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In this Mixtape, four irresistibly sweet stories of connection all featuring scandalous amounts of sugar.

After a painful break-up, British corporate manager Zoe Carmichael turned to baking for comfort. Now her extraordinary creations, from a horse’s head to a disco ball, have inspired a mini baking movement. Emily Webb spoke to her in 2020.

In Chicago, Vamarr Hunter always felt a special bond with the owner of his favourite local bakery, Lenore Lindsey – but never imagined she could be his long-lost birth mother. Hear this story in full by searching for Lives Less Ordinary, Sweet Surprise.

Nael and Manar Najjar fell in love over boxes of baklava in Iraq. Fleeing violence, they rebuilt their lives in the USA and the sweet that brought them together became the star of their new bakery in California. Outlook reporter Margot Wohl went to meet them in 2019.

Dr Rahul Mandal grew up in Kolkata, India in a home without an oven. He moved to the UK for his PhD and started baking to make friends - just two years later in 2018, he was crowned the winner of The Great British Bake Off. He spoke to Andrea Kennedy in 2022.

Presenter: Mobeen Azhar
Producer: Louise Morris

Get in touch: outlook@bbc.com or WhatsApp +44 330 678 2707

(Photo: A transparent 60-minute cassette tape. Credit: Getty Images)