Baking & The Meaning of Life by Helen Goh

Helen Goh, recipe developer for more than a decade with Yotam Ottolenghi and co-author with him of Sweet and Comfort, steps out on her own with this deeply personal cookbook. In Baking & The Meaning of Life, Goh brings together three threads: her multicultural upbringing in Malaysia and Australia, her storied career in the kitchen, and her work as a psychotherapist. The result is a baking book that is not only about desserts but about the ways baking intersects with life.

The book is beautifully presented and features one hundred recipes, from a decadent Chocolate Tahini Cake with Sesame Brittle to flavourful Pistachio and Dried Sour Cherry Scrolls. It’s not only for sweet-toothed dessert lovers. There are also recipes for Puttanesca Galette with Lemon Ricotta and Potato, Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia along with many more savoury options. 

The book is organized into seven chapters, each connected to a way baking relates to autonomy, competence, relatedness, beneficence and creativity. Each recipe begins with a short reflection on life and meaning. We see how baking allows us to care, to build tradition, and to strengthen community.

What stood out to me is the authenticity of this book. Goh is not promising that baking will make us happy. Instead she is asking us to think about how baking can add meaning to our lives and how intention can shape the experience. It reminded me of the early days of COVID-19 when so many of us turned to baking as a salve for those darker days.

Baking & The Meaning of Life photographed by Laura Edwards

Some of the recipes appear intricate, with long ingredient lists and detailed steps. I see this as an invitation rather than a barrier. Baking is a labour of love and these recipes reward the time you invest. As Goh writes, “baking is a natural part of the repertoire of nurturing… the right bake for someone at the right time is something truly wonderful.”

Many familiar dishes appear in this book, although Goh elevates them with her unique flavour combinations. There’s a Chocolate and Halva Babka, baked in a bundt pan to create a beautiful cross-section swirl, and a Wimbledon Cake which layers matcha green tea cake with white chocolate cream and strawberries. There are also options for readers with dietary restrictions and allergies, including Gluten-Free and Plant-Based recipes.

Whether you're a beginner or someone who bakes regularly, there is something here for you. If you enjoy baking with intention, taking your time, and sharing the results with others, this book will resonate with you. And if you bake to feel connected to family, friends or even yourself, you will find inspiration here.

Baking & The Meaning of Life is a book I know I will return to often. I can already imagine icing sugar settling into its nooks and crannies, and buttered fingerprints marking favourite pages, which is exactly how our most-cherished cookbooks should be.

Avocado Diaries is part of the Bookshop.org affiliate program and may earn a commission from qualifying purchases.