put my mixing bowls and measuring spoons to good use as I explored my curiosity, tackled new tasks, and learned new things.
I’m excited to have the opportunity to share my recipes with you, whether you’re a skilled pastry chef already or someone who enjoys baking for fun. What you’re holding in your hands is my very first book, a collection of baking recipes that I can truly call my own. Everything in it is mine: the original idea, the photos, and the recipes. As a professional graphic designer, I was determined from the start to take on the design and layout of the book myself.
Inspiration can be found everywhere. I always carry a notebook wherever I go—I recommend it. You never know when ideas will pop into your head. For this book, I have been inspired by all things beautiful in nature. I always say that I have four favorite seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. With my recipes, I invite you to come along on a splendid, tasty trip through an entire year of Norwegian nature!
In Norway, every season is beautiful, each in its own way. Winter, with its intricate snowflakes and ice crystals; spring, when everything in nature is reborn; summer, with its spectacular sunsets and fields of abundant wildflowers; and fall, the season of glowing colors and crisp air. Whichever part of the world you live in, you’ll find beauty in the changing moods and colors of the seasons. If you keep your eyes open when you’re out walking, you may notice—and revel in—tiny details you’ve never paid attention to before.
I have tried to use techniques and instructions in this book that anyone can follow. For many of the recipes, there are step-by-step illustrations, which show that although at first glance the desserts may seem advanced, they’re actually relatively simple. With a few tips and tricks, anyone can be an artistic baker.
My decorations can be simplified, made more advanced, or ignored completely. Maybe you have some favorite baking recipes that you could dress up using suggestions from this book? Or maybe it will provide you with entirely new ideas? All the more fun, if that’s the case.
Even though I love decorating my baking, taste has always been my first priority. I use a lot of fruits, nuts, berries, and spices in my recipes, and I want everything to taste as tempting as it looks. After all, it’s meant to be eaten and enjoyed. For that reason, I avoid using too much food coloring, and you won’t find much use for fondants here.
I’m dedicated to finding solutions that don’t require a kitchen full of specialty tools. Most techniques can be accomplished using items you already have at home: aluminum foil, toothpicks, cotton swabs, and regular paper.
I hope this book will inspire you to try new things in the kitchen. The joy and sense of achievement you feel when you step outside your comfort zone are underrated. Regardless of whether the result is flawless, you’ll end up feeling proud once you’ve made the first attempt. And when it comes to baking, it’s hard to render the result inedible! Don’t give up too soon—as with most things in life, practice makes perfect. I’ve learned a lot through trial and error.
You’ll find recipes here for various kinds of sweets: cakes, cookies, yeast breads, macarons, and confections—something for every taste. I take my cues from nature in Norway, and the traditions and flavors I know. You can easily adapt my ideas to nature where you are, and to traditions and flavors you’re familiar with. Or you can let yourself be inspired by my northern ways.
I look forward to seeing what you bake! If you’re so inclined, share your photos with me on Instagram. You can find me under the name @borrowmyeyes.
Finally, happy baking—and have fun!
EQUIPMENT
I grew up with the notion that you can go a long way with simple tools. You don’t need specialty equipment most of the time. With a little creativity, you can handle anything. But there are some things I depend on in the kitchen. Here are my must-haves. Most of them you probably already have at home.
1.Scissors
2.Paper
3.Pencil
4.Tape
5.Small plastic bags: I use these as piping bags for icing. Sometimes I use real piping bags, either with a thin round tip, a large round tip, or a large star tip.
6.Parchment paper
7.Aluminum foil: Perfect for making your own molds.
8.Sharp knife
9.Spreading knife: It’s handy to have a completely flat knife for spreading cream and icing.
10.Zester or grater: I often use the zest of citrus fruits in my baking. If you don’t have a zester for this purpose, a sharp grater will help you get only the outermost layer of the peel, not the bitter, white layer.
11.Rolling pin: If you don’t have one, use a wine bottle!
12.Whisk
13.Handheld mixer: I prefer to use this rather than a stand mixer. I feel I’m more in control with a handheld mixer. In addition, there’s less to clean up.
14.Rubber spatula
15.Ladle
16.Food coloring: I prefer to use liquid gel food coloring, as it can be added without changing the consistency of your baking. You can go far with just a few colors—all you have to do is mix! Yellow, blue, and red are perfect colors to start with. I also like adding a little brown to the colors to soften them. I don’t usually include amounts for food coloring in my recipes, since the intensity can vary, so just add a drop or two at a time until it’s the color you want.
17.Springform pan: I bake all my round cakes in the same pan. Nice and simple! All the recipes fit a pan with a diameter of 9 inches (23 cm).
18.Toothpicks: Good for so many things: adding liquid gel food coloring, making holes, testing cakes . . .
19. Muffin pan: You can bake cupcakes in liners without a pan, but using a muffin pan allows you to pour more batter into the cups and get higher cupcakes.
20.Stainless steel bowl: To heat ingredients over hot water, if you don’t have a double boiler pot. Perfect for melting chocolate, heating up lemon cream, etc.
21.Candy thermometer: Cooking with both sugar and chocolate is so much easier with a thermometer.
22.Timer
23.Measuring spoons: Use proper measuring spoons rather than a regular teaspoon or tablespoon, which can vary in size. With measuring spoons, you’ll get the same result each time.
24.Scale: It is important to me to have a scale that I can reset with contents on it. This makes it easier to add ingredients to your bowl.
25.Measuring
