Fans who were disappointed that Mary Berry wasn't going to stay with The Great British Bake Off as it moves to a new channel will be happy to hear that the BBC is planning a new cookery competition starring Berry along with former GBBO co-hosts Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins. Sources state that the BBC have told Berry "that she will be placed at the heart of the corporation's cookery line-up and will be styled as the broadcaster's number one television chef until she chooses to retire." There is also a rumor that former Saturday Kitchen host James Martin is being considered as a replacement for Paul Hollywood on the new cooking program.

The BBC will have to tread carefully as they develop a format for any new competition. Love Productions, which owns the rights to GBBO, accused them of "ripping off" the format to create a show about amateur hairdressers, and the BBC had to pay damages. 

More details about the new GBBO have trickled out after we learned that Paul Hollywood was staying with the show. It's apparently going to be extended to 90 minutes in length, although Love Productions chief Richard McKerrow assured fans that the show would keep its original format. "Bake Off will be produced by the same team, in the same tent, with the same recipe," he said.

Jackie Garvin's newest title Sweet Potato Love shares sixty recipes for this vibrant root vegetable.

Recipes for Lentil, Sweet Potato, and Chipotle Pepper Chili; Strawberry Sweet Potato Bread with Glaze; and Pulled Pork Tacos with Spicy Sweet Potato Slaw are examples of the creative dishes that fill this book.

The book is seasonally organized with lovely photographs and 'sweet tips' sprinkled throughout. Jackie's homey recipes and storytelling make this a fun book to read and cook from.

You can learn more about Sweet Potato Love in our recipe post featuring two dishes you can try now. We're delighted to offer 3 autographed copies of the book to EYB Members in U.S.  One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post:

What is your favorite way to enjoy sweet potatoes?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won't be counted. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends October 16, 2016.

What is it about baking books from the UK, New Zealand and Australia that make us covet them? I credit this fascination partly on the Great British Bake Off show which delivered baking from the UK to the world and now has us all in a snit about its future. 

When the opportunity arose to review,  The Great New Zealand Baking Book, I jumped at it. The physical book itself is just fun - pink checkered cover with an a super stylish spine that sets out a few of the recipe names from the book.

Sixty of New Zealand's finest bakers share their favourite bakes and desserts with over 165 recipes. Pictures accompany almost every bake and a handy "The Cook's Companion" welcomes bakers with "close-enough conversions". Thank goodness for digital scales so we can be exact. Basic puff pastry and other doughs are shared in the first pages before the bakers' recipes begin filling the pages with crave-worthy cakes, tarts and more.

The classics are covered such as Lamingtons, Hot Cross Buns and Croissants. There are also plenty of exciting flavour combinations such as Saffron Créme Caramel, Tamarillo Clafoutis, and Afghan Yoyos, a delicious chocolate/caramel sandwich cookie that I haven't seen before in a baking book. Savoury bakes include an Asparagus, Mint & Feta Bread, a luscious Savoury Breakfast Tart, and Chicken Leek & Mushroom Pie. Recipes for crepes, fritters and the like are included although they are technically not bakes, but "close-enough".

I wanted to challenge myself and bake something new so I chose the Chocolate Roulade recipe which consists of three components - the cake, mousse filling and chocolate ganache topping. I have made swiss roll type cakes in the past - simple sponge cakes and whipped cream fillings, relatively easy. A roulade, however, is a flourless cake that is very light and somewhat delicate.

Suited up with my apron and armed with my scale, my first step was to determine what size pan I owned that equalled a "sponge roll pan" - after searching New Zealand sponge roll pans - I found a rough measurement and went with a quarter sheet pan. My next step was getting over being angry with myself for not following the first rule of baking - read the recipe a day ahead of time. I had skimmed the recipe a day before and bought the ingredients. The day of the recipe, I read that it is best to make the cake a day or two ahead of time. Nevertheless, I forged on.

The cake was done in relatively short order and I covered it in plastic as directed and waited an hour. I made the mousse and refrigerated as directed (that should have been done the day before as well). After the allotted time, I flipped the cake with success. It was very delicate and the power of reading the recipe in advance really hit home (I knew this cake really needed to rest overnight). Ignoring the voice inside my head that told me to wait, I filled the roulade with the filling - rolled it up and placed it in the fridge to set before making the ganache (it was much too delicate to try to cover in ganache at that point).

I did follow the instructions for the ganache precisely and while it thickened it never became "butter-like". After roughly thirty minutes of allowing the cake to set and the ganache to thicken, I covered the roulade in the chocolate. The result was exactly as in the photograph of the cookbook and the flavour was deeply rich and decadent. A small slice would be more than enough for anyone, except my son who is a chocolate fiend. Next time, I will be more prepared which will result in less anxiety - but the finished roulade was still beautiful.

Pros: Delicious showstopper cake. Cons: No measurements for the baking tin and this baker's lack of planning ahead. The Great New Zealand Baking Book is a keeper - fun and teeming with recipes that are approachable by any level baker who reads the recipes in advance. 

Special thanks to Thom & Co. for sharing the Chocolate Roulade recipe with our members.  

Chocolate Roulade
Recipe by Ruth Pretty from Ruth Pretty Catering          
Serves: 8-10 - prep time: 1 hour, plus cooling & chilling
cook time: 17 mins - skill level: 2 (moderate)

Cake 

135 G dark chocolate, preferably 70% cocoa solids (buttons, or tablet chopped coarsely)
35 Ml strong freshly brewed coffee
5 Eggs, separated
135 G caster sugar
Pinch of salt

Mousse

125 G dark chocolate, preferably 70% cocoa solids (buttons, or tablet chopped coarsely)
60 G full-fat cream cheese, coarsely chopped
70 G caster sugar
1 Egg yolk
300 Ml cream

Ganache

315 Ml cream
315 G dark chocolate, preferably 70% cocoa solids (buttons, or tablet coarsely chopped)
50 G butter

Method

Make the cake and mousse one or two days ahead, then make the ganache and assemble on the day you wish to serve.

To make cake: pre-heat oven to 180ºc. Line a sponge-roll tin with baking paper and grease the paper with spray oil or melted butter.

Place chocolate and coffee in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl, set over a pot of simmering water, and warm over a medium heat until chocolate begins to melt. Remove from the heat and stir until chocolate is completely liquid.

Place egg yolks in a bowl and whisk briefly, then gradually add sugar, continuing to whisk until the mixture is pale, fluffy and very thick. Add warm chocolate mixture and salt to egg yolk mixture and whisk until cool.

To a clean bowl, add egg whites and whisk until stiff peaks form. Carefully fold half the beaten whites into the chocolate mixture, and when almost combined add the remaining half and fold in. Pour mixture into prepared tin and spread evenly. Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until the cake springs back when gently touched in the centre.

Remove cake from oven and place on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap and let cool for 1 hour. Invert the cake, leaving the plastic wrap in place, and carefully peel away the baking paper.

To make mousse: place chocolate in a double boiler or a heatproof bowl, set over a pot of simmering water, and warm over a low heat. Stir chocolate until it is almost melted. Cool.

Whip cream until it forms soft peaks. Set aside.

Place cream cheese, sugar and egg yolk in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, and process until mixture is smooth and sugar is dissolved. Pour chocolate through the feed tube of the food processor and process until mixture is just combined. Quickly transfer the chocolate mixture to a large bowl and gently fold in cream. Chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight, before using.

To make ganache: place cream and chocolate in a double boiler set over a low heat or a heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, and let it sit for 1 minute. Stir gently until chocolate is half-melted. Remove from heat and continue to stir until chocolate is melted, fully amalgamated and smooth. You may need to return pot to heat to encourage melting of the chocolate. Add butter and stir until melted and ganache is smooth. Rest at room temperature for 15-20 minutes or until it sets to a soft butter-like consistency.

To assemble: spread cake with chocolate mousse. Carefully roll the cake up from one long side, lifting the plastic wrap to get it started. Place the roll, seam-side down, and chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight, before icing with ganache.

Place roulade on a serving tray and use a palette knife or table knife to spread chocolate ganache onto roulade. Do not apply water or heat to the spreader, as the ganache will become streaky and discoloured. 

Photo of Chocolate Roulade by Jenny Hartin 

It seems that almost every culture enjoys dumplings, whether filled or just pillowy clouds of deliciousness. What's not to love? Today we'll focus on the filled variety; petite packages containing a variety of savory (and even a few sweet) fillings that liven up a meal, whether you find them in a soup or on your dinner or dessert plate. Australian Gourmet Traveller is currently featuring seven different ways to make dumplings, including the Jade prawn dumplings pictured above. 

If you are in the Chicago area, you might want to check out Dumpling Fest, which will be held October 15. Created by the man who brought Baconfest to the city, this three-hour event will feature over a dozen Chicago-area chefs, and a musical component called "Wrappers Delight" with "old-school" hip hop. 

Can't make it it to Chicago? The EYB Library is chock full of great dumpling ideas to make at home. Here are a few Member favorites:

Sichuanese wontons in chilli oil sauce (Hong you chao shou) from Every Grain of Rice by Fuchsia Dunlop
Pork-and-cabbage dumplings from Martha Stewart Living Magazine
Spring vegetable potstickers (with scallion dipping sauce) from Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman
Chard dumplings in chive broth from EatingWell Magazine
Momo dumplings from 101 Cookbooks by Heidi Swanson
Meaty dumplings (Mandu) from Korean Food Made Simple by Judy Joo
Afghan dumplings with lamb kofta and yogurt sauce from The Food52 Cookbook, Volume 2  by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs

At Eat Your Books we want to bring you the best recipes - our dedicated team searches out and finds online recipes excerpted from newly indexed cookbooks and magazines. New recipes from the best blogs are indexed daily and members index their favorite online recipes using the Bookmarklet all the time.

Below you'll find this week's recommendations from the EYB team.

Remember you can add any of these online recipes to your EYB Bookshelf - it's a great way to expand your personal recipe collection.

Happy cooking and baking everyone!

From websites:

Spiced Roast Plum and Almond French Toast by Louise Robinson from indexed Great British Chefs

From AUS/NZ books:

2 recipes from Hungry: Food from My Heart by Guy Mirabella, indexed by an EYB member

From UK books:

4 recipes from Barrafina: A Spanish Cookbook by Sam Hart, Eddie Hart, & Nieves Barragan Mohacho

6 recipes from The Surf Café Cookbook: Living the Dream: Cooking and Surfing on the West Coast of Ireland by Jane & Myles Lamberth with Shannon Denny, indexed by an EYB member

From US books:

12 recipes from Modern Potluck: Beautiful Food to Share by Kristin Donnelly

Modern Potluck giveaway -- Ends TODAY! (US only)

20 recipes from Oh She Glows Every Day: Quick and Simply Satisfying Plant-Based Recipes by Angela Liddon

Oh She Glows giveaway -- Ends Oct 4th (US/CAN only)

13 recipes from Small Victories: Recipes, Advice + Hundreds of Ideas for Home-Cooking Triumphs by Julia Turshen

3 recipes from The Taco Cleanse: The Tortilla-Based Diet Proven to Change Your Life by Wes Allison, Stephanie Bogdanich, Molly R. Frisinger, & Jessica Morris, indexed by an EYB member

59 recipes from Yucatán: Recipes from a Culinary Expedition by David Sterling, indexed by an EYB member

We've written before about La Pitchoune, Julia and Paul Child's home in Provence, France. The house is now available for rent through Airbnb, and Julia Moskin of The New York Times recently rented it for a week and wrote about her experience.

While it's not clear whether any of the cookware or utensils that hang from the pegboard that Child installed actually belonged to her, Moskin hoped that the kitchen might still "be a place where her spirit, if not her spatulas, would remain." As one might expect, Moskin chose to make recipes from Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

As she chopped vegetables, forced them through food mills, and kneaded bread dough by hand, Moskin was reminded of "how physically demanding traditional cooking can be." She recounts how Child and co-author Simone Beck spent considerable time in this very kitchen doing these tasks, endlessly testing recipes for the second volume of their masterpiece work.

While Julia preferred a scientific approach to recipe development, Beck maintained that her cooking instincts were more important than exact measurements. There is no doubt that this caused friction between the two, but they were able to compromise and write a work that inspired countless cooks and continues to be valued over 50 years after its publication.  



Popular blogger, Chungah Rhee's new book, Damn Delicious, promises 100 super easy, super fast recipes.

You can learn more about this book in our recipe post that includes three great recipes that work for dinner or a party. 

We're delighted to offer 3 copies of this book in our giveaway for EYB Members in U.S.  One of the entry options is to answer the following question in the comments section of this blog post:

What is your go-to quick meal?

Please note that you must be logged into the Rafflecopter contest before posting or your entry won't be counted. If you are not already a Member, you can join at no cost. The contest ends October 22, 2016.

Chungah Rhee has written her first cookbook Damn Delicious. She is the voice behind the popular blog of the same name.

Her fans love her recipes and after trying a few myself, I agree. They are easy, fast but don't require overly processed. pre-made ingredients. 

Recently, I made the Bang Bang Chicken from the book and it was a hit. For those times when you need to get a tasty super easy meal on the table, this is the book for you.

Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Skillet

Serves 6 Prep time: 15 minutes  
Total time: 30 minutes

1 3⁄4  cups all-purpose flour
1⁄2 teaspoon baking soda
1⁄2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons unsalted butter
1⁄3 cup granulated sugar
1⁄2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup chocolate chips
Ice cream, for serving, optional
Caramel sauce, for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly coat two 5-inch cast-iron skillets with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

Melt 10 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until the butter begins to turn a golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat; strain through a cheesecloth or fine sieve.

Stir in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter until completely melted. Whisk in the sugars and vanilla until well combined. Whisk in the egg and egg yolk until well combined. Add the flour mixture, beating just until incorporated. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.

Divide the mixture into the prepared skillets. Bake until the edges are golden brown but the center is still moist, 12 to 15 minutes.

Serve immediately, topped with ice cream and drizzled with caramel sauce, if desired.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 633 FAT 37.2g PROTEIN 6g CARB 73g FIBER 3g CHOL 133mg IRON 3mg SODIUM 320mg CALC 31mg

Slow-Cooker French Dip Sandwiches
Serves 8    Prep time: 15 minutes
Total time: 8 hours 20 minutes      

2 cups beef broth
1⁄4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, optional
1 (3-pound) boneless beef chuck roast, trimmed
2 onions, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and left whole
1 bay leaf
8 mini (5-inch) baguettes or sandwich buns, split lengthwise
8 slices provolone cheese, halved

In a large bowl, whisk together the beef broth, balsamic vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, rosemary, thyme, and Sriracha.

Put the chuck roast in a 5- or 6-quart slow cooker. Add the beef broth mixture along with the onions, garlic cloves, and bay leaf.

Cover the slow cooker, and cook on low heat for 7 to 8 hours or on high heat for 3 to 4 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Transfer the roast to a cutting board and thinly slice it against the grain, reserving the beef broth mixture. Remove and reserve the onions from the broth mixture, and skim the fat from the surface.

Arrange the baguettes or sandwich buns, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake until the bread is lightly toasted, 2 to 3 minutes.

To serve, fill the baguettes with beef and the reserved onions, if desired. Top with the cheese slices, and return to the oven until the cheese has melted, about 2 minutes more.

Serve immediately with the beef broth mixture for dipping.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 652 FAT 34.3g PROTEIN 51g CARB 33g FIBER 3g CHOL 168mg IRON 5mg SODIUM 755mg CALC 270mg

Hot and Cheesy Corn Dip
Serves 8  Prep time: 10 minutes Total time: 25 minutes  

3 cups corn kernels, frozen (thawed), canned, or roasted
1 (4.5-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
1 1⁄2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1⁄4 cup mayonnaise (see Note)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish, optional
1⁄2 teaspoon garlic powder
1⁄2 teaspoon onion powder
1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1⁄2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 Roma tomato, diced
2 green onions, thinly sliced

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly oil a 9-inch baking dish, or coat it with nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, stir together the corn, chiles, 1 cup of the mozzarella, the yogurt, mayonnaise, cilantro, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano until well combined; season with salt and pepper.

Spread the corn mixture into the prepared baking dish; sprinkle the top with the remaining 1⁄2 cup mozzarella.

Bake until bubbly around the edges, about 15 minutes. Serve immediately, garnished with the tomato, green onions, and additional cilantro, if desired.

Note: Additional Greek yogurt can be substituted for the mayonnaise, if desired.

PER SERVING: CALORIES 170 FAT 9.5g PROTEIN 7g CARB 15g FIBER 1g CHOL 12mg IRON 0mg SODIUM 425mg CALC 124mg

In an update to the drama surrounding The Great British Bake Off's move from BBC to Channel 4, host Mary Berry has announced that she will not be involved with the new show. However, Paul Hollywood has signed a three-year deal with the network, making him the only original host making the move.

Berry said that loyalty to the BBC, which had "nurtured her and the show", influenced her decision. Hollywood tweeted that he was "staying in the tent with the bakers where I belong" although he did thank the BBC and his co-hosts "for making my time in the tent great fun and really rewarding."

Opinion is divided on whether the GBBO will be successful without popular hosts Berry, Mel Giedroyc, and Sue Perkins. Michael Grade, former BBC and ITV chairman, is one of the skeptics. "It's a huge gamble in my view," he said, noting that the chemistry between the hosts played a large role in the success of the show.  Others, like former contestant Tamal Ray, think the switch can be good. "About time there was a bit of a shake-up," says the ex-finalist.