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Master Cakes – Eric Lanlard

Eric Lanlard is a familiar face on TV (his Channel 4 series Glamour Puds was a sweet travelogue of patisseries) and he has a voice that reminds us of the reason that we, women at least, still feel that a French accent is charming and perhaps a little romantic. The reality is that you won’t hear Eric’s silky Celtic-French tones as you turn the pages of this book; but turn them you will, just because it’s a stunningly beautiful volume – and practical.

Even if you had never heard of Eric Lanlard you would surely know the name Albert Roux. He was one of the most well-known chefs in Britain, a household name and celebrated proprietor of Le Gavroche. A young Eric took his place as part of Albert’s team and made his mark. It is a testament to this man’s skill and professionalism that Albert wrote the foreword to this book – a warm personal endorsement.

I would say that this book would appeal most to a confident cake-baker and decorator, although there are plenty of basic cake, cream and icing recipes here for the raw beginner. Included are techniques for presenting a cake that can be embellished with your own ideas using fresh flowers and ribbons.

Some of these sweet confections demand hardware in the form of cake cards, plastic blocks, and boards (I now know they are called cake drums), but others just need a steady hand and a bit of practice. My advice would be to perfect your icing on a silicone sheet before volunteering to ice your daughter’s wedding cake.

There are some truly striking cakes here. Plenty of innovation and imagination. One cake takes us on a stroll through lavender fields of the south of France. A few pages later we are marvelling at the orange-red exuberance of a Bollywood extravaganza. In many ways this cake is the easiest to decorate but it has the over-the-top impact of a Mumbai musical – loud and entertaining.

So many of these decorating suggestions can be adapted to different-sized and shaped cakes. The colours can be adjusted to suit your special occasion. That red Bollywood masterpiece can become a ‘golden’ golden wedding cake with just the swish of a sari – or more realistically a kitchen paintbrush. That pile of individual lavender cakes can be transformed into a summer birthday cake for sophisticated Francophiles.

The American Retro cake is the one that I would choose for a high-end celebration. Three tiers of pink/white-iced cakes bound with dark brown velvet ribbon. The sides of the cakes are simply decorated with delicate dots of chocolate brown icing. Very much a case of less being more – understated and very adult.

The first cake I’ll make from Master Cakes will likely be the Red Berry Romance. It’s not that I am overly romantic; it’s more that it’s the simplest to decorate. It requires little skill but the resulting centrepiece will be memorable. The version in this book is made with white chocolate and red berries but a remarkable alternative could be made with dark chocolate and a dusting of gold.

Master Cakes by Eric Lanlard is a one-stop tutor for all of us who want to perfect our cake decorating and presentation skills. The step-by-step pictures allow a relative novice to produce cakes with that professional edge. There is a selection of cake recipes, or use your family favourites. However, it’s the decoration that will have your guests singing your praises. Lots of advice, too, on equipment and tricks of the trade. This must be one of the best-value books on the subject.

Cookbook review: Master Cakes
Author: Eric Lanlard
Published by: Hamlyn
Price: £12.99
ISBN 978-0-600-62262-8