Understanding the Elements of Baking
Nicola Lamb’s captivating debut, SIFT, explores the essential ingredients that form the foundation of great bakes and seamlessly guides readers through the techniques that underpin and connect with her wonderful recipes.
Nicola Lamb’s SIFT is the kind of book you want to curl up with in a cozy corner, a cup of tea in hand, ready to lose yourself in the wonderful world of baking. But it’s not just a collection of recipes—it’s a guide that invites you to fall in love with the process, not just the end result. Whether you’re a complete beginner or a professional baker, this book has something to teach, inspire, and remind you of the magic that happens when ingredients come together.
Nicola’s journey into baking is a story of passion, nostalgia, and a deep love for sharing the joy of the process. Reflecting on her journey, she shares, “SIFT is dedicated to my Nanny Carole and her brownies, which my sisters and I were obsessed with growing up. I suppose that was my first introduction to how much joy baking brings other people and how it symbolizes care and affection. Though I baked a bit, sometimes with Carole, when I was little (she did all the hard bits), it wasn’t until I left home and moved to London at 18 that I picked baking up as a hobby.”
There was a moment of doubt before fully committing to a career in baking, but Nicola soon realized that her love for it only deepened. As she says, “A few years later, just before I went into a professional kitchen, I was worried that making baking my ‘career’ rather than just a hobby might ruin it, but the love has only grown!”
Photography excerpted from the book SIFT by Nicola Lamb. Copyright ©2024 by Nicola Lamb. Photographs copyright ©2024 by Sam A. Harris. Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
Nicola went on to train in some of the world’s most celebrated kitchens and work with masters like Dominique Ansel and Yotam Ottolenghi. She brings a wealth of experience to this book but with a warmth and accessibility that immediately makes you feel at home. “I owe everything to the amazing teachers in my life—from the chefs who stood by my side and watched as I tentatively added eggs into choux paste to writers like Harold McGee, Paula Figoni, Francisco Migoya, and Samin Nosrat, to name a few, whose work I’ve poured over. I’m incredibly grateful.” It’s clear from the start that for Nicola, baking is a deeply personal journey—one built on learning, discovery, and a whole lot of patience.
When it comes to the most challenging recipe Nicola has worked on, her experience with hand-laminated croissants stands out. “Writing a recipe for hand-laminated croissants that gets great results took a long time,” she reflects. “I started that recipe in 2020, and it took so long to nail that I questioned my pastry chef abilities!”
Even with years of experience working in a bustling production bakery, making thousands of croissants a week, Nicola found that translating that high-volume process to a home kitchen was anything but straightforward. She recalls that figuring out what to adjust in the formula inspired her to understand ingredients on a deeper level. This journey didn’t just shape her croissant recipe—it also led to a new approach in documenting her creative process in her weekly Substack newsletter called Kitchen Projects and, eventually, in SIFT.
“With SIFT, I wanted to write the book I wished I had when I started baking. Back then, I was intimidated by a lot of the big, heavy books aimed at professionals, but I wanted more detail than home baking books, which often skim over technical details.” Her goal was clear: Create approachable, reliable base recipes paired with enough technical depth to educate and empower bakers to understand the why behind the methods. The result is a resource you can turn to time and time again, whether you’re just starting out or refining your skills.
Illustration excerpted from the book SIFT by Nicola Lamb. Copyright ©2024 by Nicola Lamb. Illustrations copyright ©2024 by Nueker. Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
The first part of SIFT feels almost like a love letter to the science of baking, which, if you’re anything like me, will have you swooning. The front half of the book is in-depth information on baking’s key ingredients—flour, eggs, sugar, and fat—plus guides on texture, color, how foods rise, and technical components such as temperature, indicators of doneness, and proper techniques.
Nicola unpacks the role of each ingredient with clarity. Take eggs, for example: She doesn’t just tell you what’s in an egg; she takes you deep into the world of fat, protein, and water and shows you how each part works together to create something wonderful. It’s fascinating, and while it might sound a little technical, Nicola’s voice is so inviting that you’ll find yourself leaning in to learn more.
If you’ve ever wondered why things rise the way they do, how to create a makeshift proofing chamber, or what exactly happens during caramelization, this section is for you. Nicola’s passion for the science behind baking is infectious, and the detailed diagrams and charts she includes make the trickiest concepts feel like something you’re eager to understand. She reminds us that learning to ask “why” is one of the most important lessons in baking, and once you start pulling at those threads, it’s amazing how everything connects in the bigger picture.
As Nicola says, “This book and its recipes were specifically designed to be buildable, depending on your mood and confidence level.” Once you’ve got a handle on the basics, Nicola introduces her “base recipes”—things like puff pastry, pie dough, milk bread, brioche, and choux pastry. These are more than just recipes; they’re opportunities to refine the skills that will make more-complex bakes feel like second nature. There are no flashy photos to distract you, no unnecessary flourishes—just clear, detailed instructions and thoughtful notes that guide you through each step.
Then come the recipes themselves. This is where Nicola’s creativity truly shines. She takes familiar bakes and adds her own twist—like a Baked Lemon Custard Brûlée or Chocolate Squiggly Loaves that turn pain au chocolat into something even more irresistible. And let’s not forget the French Toast Cinnamon Buns, a playful nod to two favorite breakfasts. The recipes are organized by time commitment, so you can choose what fits your schedule—from quick afternoon treats to more-involved weekend projects. And if you need a little refresher on a technique, Nicola includes handy references to earlier chapters so you can brush up before diving back in.
When it comes to her behind-the-scenes creative process, Nicola is a self-proclaimed spreadsheet enthusiast. “The first thing I do once I’ve thought of a flavor combination or texture I’m after is start a new spreadsheet,” she shares. For Nicola, it’s the perfect way of organizing the chaos and diving into the science behind her creations.
Her approach is about understanding how each ingredient interacts to create the perfect result. Nicola explains that she begins by analyzing the core elements using the basic “rules” of recipe development. For instance, sugar and fat are key to making things tender and soft, while flour works as a “toughener,” giving structure. So, if she wants something soft, she knows it’ll need a higher ratio of sugar and fat. On the other hand, if she wants to introduce a new liquid, like sour cream, she might reduce the number of eggs in the mix to keep everything in perfect harmony. “Baking is all about balance,” she says. And it’s this mindset that allows her to consistently create recipes with the perfect texture and flavor.
“All the recipes have techniques embedded within them, which means you’ll begin to notice how different bakes are connected,” she explains. It’s like a giant web of knowledge, where every new thing you learn is another thread joining everything together. “I wanted this book to feel like a giant investigation board all connected with string so you can really build confidence in baking and see how it’s all linked!”
Photography excerpted from the book SIFT by Nicola Lamb. Copyright ©2024 by Nicola Lamb. Photographs copyright ©2024 by Sam A. Harris. Published in the United States by Clarkson Potter, an imprint of Crown Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York.
But perhaps the most charming part of SIFT is Nicola’s reminder that failure is part of the journey. “There will be burned crusts, pastry stuck to pans, unset jellies, and everything in between,” she says. “But try not to let these knock your confidence. Failures are a crucial part of the learning journey.” She adds, “Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or ask questions. I know it’s frustrating, but it’s how we learn.”
This refreshing blend of science, art, and pure joy makes baking feel like an eternal adventure. Sure, some recipes are challenging, but that’s where the fun lies. Baking is a practice, and with Nicola as your guide, you’ll not only gain the technical know-how but also the confidence to tackle even the most ambitious bakes.
In the end, SIFT is more than just a cookbook—it’s an invitation to explore, experiment, and savor the process. Because, as Nicola wisely says, “Any journey that ends with cake is worth taking.” And I couldn’t agree more.
Find Nicola Lamb on Instagram at @nicolalamb, at nicolalamb.com, and at kitchenprojects.substack.com. Her debut cookbook, SIFT: The Elements of Great Baking, is available now.
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