The Art of French Baking

The classic collection of more than 350 authentic French dessert recipes from the ultimate authority on French home cooking

From éclairs to soufflés and macarons to madeleines, when it comes to desserts, no one does it better than the French. With Ginette Mathiot as your guide, beautiful, elegant, and delicious French desserts are easy to create at home. The Art of French Baking is the definitive collection of authentic French pastry and dessert recipes.

This gorgeous cookbook contains more than 350 accessible recipes for the home baker, from Tarte Tatin and Hazelnut Petit Fours to Cherry Tartlets and Choux Buns, as well as more than 100 recipes for jams, preserves, compotes, and pickles.

Novice bakers will appreciate step-by-step guides to classic pastry techniques and expert advice for troubleshooting common pastry problems, while home cooks of all skill levels will discover sweet treats to suit every palate. An introduction by the Parisian food writer Clothilde Dusoulier completes this elegant companion.

Review

‘This book reminds you of the vast range of patisserie imprinted in French DNA.’ – The Independent

‘If you've ever stood with your nose pressed to the window of a French patisserie, you'll love this hefty collection of 350 recipes.’ – BBC Good Food

‘In its chic white leatherette binding, this is the last word on classic French patisserie.’ – Daily Mail

‘Everybody needs a primer… Adorable!’ – The Wall Street Journal

‘The steps are simple, the results are stunning!’ – Reader's Digest

‘Beautiful… The layout is clean and the photographs enticing without being off-puttingly perfect. I love French patisserie and have spent many an hour trying to get my pâte sucrée tart cases just so, so I really enjoyed trying a few things here.’ – Observer Food Monthly

‘Celebrates French pastry… and demystifies it… You can't read more than a couple of pages without feeling desperately in need of a sophisticated sweet.’ – The Globe and Mail (Canada)

‘The Art of French Baking reveals the secret of stylish pastries.’ – The Times

‘Mathiot's best chapter is Gâteaux, where she proffers varieties of nut cakes, spice cakes, chocolate cakes, and even the dreaded fruitcake, whose reputation she may singlehandedly redeem. A solid primer for those looking to indulge in homemade classical pastries, this book will inspire would-be bakers to new heights.’ – Publishers Weekly

About the Author

Ginette Mathiot (1907–1998), Officier de la Legion d’Honneur, taught three generations how to cook in France and is the ultimate authority on French home cooking. She wrote more than 30 best-selling cookbooks, covering all subjects in French cuisine. Je sais cuisiner (I know how to cook) was her definitive, most comprehensive work, which brings together recipes for every classic French dish, now published by Phaidon as France: The Cookbook.

Parisian Clotilde Dusoulier is a food writer and an expert on French home cooking, based in Paris, who specialises in adapting traditional French dishes for modern readers. Author of several cookbooks, her vast knowledge of French food has led many fans to her Chocolate & Zucchini website and blog.