Fine French Desserts ─ Essential Recipes and Techniques

This bible of dessert recipes and techniques combines the finely honed skills of master pastry chefs with interactive videos and step-by-step photographs to ensure success at home. This richly illustrated volume details 260 step-by-step recipes with in-depth explanations for kitchen novices that cover all basic techniques and desserts and are grouped by category: hot or cold desserts, entremets, classic pastries, cakes, tarts, and frozen desserts. Expert chefs provide baking tips that will assure success with foolproof dough, creams and mousses, chocolate and candy, sauces, and frozen desserts. Classic and contemporary recipes feature creme brulee, Black Forest cake, clafoutis, lemon meringue pie, profiteroles, frozen raspberry souffle, Opera, tarte tatin, crepes Suzette, macaroons, gingerbread, strawberry-cherry gazpacho, mango-pineapple carpaccio, fruit taboule, Christmas log, and sugar decorations. Practical references include visual lexicons of recommended kitchen equipment and common ingredients; decorative piping models; conversion tables; a glossary; descriptions of regional French specialties and fifteen classic French desserts; and an index of recipes and main ingredients. Each recipe is rated for complexity so the home chef can gradually expand his or her baking ability through experience. More than 600 photographs and twenty downloadable videos of complex techniques enhance the learning experience in this essential guide for novice and established cooks alike.

Hubert Delorme and Vincent Boue contributed to the award-winning French Cooking (Flammarion, 2010) and teach culinary techniques at catering schools. Didier Stephan earned the prestigious title Meilleur Ouvrier de France and teaches cooking classes internationally.