of making and baking them, I had finally cracked it and was happy with the result.
The next logical step was to give it away to friends as a Christmas present. The feedback
was great, so I kept on doing this for quite some time.
But then, one year late November, I thought that it was getting a little expensive, the
ingredients for Stollen are not on the cheap side! Lots of butter, raisins, currants, mixed peel,
heaps of almonds, marzipan and brandy – and more.
myself doing was posting on Facebook, saying that if anyone fancied Stollen, they could
order one within the next 48 hours.
Under 24 hours later, I had already 30 orders – and had to stop taking on more. I was still
working my admin job for my church and had two young girls under 8 to juggle whilst also
suddenly needing to bake 30 Stollen!
Somehow, I managed to do it, all 30 Stollen were baked and sold – I and was hooked!
I had always loved baking, and the prospect of sharing this love with a wider audience than
my friends and family only, excited me a lot.
The German-British theme came naturally, since it had all started with the Stollen,
Germany’s most iconic Christmas bake (well, alongside Lebkuchen), but I also love British
cupcakes, Afternoon Tea and delicate shortbread.
So, a few months later, I handed in my notice for my admin job and opened Bentley Bakes!
Product Range
Artisan Sourdough Bread
Enjoy one of my home-made sourdough loaves! They are all made to order, and you can let me know what flours you would like, even if they are not listed in the specific products. From normal white, to spelt, to ancient Einkorn or wholemeal flours, I am happy to be your personal baker!
Your health will benefit from the slow fermentation process of baking with sourdough, and your taste buds will enjoy the depth of flavours.
Customised Bakes
All of my bakes are made to order, guaranteeing you will get the best quality and freshness with each purchase. I am incredibly keen on meeting my customers’ wishes, so if you are after different nuts in a cake or are looking for vegan or gluten-free options, reach out, and I will do my best to make it happen!
Lots of my recipes can be done with less sugar, too, and I also offer the use of different flours than the plain white, such as spelt or wholemeal to create healthier treats. Just contact me!
Cakes & Biscuits
I concentrate on traditional German and British cakes and biscuits, so you won’t find the fancier versions like fondant iced party or wedding cakes on my site. I am all for honest and straight-forward bakes that are yet delightful and truly scrumptious.
For me, it is about taste and flavour as well as good quality ingredients that make a great cake and not the fancy fondant. Also, it is very important to me that I only use real ingredients like butter instead of cheap margarine, and won’t ever use additives or emulsifiers to make my bakes last longer.