FOLLOWING the release of her first book, Great British Bake Off star Martha Collison will be visiting a bookshop in Woodley this afternoon.
The 19-year-old baker, who appeared on the show in 2014, released Twist through HarperCollins last week. The book takes readers through Martha’s favourite recipes and teaches them how to put a ‘twist’ on even the simplest of creations.
Martha, who attended Charters School in Sunningdale, said: “I am so excited, it has always been my dream to have a book, but I never thought it would happen while I was so young, I can’t quite believe it.
“I came up with the idea, I started baking when I was eight and of course, as a child, I had to make do with the ingredients that I could find in the cupboard, I couldn’t drive to the shop if I needed something. So I learned to improvise, and I ended up putting my own twist on things.
“What I like about the book is that there aren’t just the recipes, but I give advice on how to develop the recipe. Something as simple as a sponge cake or a cupcake can be transformed with just the slightest change, so I offer a few suggestions on what ingredients work well together.”
Martha was the youngest contestant to appear on the BBC baking series, alongside Paul Hollywood and Mary Berry, and it was an experience she will never forget.
She said: “There was a lot of learning involved, when they give you the listings for each week there are always going to be some recipes that you’ve never tried before, like a 20-layered Hungarian torte or something equally as extravagant. You didn’t have a lot of time so you have to learn really quickly.
“We are all really good friends, myself and the other contestants. I really admire them, they’re all so different. I am going to John Whaite’s cookery school soon to teach some baking classes which will be really fun, and we get together for dinner and each others’ houses. It is like we have become a family.
“The show definitely built my confidence, and it has changed my life. This year I got to bake a birthday cake for the Queen, that’s crazy! I was studying for my AS-levels when the show was filmed, and I completed my A-levels over the last two years part-time. Will I go to university? Possibly, I always thought that I would but after thinking about it for a very long time I decided to spend a year or so just focusing on my career. The last two years have been spent baking and studying, so it will be nice to take some time off from studying for a while.”
Having baked from such a young age, Martha is always encouraging youngsters to experiment in the kitchen, and hopes her book will help them to learn new skills. She said: “I would tell them to just try everything, have a go at the simple things and once you have mastered them, try and put your own spin on them, you might be surprised with where it takes you.”
Martha Collison’s book Twist is out now through HarperCollins. Martha will be visiting Chapter One bookshop on Wednesday, July 20 from 7pm.
