Val Stones

“I am originally from Conisbrough, near Doncaster but now live with my husband Ian in Somerton, Somerset. At 15, I took over the family baking and have been staying at the helm of the kitchen for over 50 years.

“​In my spare time, I love to exercise and have even been caught doing aerobics in my kitchen whilst waiting for jam to boil or my bread to prove.

“After reaching Round 5 of The Great British Bake Off (and so becoming the eighth-best baker in the programme!), I returned to my own kitchen where I saw my Instagram account shoot up to almost 50,000 followers in a matter of weeks!”

The Cake Whisperer!

“Some people like to stab their cakes with a skewer to see whether it’s cooked yet. Imagine: the poor thing has been in a hot, hot oven for three-quarters of an hour and suddenly someone opens the door, drives a skewer into its very heart then examines the blade-like some roman oracle-reader! My way involves gently sliding my creation out of the warmth of its metallic womb and putting it to my ear. If it’s still bubbling away, clearly still a bit over-excited, I’ll pop it back for another few minutes before listening again. Sounds crazy? It works!
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“Beware the cake with nothing to say at all. This is the cake that just might have gone past the point of no return.”

Paperback, 136pp, 24 x 190mm. 146 colour photographs.
Printed on buff background to aid dyslexic readers.