Welcome to my BakeryBits Christmas 2023 gift guide. Whether you are looking for fabulous festive gifts to get your star baker yearning to switch on the oven or are after pocket-friendly perfect parcels as stocking fillers, I have compiled two lists to inspire you or your gift giver this year selected from our range. I've been a keen home baker for decades and have spent 20 years working in the industry in Denmark before returning to the UK and joining the team at BakeryBits - so I know a good gadget or ingredient when I see one!

Brød & Taylor Sourdough Home:  £129.00

Keep your sourdough starter happy and fresh with this controllable home that can both heat and cool. I love this piece of kit and it takes the guesswork out of having a bubbly starter ready for when you are.

Netherton Foundry Spun Iron Cloche: £119.70

One of my favourite producers, Netherton Foundry maker of amazing black-ironware, has made, (with input from BakeryBits), a little cracker of a cloche.

This strong yet light dome fits perfectly into the oven, holding in the steam for a crackly crust and evening the heat of the oven for amazing loaves.

BakeryBits Refractory Clay Baking Stone for Bread and Pizzas: £52.80

One of the biggest leaps forward I have had with baking bread was when I first acquired a decent baking stone. This thick furnace grade stone is just right for imparting a sensational spring and a blisteringly crispy crust and it won't crack after being used repeatedly. I feel that it's the perfect gift for someone who is ready to take their baking to the next level.

Handmade English Oak Breadboard 41x25cm: £58.80

Having a stunning hand-made quarter-sawn English oak bread board made by cabinet maker David Lloyd is great not only for slicing on but looks great laden tapas-style with slices of bread, chunks of cheese and a few olives. Perfect for Christmas evenings grazing after a big lunch.

Handmade BakeryBits Batter Bowl: £61.44

Somerset craftsman Matt Waite has created this pleasing, tactile and practical bowl exclusively for BakeryBits. I cherish having something so practical yet beautiful to look at. If you are like me you won't want to put it back in the cupboard.

The Challenger Bread Pan Updated design- for the Crustiest Loaf: £322.00

I bake lots of different breads at home in my Challenger and always feel safe handling it due to the placement of the six handles which mean that you can easily use it without being a contortionist. It's a heavyweight cloche that just bakes like a professional oven but at home.

SuperFast Thermapen 3 Probe Thermometer: £53.86

When I need to check the core temperature of a rye bread in the oven or am making caramel on the stove, having a thermometer that not only is very quick and accurate but also easy to read is something that I really appreciate. That it turns on and off just by pulling out the probe and not having to press buttons is a bonus that makes the Thermapen a joy to use. 

BakeryBits Hand-Thrown Sourdough Pot with FREE starter: £53.76

After having developed a relationship with your starter, giving it an enchanting dwelling may not impress it that much, but I find using something so tactile almost every day is more about pampering me...afterall I am the one who gets the feel-good factor using such a pretty pot.

Professional Stainless Steel Pastry Cutters, Star Shaped, Set of 9: £46.31

I could not resist adding these high grade German professional cookie cutters as they just scream Christmas - but not just Christmas! Having a set of cutters, you won't have to compromise a recipe to fit the cutters you have to hand - and if you want to build a stack of biscuits the star gives a wonderful geometric impact to pimp up your pastries.

Why not use two cutters together? Cut from two contrasting doughs, one large star and one small. Use the small cutter to remove a small star from the larger one and pop the contrasting dough in for a stunning effect.

Ankarsrum Assistent Food Mixer: £675.00

Some designs just work and this is one of them. I have worked with Ankarsrum since my days in Copenhagen well over 20 years ago and these are bomb-proof Swedish strongmen, to help you mix and much more in your kitchen. The first design was in the 1940s and not much has changed throughout the years apart from developing an over-engineered motor to power through the toughest of jobs - they now have an attachment for almost everything.

The Bread Baker's Pocket Companion: £15.50

This is never further than arm's length away when I am baking in the kitchen. it's a delightful pocket-sized guide for all the things you scrabble around trying to find in the back of different cookbooks, but all gathered in one place. Its indispensable, insightful and has all the need-to-know information at your fingertips. I am a huge fan of this little book as you might have guessed!

Pomora Extra Virgin Olive Oil: £13.00

These are the absolute best extra virgin olive oils that BakeryBits could find. I can't get enough of them, great tasting oils from single source groves, they are to be really savoured for their unique delicate green peppery flavours, made using olives from two small groves in Italy. The tastiest of presents you could wish for.

The Teiger Dough Cloth: £24:60

If you know a baker then you will be their best friend after gifting them a Teiger cloth. For me it's an absolute godsend being able to wipe sticky dough from my hands, mixing bowl, kitchen worktop and scrapers with ease. It is a small miracle that I could not live without so get your own as I am holding on to mine!

BakeryBits baking oils and extracts: from £7.00

I have spoken to so many people that rave about these oils and extracts. Giving your bakes and cakes taste is easy, but giving them such high quality and pure tasting flavours just makes you want to create more tasty treats. Widely used by chefs, chocolatiers and cake bakers (including Sainsbury's for their 200th anniversary cake), they smell great and are super easy to use with the inbuilt dropper cap. Dab some Fiori Di Sicilia behind your ears and you're ready for the office Christmas party.

Specialist Salts: from £1.98

Nobody who has ever given me some good salt as a present has put a foot wrong in my book. It is so good to be able to season with the flourish of a tasty salt. Flavoured Cornish sea salt for adding a sprinkle of piquant pleasure or some French grey sea salt that accentuates the taste of a homemade loaf. With a selection to suit any budget or taste you are on to a sure winner here.

Handmade Black Walnut Lame (Right or Left-Handed): £33.53

I bought one of these for my partner who loves it, but i think it's me that uses it most at home. It just sits right in your hand and the long handle helps with swooping curves when slashing dough. Changing my grip I can make small precision cuts to decorate my bakes just as well. I like that it is made from black walnut, has a fancy brass fitting around the blade and comes with its own wooden storage box to keep my fingers out of harms way when reaching for it.

How to Raise a Loaf by Roly Allen: £12.00

If you want to get someone into baking sourdough then this superb book by Roly Allen is the way to go. It is very well written and it feels like Roly takes you by the hand and leads you through all that you need to know in a clear, thoughtful and step-by-step manner imparting invaluable tips and tricks along the way. His choice of recipes covers a breadth of sourdough baking that will set anyone on their way to quickly become a skilled baker.

DeSh~Stoom Oven Steamer for a Crusty Loaf: £57.24

A quirky yet brilliant invention for creating controlled steam in your oven that is so low tech it's a thing of beauty. It hardly takes up any room in the oven and makes it safer for me to get steam going straight away to get that sought after crispy crust, and the beauty of this steam generator is that it stops in time to ensure the crust is toasty and caramelised as well. Clever, safe and nifty.

BakeryBits Madagascan Whole Pod Vanilla Powder: £10.00

I like the tin just for itself but the ground vanilla is so tasty and packs a powerful pure vanilla punchy taste. Because the tin is so noticeable I never misplace it - which is quite impressive for me. The fact that you can get refills for the tin is great because I use it often.

Short & Sweet: £19.00

This has to be my most thumbed cookbook, and I refer back to it time after time. It contains a plethora of recipes, a wealth of knowledge, numerous top tips and is a joy to read. There is more information and inspiration in this one book than you would normally find in at least three cook books together. This is the cook book that will keep you coming back for more.