Baked to Perfection

The cookbook that proved gluten-free baking can be just as good as the wheat-based original. Katarina Cermelj, a former Oxford chemistry PhD, applies scientific rigor to every recipe in this award-winning collection of 100 recipes covering bread, cakes, pastries, cookies, and more.

Why Start Here

Most gluten-free baking books treat flour substitution as the whole story: swap this blend for wheat flour and hope for the best. Cermelj takes a fundamentally different approach. She explains the science behind gluten-free flours, how different starches and proteins interact, and why certain combinations produce better texture and rise than others. That understanding turns you from someone who follows recipes into someone who can troubleshoot and adapt.

The book opens with a thorough primer on gluten-free baking basics: which flours behave in which ways, how to evaluate store-bought blends, and how to mix your own custom blends to suit specific baked goods. This foundation means every recipe that follows makes sense. You understand why a bread formula calls for psyllium husk while a cake recipe does not, and why the ratio of starch to protein flour matters more than the specific grains you choose.

What makes Baked to Perfection the ideal starting point is its range. Cermelj covers crusty bread, soft cinnamon rolls, layered cakes, fudgy brownies, flaky rough puff pastry, and delicate patisserie. If you can bake it with wheat, you will find a reliable gluten-free version here. The recipes have been tested obsessively, and the instructions are detailed enough that beginners can follow them with confidence.

What to Expect

A beautifully photographed 384-page cookbook with 100 recipes organized from simple to complex. The science explanations are accessible and practical, never overwhelming. Winner of the Fortnum and Mason Debut Cookery Book Award 2022 and the Guild of Food Writers Specialist Subject Award. Expect to stock a few specialty flours and starches, but the book clearly explains what you need and why.