the baking equipment you can get your hands on, I’d suggest you start with the basics.

With just a good mixing bowl, an accurate set of scales and a reusable icing bag with a 1M piping tip in the end, you can create wonders. You really don’t need most of the kit available for purchase, especially as a beginner. Start with a simple set of trusted tools and add as you develop your skills to avoid wasting money on things you end up never even unwrapping. If you find you have a knack for it and start baking regularly, then an electric whisk would make life easier and reduces the elbow grease you need to invest.

Social media, recipe books and fancy kit aside, the best advice I can give is to practise. You may start off with wonky cookies or cupcakes that resemble the poop emoji but if you persevere then you’ll soon achieve the perfect Instagram worthy swirl. As well as tasty treats to share with friends (if you choose to share, that is), you’ll gain a brilliant sense of achievement at your newly found skills, and that feeling of pride is the cherry on the cake.