Sweet – a word that in the culinary realm conjures up notions of decadence, irresistible deliciousness, indulgence and yes, basically palate bliss. Those treats we crave when we’re happy, sad or in need of a pick-me-up, and which make the world feel like a wonderful place. These are what Samantha Linsell presents in Sweet – and so much more! The dizzy array of sweet temptations will make your head spin and take you back to that state of excited contemplation that you last experienced as a child before a birthday party.

Cakes, tarts, butters, confectionery sweets, muffins, biscuits, bars, pastries, sauces, puddings, beverages, ice creams, preserves, sorbets, mousses, scones – they’re all there. But unlike the sweet treats of childhood, Samantha offers a very adult twist to many a traditional offering, such as Vanilla and Baileys® French toast bake, and Chocolate waffles with bourbon butterscotch sauce. And if you really need to salve your conscience, all the recipes in one of the chapter include fruit.

As if the recipes titles aren’t sufficient to set the tastebuds alight, special mention should be made of the photography. Sam is a food stylist par excellence and the photographs (she took them herself) are sure to kick that last vestige of resistance into the wild yonder. The only sensible thing to do is to yield to temptation and move into the kitchen.