Grand Livre de Cuisine: Alain Ducasse's Desserts and Pastries (Hardcover)

~ Alain Ducasse (Author), Frederic Robert (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In this magnificent volume, the second in the Grand Livre de Cuisine series, celebrated chefs Alain Ducasse and Frédéric Robert comprehensively cover the art of making desserts, pastries, candy, and other sweets. Everything is here— mousses and fondants; cookies and cakes; ice creams and sorbets; bonbons and nougats; fruit tarts, profiteroles, and sweet crèpes.

The book’s 250 mouth-watering recipes range from traditional treats such as peach melba, candied apples, and oeufs à la neige to audacious concoctions such as tropical fruit– stuffed ravioli and coconut-encrusted lollipops. Decidedly French yet international in flavor, the book presents the authors’ masterful takes on American cheesecake; Italian cannolis, zuppa inglese, and tiramisù; 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 color photographs, including a full-page, close-up photo of each finished dish. Cross-sectional drawings clearly display the internal “architecture” of some of the more complex creations.

About the Author

ALAIN DUCASSE is the celebrated chef of four renowned restaurants: Le Louis XV in Monaco, Restaurant Plaza Athénée 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.

FRÉDÉRIC ROBERT has spent the last 25 years working side by side with Alain Ducasse, overseeing all the pastries, desserts, and breads for his restaurants. He has received numerous culinary awards.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 584 pages
• Publisher: "Stewart, Tabori and Chang" (October 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 2848440163
• ISBN-13: 978-2848440163
• Product Dimensions: 12 x 9.5 x 2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 7.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #590,666 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Pastry and Bread Resource, March 21, 2007

By	R. Vincent (Provo, UT USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful book for pastry and dessert, October 15, 2007

By	P. Bruich "http://pajostasting.blogspot.com/" (california) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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! [...]

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful, July 3, 2007

By	The Skinny Chef (San Antonio, TX) - See all my reviews

Alain Ducasse is a master of his craft. To enjoy this book, though, one must have a clear understanding of the pastry arts. There are not recipes for every element; however, the methods that are presented are easily followed. Not recommended for the novice, unless you want a beautiful book to display on your shelf. The photographs are phenomenal.