Your best friend in the kitchen, Rachel Allen, is back with a collection of delicious and easy cakes and bakes, tarts and pies, quiches and casseroles. What could be better than the smell of fresh baked bread or the joy of eating warm cookies straight from the oven? Do you pine for the pleasures of gingerbread houses and holiday delights or the warming goodness of home baked casseroles? Rachel shares ideas from both the sweet and the savory sides of baking, including quick snacks, wholesome breads and pies, exotic cakes and tarts, or easy baked meals for friends and family. This delicious resource is fully illustrated with beautiful food photography including step-by-step instructions to take the mystery out of traditional baking and pastry making. Rachel also offers troubleshooting techniques for common problems and wheat or gluten-free recipes so nobody is left out of the fun! Rachel's friendly and expert tuition make this easy-to-use book the best friend to every home baker. Recipes include: cardamom bread; crispy bacon and cheddar bread; paper-thin crispbreads, cheese straws, and pretzels; pork, chorizo and spinach pie; beef pasties with mint, ginger, and peas; baked cheese fondue in a pumpkin; smoked salmon and leek gratin; Seville orange meringue pie; Cornish saffron cake; and lime and yogurt cake with rosewater and pistachios.