In this magnificent volume, the second in the "Grand Livre de Cuisine" series, celebrated chefs Alain Ducasse and Frederic Robert comprehensively cover the art of making desserts, pastries, candy and breads. Everything is here - mousses and fondants; cookies and cakes; ice creams and sorbets; bonbons and nougats; and, fruit tarts, profiteroles, and sweet crepes. The book's 250 mouth-watering recipes range from traditional treats such as peach melba, candied apples, and oeufs a la neige to audacious concoctions such as tropical fruit-stuffed ravioli and coconut-encrusted lollipops. Decidedly French yet international in flavour, the book presents the authors' masterful takes on American cheesecake; Italian cannolis, zuppa inglese, and tiramisu; and, the Austrian confections known as viennoiseries. Organized by main ingredient, the 'Grand Livre"s structure epitomizes Ducasse's philosophy of cooking and baking, which holds that culinary techniques should accentuate and enhance an ingredient's true nature, not mask it. The book features more than 650 colour photographs and cross-sectional drawings that clearly display the internal 'architecture' of some of the more complex creations.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Alain Ducasse is the celebrated chef of four renowned restaurants: Le Louis XV in Monaco, Restaurant Plaza Athenee in Paris, Alain Ducasse at the Essex House in New York, and Beige in Tokyo. In 25 years as a prominent chef, he has not only developed expertise in the culinary arts but also become successful as an educator and publisher. Ducasse lives in Paris. Frederic Robert has spent the last 25 years working side by side with Alain Ducasse, overseeing all of the pastries, desserts and breads for his restaurants. He has received numerous culinary awards.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
By R. Vincent
Format:Hardcover
I purchased the Desserts and Pastries at the same time as the other Grand Livre de Cuisine on savory food. My professional expertise was in breads and pastry, so it is easier for me to appreciate the example recipes in this book. The book is by no means exhaustive. It is an excellent resource with some fantastic pastry ideas and good ingredient combinations. It is also easier to find most of the ingredients in this volume than the savory book.
The photography is superb, but don't expect to be able to reproduce the look of the photographs without some professional baking or pastry experience. The recipes lack explanations and expect you to know foundation techniques.
The photography is superb, but don't expect to be able to reproduce the look of the photographs without some professional baking or pastry experience. The recipes lack explanations and expect you to know foundation techniques.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By C. Dobies
Format:Hardcover
My wife and myself are both professional chefs with an extensive cookbook collection. This is a must-have! Great recipes and phenomenal photographs make this a book that we would recommend to anyone!
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By P. Bruich
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I purchased this book after doing a considerable amount of pastry, breads, desserts, etc. This book offers hundreds of recipes, easy to follow, great photos, clear explanations. It is a must have for anyone serious about their collection of cookbooks, and for anyone searching for the perfect dessert recipe. Any one of the recipes can be used as a guide to creating your own inventions. I would highly reccommend this book, and it is pricey, but considering I am a passionate cook, this was a must have and a true reward for myself! Enjoy! [...]
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
I LOVE this book!
Some say that this Desserts and Pastries volume of Grand Livre de Cuisine is more for professional chefs, but I found it accessible. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Sustainable Global Foodie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice to look at
It's nice to look at but quite hard to copy these recipes. It's a good source of inspiration at the highest level.
Published on June 19, 2008 by Eliza
5.0 out of 5 stars
Professional View
I bought this book as a reference book when it first came out, I read French with a little difficulty, but with a list of a few keywords the ability to reproduce recipes were not... Read more
Published on March 19, 2008 by Bryon Grant
5.0 out of 5 stars
Beautiful
Alain Ducasse is a master of his craft. To enjoy this book, though, one must have a clear understanding of the pastry arts. Read more
Published on July 3, 2007 by The Skinny Chef
5.0 out of 5 stars
Alain Ducasse's Desserts and Pastries
Great book, great pictures but maybe a bit difficult to execute for a non professional chef.
Published on March 19, 2007 by Albert
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