Leon: Baking & Puddings

Claire Ptak, co-author of Leon: Baking & Puddings, has been chosen to make Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding cake.

‘Leon is the future.’ – The Times

The first Leon restaurant, in London’s Carnaby Street, opened its doors in July 2004. For its founders – Henry Dimbleby, John Vincent and Allegra McEvedy – the aim was to change the face of fast food, by bringing fresh, wholesome cooking to the high street. Six months later, Leon was named the Best New Restaurant in Great Britain at the Observer Food Monthly Awards.

Leon: Baking & Puddings is their third cookbook, and contains hundreds of recipes for everyone from the novice cook to the baking aficionado. Following the Leon principle that what tastes good can also do you good, three-quarters of the recipes are sugar, dairy, wheat or gluten free – so there’s plenty to indulge in even if you have a food allergy, an intolerance or one eye on your waistline. Co-authored by Henry Dimbleby and Claire Ptak, it is a book of two halves. The first contains recipes for Every Day: granolas, cakes, breads, pizzas, and puddings to enjoy as often as you like. The second half – Celebration – contains recipes for all sorts of special occasions, from Easter and Christmas to weddings and even funerals. Flourless chocolate fudge cake, toffee apples, caramelized onion and olive tart, plum ice-cream – there is something in here to tickle every fancy.