My nana was an atrocious cook but an utterly amazing baker. Her cream sponges and Neenish tarts were phenomenal, and she made the best griddle scones in the history of the world. I can remember her battered, tattered, splattered old copy of the Edmonds Cookbook, and the way she only used it to check that her memory of the recipes was right.
When asked if I’d like to review the new Edmonds Best of Baking, it was a no-brainer: I’ve grown up baking with Edmonds, and I knew that it would contain a variety of simple yet delicious, decadent, beautiful recipes that would appeal to my children, and to me. Recipes that wouldn’t need fancy, expensive or hard-to-find ingredients; recipes that would contain copious amounts of those current evils, butter and sugar, and would therefore taste amazing.
Choosing a recipe to try was difficult, purely because I bookmarked at least eleven on my first flick through. Once I’d narrowed it down, I still couldn’t choose between the finalists, so I didn’t: I made them all.
First up were the Hokey Pokey Biscuits, which I remember my mum making when I was little. There really can’t be an easier or faster biscuit recipe than this – these tasty cookies were ready for eatin’ within half an hour of the decision to bake. My boys (including the adult one) loved them, and they didn’t last long; we like a chewy cookie so I cooked them for the shortest recommended time, and they were perfect. These have now made it to top spot on my “Help! I’m out of baking for the lunchboxes” list, due to the speed with which they’re ready, and the fact that I will always have all the ingredients in my pantry.
Next I decided to try the lemon version of the Basic Biscuits. Again, these were super-easy and I had everything I needed, and the addition of the lemon zest made these wee cookies something special. They were buttery and a little like shortbread, zingy with lemon but not overpoweringly so. I turned these babies into spider cookies for my babiest one’s fourth birthday party, and unsurprisingly, there were none left! I’m keen to give the spice version a go soon.
Lastly, on a bit of a whim, I made Chocolate Eclairs (also for the party table). Except I made chocolate puffs (piping the mixture as Cream Puffs, as suggested), filled with a white chocolate custard. I don’t know why people are scared of making eclairs and puffs, as they are incredibly easy; the Edmonds recipe was very straightforward and these puppies turned out brilliantly, despite the fact that I accidentally turned the power to the oven off during the second stage of cooking.
There are many, many appealing recipes in Edmonds Best of Baking, some of which will be very familiar to those of us who’ve grown up in New Zealand. Each recipe is accompanied by beautiful photography which will have you drooling from page to page. It is said that we feast with our eyes first, and for me, a winning recipe book is one that features pictures of each dish, on which Edmonds Best of Baking definitely delivers. Based on the photos alone, I want to try making the Warm Gingerbread Date Cake (I KNOW!! Sounds amaaaaaazing, right?!), and the Honey Tea Buns next!
And guess what? You might get the chance to try them too, because the kind folks at Hachette New Zealand have given me an extra copy of Edmonds Best of Baking to give away to one lucky reader!
Simply comment below with your favourite item to bake, and you’re in the draw!
Competition closes on Friday 24 June, at 8pm (NZ time). Open worldwide.
Cant beat good old chocolate chip cookies mmmm
At the moment I’ve been baking double batches of pumpkin muffins! Soo delish. This book looks great. Great review, thanks!
We love baking of any sort. Lately it’s been cupcakes with delicious buttercream icing!
My kids love vanilla biscuits and afghans.
My children love to help bake anything. I can remember the first time I made Hokey Pokey biscuits all by myself.
I’ve been researching to buy a new baking book. This one has just one to the top of my wishlist. Of course winning it would take the cake {i’m so funny}. My favourite thing to bake is chocolate chip cookies, I must have made 1000s of them over the years!
love the spider biscuits
Afghans (my youngest calls them afragans)
What a great book – all the favourites in one place with more that are bound to become favourites. Love making banana cake (if it has cream cheese icing all the better!) – has bananas so got to be good for me right?
Sandra! Your name was drawn as the winner! Congratulations! I have to agree with the cream cheese icing…yum! Please email me with your postal details: Tallshortandtiny at gmail dot com
Hey, Sandra! Are you there?
Your name was drawn as the winner of the Edmonds Best of Baking competition, but I still haven’t heard from you…I will have to redraw if I don’t hear from you by the evening of Wednesday 6th July.
Please email!
Chic chip. Hokey pokey. Afghans. Yum! Love Edmunds. π
Chocolate Brownie π
I love to bake Shortbread….its a family favourite.
gingerbread cake – really yummy!!!
I love Chocolate Cream biscuits from a really old version of the Edmonds cook book!
Love baking sponges, mix it up with vanilla and chocolate flavoured and even made a caramel one. Nothing beats a fresh sponge with plum jam and fresh cream.
what a brilliant giveaway! We love making orange and poppy seed muffins at the moment and almond cakes – yummmmm! β€ x
I love Afghans always my favourite biscuit
Chocolate cake for me with half walnuts pressed into the icing, just like my late mum used to make.
So hard to commit to one thing! But maybe tan square. Shortbready, caramelly goodness, with the convenience of being in slice form. I should avoid this competition, but looks like a book that would get lots of use.
Afghans are the best!! I struggle to not eat the mixture ππ
I love baking cakes can’t beat a cake that turns out all decorated with moist Centre and work mates die over it got good at baking Rhubarb sour cream cake to die for but love mixing it up and having variety now I’d have no excuses to get takeaways
Mini-afghans, nicknamed afghinis, are tops in our house!
Peanut Brownies Biscuits are my family’s favourite…
Chewy choc-chip cookies are my go to! I always eat waaaay too many though!
Banana Cake from the good old Edmonds Cookbook π
My favorite thing to bake is self-saucing chocolate pudding! So easy to make and never fails!
Looks like a fabulous book.
Mini afghans, called afghinis are tops in our house!
I love to bake blueberry muffins
My fav thing to bake is Carrot Cake
I am on a chocolate chip cookie baking roll at the moment! Anything that can go in the lunch boxes is great! π
Hi and Thanks for the fabulous pics/recipes and giveaway chance I’m sitting here in the States, yes that would be United States and just happened upon a review for this new book from a NZ blogger friend and since I never heard of the book I had to google it which brought me here to you!! I would love to win a copy and do some baking from this iconic NZ favorite.
My favorite thing to bake is Brownies with Pecans or Walnuts
Thanks!!!
Keeping my fingers crossed
really enjoyed the post!!!
Wonderful book. I enjoy baking apple cake.
Chocolate brownies is a favourite in my house
I love the one egg chocolate cake! It’s always so delish!
The Edmonds one egg chocolate cake is my fav!
Chocolate coconut brownie and the one egg chocolate cake. Both made in a saucepan before into the baking tin. Less dishes = extra delicious!
You’ve made me drool!!!!!! I want to get creative these holidays with my friends kiddies she’s due for her new edition on the 24/07 so I’m going to be on hand to keep tje kids company for two weeks π
These holidays are hard with the winter approachin and more rain days so baking seems good option and butter was cheap this week so stocked up π
Can’t beat Chocolate Chunk Cookies or Banana Cake never lasts long in the cookie jar π
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