The Thrifty Baker

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of The Thrifty Baker.

This was one of the best cookbooks about baking I've ever seen.

I didn't know the author was on The Great British Bake Off in 2023 but after reading the recipes, I'm not surprised she wrote a cookbook because she's awesome and so are her recipes!

First, her recipes are easy to follow that contain ingredients you can find anywhere.

Second, the photos are so beautiful! They even came through on my cell phone.

Third, her recipes are uniquely original! I've never heard of sardine soda bread before. I love sardines and soda bread so I'm going to give this a try.

Usually, I just drool over the photos but The Thrifty Baker was one of the few cookbooks I've read this year that had creative recipes I'd never heard of that made me want to try making.

The author not only wowed the judges on The Great British Bake-Off, she's wowed me too!

Wonderful book for any baker, and me, who barely bake!

Loved everything about this. Opened with really helpful advice. Gorgeous recipes. Beautiful pictures. Give her a show of her own please!

I remember Hermine from The Great British Bake Off and remember loving her bakes so was delighted to be able to review her book. As expected wonderful recipes to follow with thrifty tips along the way. I'm always on the look out for baking recipes to support the baking stalls at various village events and this book certainly contains a few inspirations.

I love the French inspiration too and having mastered Madeleines recently will be trying her Orange and Brown Butter ones over the weekend along with Palets Bretons and Speculoos, family favourites when in France. Not all the recipes are sweet though as there is a Bread section and one on Pies and Tarts with sweet and savour. Plus, there is a comprehensive introduction with sections on equipment, ingredients and techniques, all perfect for a refresher or for a less experienced baker, or even a novice. As with all baking books there will be some recipes the reader will have certainly seen and maybe baked before but there are enough new ideas. Stunning colour photographs accompany some of the recipes for further inspiration.

Bake and enjoy

Great recipe book with astonishing pictures! All the recipes were simple and delicious. Also really affordable. Personally have liked the cinnamon rolls recipe and will try it out.
What i really liked that in the beginning of the book some tipps for the baking, ingredients and all the tools were given.

Would really like to have it as a hardcopy.

Great recipe book for inexpensive baking! The author states that the goal was to keep portions at $0.65 or less, and that most ingredients can be found at very cheap discount-type stores. So while baking can seem like an expensive luxury, all of the recipes here are meant to be as affordable (and still tasty) as possible.

I loved the 'how-to' pics. The ingredient lists. The recipes all look amazing and I appreciate the fact that the measurements are given both ways. The ingredient list isn't too extensive although here in the US not all readily available to me. The recipes themselves seem to be fairly complex and not very a very new inexperienced baker. Beautiful book!

Paging thru this beautiful book with so many tantalising recipes had me salivating and wanting more. The presentation and clear explanations would make it a worthy addition to a cookbook collection

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to purchasing it for myself as well as a Christmas gift.

I absolutely love the concept of this book, especially in the current economic climate. The book is packed with great tips to save on costs of the ingredients and cooking time/electricity etc. The stuffed bun recipe looks like a fantastic way to enjoy leftovers and I am looking forward to trying them! Fantastic addition to any bakers bookshelf.

The Thrifty Baker is a cookbook with 65 delightful recipes by Hermine Dossou, who was on The Great British Bake Off in 2023. It focuses on budget baking, which is a godsend for so many people struggling with the cost of groceries these days!

There are recipes here for breads, tea cakes, cookies, pastries and tarts, and a variety of other desserts. I love that she includes prep time, baking time (per batch), and general cost category each recipe is in. Many recipes also have additional tips included.

I love the fact that Hermine includes so many gluten-free recipes. It would have been nice for there to be a separate place that these were listed, as they're interspersed through the book. However, they are all listed under 'gluten free' in the index, so they are easy enough to find if that is what you are looking for.

Overall, great variety of recipes, even quite a few that are gluten-free that look amazing, and beautiful pictures to showcase everything. Definite winner!

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this eARC in exchange for my honest review on the book!

When I stumbled across Hermine Dossou's cookbook, I was excited and immediately intrigued. Too often, baking can be cost prohibitive to those working to hone their skills and try new recipes, so I appreciated that Dossou focused on keeping costs low AND using ingredients that are readily available in most grocery stores.

Upon first read, I appreciated the introduction and her personal history with inexpensive baking as well as the helpful tips on additional ways to cut costs without losing flavor. The accompanying pictures to walk through the basic processes are a good guide for both amateur and seasoned bakers. I am particularly looking forward to trying the French-style macarons and also the white chocolate and raspberry curd tart for larger events.

Additionally, I appreciated that each recipe is coded by total time, baking time, servings, and frugality of recipe per serving--and RIGHT AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE! In too many other cookbooks or recipes, I have to search for the total time needed and number of servings, and for a busy baker and individual, it can be frustrating. So, thank you for including that information right at the top under the title of each recipe. The extra tips and additional ways to be thrifty are also simple and to the point allowing each baker to customize and fit their needs as necessary.

I can already tell that Dossou's cookbook will be well-used in my home, and I look forward to gifting it to other bakers once it is officially released and published.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an eARC to read, review, and test out -- all reviews and thoughts are my own.

I LOVE THIS! Baking doesn’t *need* to be expensive. Delicious pastries and confections can be made on a budget and Hermine has proved that.

The equipment and ingredients section is so helpful, even for someone who’s been baking for years. Having the recipes in grams, ounces, AND cups is a huge help. I’ve always hated when people just show ingredients in grams. The instructions are also very easy to follow.

It also helps that the recipes look so good and aren’t overly complicated. I can’t wait to test some of these recipes out on my family.

Did not know the writer. Amazing photos and easy to follow recipes, mainly sweets. Tried out two cakes.Highly recommended.

Thanks to Netgalley and Quarto Publishing Group for access to this arc in exchange for my honest review.

There are so many recipes I want to try from this book ! From the breads to the cookies, to the desserts. Everything seemed so delicious ! I really loved that the ingredients were given in grams. The + tips/thrifty are a bonus !! This book will definitely be an addition to my collection.

There are so many great tips and recipes in The Thrifty Baker, I would highly recommend it for anyone interested in low cost delicious recipes that utilise what you have on hand and easy to make. I can't wait to test out the Chai Butternut Cake and the Chocolate Hazelnut Cream Pie recipes, yum! They sound amazing and look easy for any skill level. Love the cover and design of this book, it has really nice fonts and layout inside.

This lovely baking book presents 65 recipes for the novice to the advanced baker, with detailed instructions and excellent photos. The front matter includes tips for specific techniques and ingredients, so is unintimidating for the beginner. Ms. Dossou’s focus on affordable bakes is unique — each recipe estimates the cost per serving and she also covers using leftovers, and minimizing waste and cooking time to cut down on cost. She shares tips for amping up flavor and creating nutritious bakes that don’t cost a fortune.

The recipes themselves deliver— they are mouthwatering, and I look forward to making many more of them.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

When I see the word “thrifty” in the title of a cookbook, it always makes me think I’m going to have to compromise on taste. However, when I saw that the cookbook was by Hermine Dossou I knew it would be okay. Watching her on the Great British Bake-Off, it was clear that Hermine doesn’t compromise on taste.

I was right; these recipes are amazing!

The book starts out with some really helpful tips to save money when you are baking. (There is a tip on how to use residual heat to finish a bake in an electric oven, which is brilliant!) She also tries to limit bakes to short time periods to use less electricity. Beyond the oven and electricity, she talks about ingredients and cooking equipment and when it is better to spend a bit more if you can and where you can definitely save. There are even detailed pictures to teach readers how to make their own muffin cups and piping bags out of parchment.

Her money-saving tips were really very practical and easy. Other than the muffin wrappers, none of them add much time or effort to the baking process.

Tips on tempering chocolate, saving buttercreams, browning butter and more are also located at the beginning of the book.

The recipes are all labeled at the top to let you know how much the recipes will cost per portion. They run from 65 cents to $1.85 per serving. Compared to what you would pay in a bakery or pre-packaged, these are very reasonable costs.

The book is filled with mouth-watering photos. Almost every recipe has additional tips for preparation or ingredients. The directions are clearly written and easy to read. Measurements include both metric and the American standard. I didn’t note any ingredients that were so esoteric that I couldn’t locate them in my grocery store. There are savory as well as sweet options available. Most also include suggestions at the top on how you can adapt the recipe to make it more your own.

The recipes are broken down into the following sections:
breads
cakes for tea
biscuits and cookies
pastries and tarts
desserts
special occasions
quick and convenient

I made her peanut butter and jam microwave mug cake from the quick and convenient section and it was delicious! The cake had a nice crumb to it, but the jam swirl provided a sticky and gooey component that I found irresistible. I followed her recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. This is an ideal recipe for those of us who want our sweet treats fast. Her recipe said it would take 7 minutes and it took me exactly 7 from start to the first spoonful.

I can’t wait to try more of her recipes!!

I received a free eArc of this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

What an insightful recipe book!!! Recipe books often intimidate me a little bit as everything looks so professional it feels impossible. Given the current cost of living, I admit the title of this book drew me in. However, once I was in, I did not want to leave. This book has fantastic tips and tricks not just on baking but cost effective baking. The best part, the recipes are not complex and they are easy to follow. Loving it!!

A fantastic baking book! And while the theme is "shop, bake, and eat on a budget," these desserts have the flavor profile and appearance of something fancy. I loved that all the recipes had a full color photo, cost rating, and many have preparation tips.
Recipes are in chapters on bread, cakes for tea, biscuits and cookies, pastries and tarts, desserts, special occasions, and quick and convenient (mainly mug cakes/parfaits/ single serve items). The ingredient measurements are in both grams and cups.
I love the wide variety of items in here, and they all look and sound delicious. The intro section includes lots of useful info on ingredients, tools, and photos on how to make muffin liners and piping bags from parchment paper.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Thrifty Baker -- what an interesting title. I wasn't quite sure what to expect, however, this was easily one of my favorite cookbooks of this year.

So many fun recipes that are approachable, easy to follow with tips, beautiful photos to reference from, and just an overall fun cookbook. The book has variety of recipes for all levels and occasions, definitely has something for everyone, ingredients are easy to find if not you already have them already in your pantry, author's how-tos are well-written, and inevitably I have so many recipes I have my eyes on already! For me when it comes to cookbooks, photographs are a must, so Hermine Dossou's book already wins a big thumbs-up, but what I also like about this book is the last chapter. The mug cakes. Scrumptious looking mug cakes all in one spot! I have never had a cookbook that dedicated a chapter for mug cakes and I'm already in love. I'll be making lots of mug cakes once cook weather arrives, and with that, I highly recommend The Thrifty Baker! You won't regret it!

The Thrifty Baker is a gorgeous, practical cookbook by Hermine Dossou. Her goal is to bring together food and people by teaching that baking doesn’t need to be a luxury - anyone can be a thrifty baker.

Full of helpful tips on how to DIY cupcake liners, use up leftovers, and make your own buttermilk substitute- this cookbook will help you learn to bake fabulous creations without breaking the bank.

I can’t wait to try the Ham and Cheese Brioche rolls, Brown Butter Chocolate Chip cookies, and Peanut Butter and Jam mug cake.

Some of these recipes look quite adventurous and advanced so while they may match my budget, they do not match my current skill level. I think that this cookbook has enough tips and tricks to help me try to attempt the Victoria Sponge or French Macarons!

An easy to read, totally accessible cookbook by a black female? Yes please. There were such great tips for even the most unknowledgable one (aka me). I think this is an amazing resource.

I absolutely loved reading this book. I was completely drawn into the topic of baking and could not stop reading it.

This is such a great baking book. Not only are the recipes doable on a budget, but most of them are doable for someone with even limited skills or knowledge of baking. The directions and information given is easy to follow. She also provides additional information with terminology, ingredients, equipment. She also provides some visuals to assist with different techniques.

This book is a nice mix of basic recipes you'd typically see in baking books and some you don't typically see. She also provides recipes that are her own spin on things.

I think this is a great book for all bakers, whether you're experienced or a beginner.

This book is perfect for anyone. I loved the tips and tricks in the margins and I can tell that this book was written with love and care. Highly recommend it.

Wow what an incredible book super easy to follow recipes and such beautiful photography

I ended up making the hotdog pretzels, the
Chocolate torte cake, and the herby chicken and leek pies

Let me tell you all of these were so good I couldn’t keep them in the house but my husband and I did have fun eating it all. I give this 5 stars I’m so thankful I could review this book thank you so much