Mary Berry’s Baking Bible: Revised and Updated, with Over 250 New and Classic Recipes

British baking star and cookbook author Berry (Mary Berry Cooks to Perfection; Entertaining with Mary Berry) was introduced to most United States bakers via the Great British Bake Off. Her eminence in the baking world is of long-standing, making this book (a revision of one of her earlier efforts with a nod to U.S. measurements and ingredients) welcome. Readers will find many of the British bakes that have been seen on the show—Victoria sponge, Battenberg, Bakewell, lemon drizzle, parkin—some in perhaps a slightly altered form, as well as standards like chocolate chip cookies with Berry’s spin. For the most part, ingredients are recognizable to a U.S. reader, except for something called “buttery spread,” used in place of other shortenings but without specifying a brand or fat percentage. All manner of baking is included—cakes galore, including more fruitcakes than most on this side of the pond might want, tarts, scones, soufflés, crackers, breads, etc. It is pretty and bright, with fewer pictures than some new baking books, but enough to inspire. As an author, Berry is encouraging, warm, and helpful.