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As a gay man, my internet feed is flooded with pictures of shirtless men. So much so that seeing a man without a shirt no longer registers in my mind; I am utterly immune to their existence. So when Matt Adlard, a.k.a. the Topless Baker (a title Adlard has since dropped), started to show up on my feed, I didn’t give him the credit he deserved. But with Adlard’s new cookbook, Bake It Better, the internet star has traded his bulging, flour-dusted biceps for stunning tray bakes, plush cheesecakes, and impressive homemade ice creams, placing his talent front and center. The book positions Adlard as a serious baker, and one who has a lot to teach all of us at home.
Adlard uses a helpful tiered approach in this book. Each recipe comes as part of a pair, a simple “tier 1” recipe followed by an elevated “tier 2.” The first recipe is often a relatively easy bake, while the latter teaches readers how to level up the core technique to create something really special. While most people know Adlard as a TikTok and Instagram sensation (he has close to 1 million followers on the latter platform), he grew up right above his parents’ Michelin-starred restaurant, and he has a natural gift for steering home bakers toward refinement. Through a series of 70 recipes and countless glossy photos, Adlard helps make impressive baking projects feel like they’re a possibility for home bakers of all levels.
Who this book is for
If you love to devote a whole Saturday to a baking project, this book is sure to inspire. Many of the recipes require multiple steps and sub-recipes, so you’ll need to be prepared to put in some effort. But the end result is one that mimics a fancy bakery. Every photo is stunning, and the prospect of making something so beautiful in your own kitchen is tempting.
The tiered structure of this book also allows you to determine just how challenged you want to be. For a quick and casual bake, tier 1 recipes will satisfy your cravings; but for a more intense, hands-on project, tier 2 bakes (like peach crumble soufflés) are where ambitious home bakers will find inspiration. To me, the book seems welcoming to bakers regardless of experience level.
What we can’t wait to bake
I’ve got my eye on Adlard’s muscovado dark chocolate chunk cookies for a relatively simple Tuesday night bake. Muscovado sugar, an unrefined sugar with a bold molasses flavor, is used without restraint in this recipe. Adlard shares that the sugar helps the cookies retain more moisture resulting in “the perfect texture.” For bright citrus flavor in a 9x13" pan, the almond-scented Lemon Poppy Seed Tray Bake is a cake you can pull off without much effort or prep time.
For something a bit more playful for a dinner party, Adlard’s Roasted Strawberry Crème Brûlée is a fun take on the classic dessert that buries roasted strawberries underneath a creamy layer of custard, not unlike a fruit-on-the-bottom yogurt. “The roasted strawberries act as a hidden little surprise when you crack into the crème brûlée,” says Adlard.
And for a true showstopper, Adlard’s Triple Chocolate Brownie Fingers illustrate his skill at transforming a relatively simple base into something special. By cutting brownies into planks, glazing them in chocolate, and piping a chocolate ganache on top, the everyday treat becomes worthy of a celebration.
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