Review by Library Journal Review
According to award-winning pastry chef Ansel, who may be best known as the creator of the Cronut, "pastry is about moments." Ansel puts that culinary philosophy into practice with his latest cookbook, which is arranged in chapters with titles like "The Early Days," "The Friendship Years," and "Family Life." Within these thematic chapters, Ansel pairs 40 recipes with accompanying stories, including milk-chocolate "humble pie" that illustrates the power of apologies and a chocolate-peanut butter candy bar that reflects on the bittersweet nature of saying farewell. The recipes themselves range from beginning baker-friendly sweets such as tergoule (a French version of rice pudding) to more challenging treats such as apple tart tatin. The clean, step-by-step format of the recipes, each of which includes a gorgeous color photograph of the finished treat, helps ensure success for bakers of every skill level. VERDICT Writing with an effortless élan that only a French pastry chef could have, Ansel not only offers fascinating glimpses into his life with an array of reliable recipes but also gives bakers a new way of looking at the sweet treats in their lives.--John Charles
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