Sweet Envy

Alistair Wise and Teena Kearney-Wise grew up and completed their pastry and bakery apprenticeship in Hobart before heading off for cooking adventures. They have a love of things sweet and Sweet Envy is the most astonishingly delicious collection of sweets and treats.

I’m liking

This book is so scrumptious that my mouth waters every time I pick it up. The pictures are glorious, the recipes well-described, and while there’s the odd savoury treat, most of the recipes are for those with a sweet tooth.

There is a longish introduction written by Wise and he pitches it just right. He is a little wry, a bit funny and seems like the kinda guy you’d want to hang out with over, well, a bit of cake, I guess! Wise’s commentary on the dishes also makes delightful reading.

The book starts simply enough with collections of lollies, buns and biscuits, but the real gold is later in the book… some of the most delicious looking layer cakes and specially decorated cakes you’ve ever seen in your life. SO delicious looking!

Things that made me go hmmmm

There’s nothing dairy-free / gluten-free / sugar free etc… about this book. It’s full-noise baking. If that’s not your style, this book is probably not going to do much for you (which is *such* a shame!).

The conclusion

Love, love, love. I love Wise’s gently low-key voice and I enjoyed reading about their journey. Many of these recipes call for some level of cooking / baking skill so it’s not for total beginners but it’s a fabulous book for those who like to create something a little bit special. If you’ve got a hankering for something sweet and are looking for something a bit different from the usual run-of-the-mill baking books, then look no further – Sweet Envy is a total gem!