Book Review: Good Vibes Baking

Good Vibes Baking: Bakes To Make Your Soul Shine and Your Taste Buds Sing,
Sandro Farmhouse,
DK, RRP £20.

Who doesn’t love The Great British Bake Off?

Sandro Farmhouse was the undisputed star of the ever popular TV baking show in 2022. Despite being pipped at the post by Syabira Yusoff, Sandro – a former nanny and community worker for children with autism and special needs – won over the masses with his winning smile and quick wit.

Now he’s here with his very own baking book and hopes to show that even the simplest bakes can be both therapeutic and mood-boosting.

So, what can budding bakers expect to find in Good Vibes Baking?

Chapters are broken down into emotions, rather than types of bakes and techniques. Among the favourites? ‘Love Language’ (for impressing your nearest and dearest); ‘Give Me Confidence’ (to remind us that baking, and life more generally, is about embracing a few challenges); and ‘Sharing Is Caring’ (for when you’re feeling generous).

The pages are bursting with bold, colourful, almost retro designs that match Sandro’s personality.

And the recipes? Well, they’re just as decadent and certainly not for the calorie-counters. But isn’t that what baking’s all about? Whether it’s Sandro’s simple Emergency Pick-Me-Up Cookies or his more complex Key Lime Pie Deux Mille Feuille recipe, his ‘more is more’ approach is undeniably appealing.

‘Remember: in this kitchen, it’s all about the vibe,’ writes Sandro. ‘That’s what baking is all about for me. It’s about going into your kitchen, putting on your favourite playlist, baking away, and letting your worries and stresses disappear for a good moment.’

In the wake of a busy magazine deadline, that’s certainly a message that the Scottish Field team can get on board with…

If you enjoyed watching Sandro on GBBO, then you’re sure to love this new book. It’s joyful, it’s indulgent, and it lifts the spirits. That’s my kind of cookbook.

Good Vibes Baking by Sandro Farmhouse is out now. 

Read more news and reviews on Scottish Field’s book pages.