Happiful – September 2019

September 2019 • happiful.com • 45

Do you find that baking helps

your mental health?

Definitely. I think that’s probably

what drew me to it. Probably

not as a child, but as I grew up,

because it’s something that you

have to focus on. I started with

getting things right, like with

croissants you have to focus on

folding it the right number of

times, and weighing the butter

and flour. I think it really links to

mindfulness because you have

to be in the moment, and fully

focused on that thing. But as well

as being mindful, at the end you

get a cake.

You’re known for bakes

that look impossible to eat

because they’re just so cute.

But when did that come in?

Were you Kim-Joy-ifying your

mince pies?

No, no, back then it was just a

straight-forward mince pie! I think

people assume this is what you

have been doing for a long time,

but actually I was more interested

in baking bread, and getting things

right. I always thought I couldn’t

decorate things until a year before

Bake Off when I started doing

cakes. And then I just fell into this

niche, which I really enjoy!

You have a new book, Baking

with Kim-Joy, out in August.

Do you have a favourite bake

from your recipes?

I love them all, but I think

one of my favourites is the pig

profiteroles. They’re covered

in chocolate, and look like pigs

bathing in mud. I quite like those

because I think they’re quite

simple, even though

it’s choux pastry.

I think by helping

other people, you

also help yourself

What’s next for you?

There’s something else in the

pipeline but I can’t really say... I’d

love to do more TV and stuff like

that. So we’ll see what happens!

‘Baking with Kim-Joy’

(Quadrille, £18) is out

from 22 August

Photography | Ellis Parrinder