One of the most respected cookbooks in the industry - the 2002 IACP Cookbook Award Winner for Best Technical/Reference - "Professional Baking" brings aspiring pastry chefs and serious home bakers the combined talent of Wayne Gisslen and the prizewinning Le Corden Bleu in one volume. The revised Fourth Edition offers complete instruction in every facet of the baker's craft, offering more than 750 recipes - including 150 from Le Cordon Bleu - for everything from cakes, pies, pastries, and cookies to artisan breads. Page after page of clear instruction, the hallmark of all Gisslen culinary books, will help you master the basics - such as pate brisee and puff pastry -and confidently hone techniques for making spectacular desserts using spun sugar and other decorative work. More than 500 color photographs illustrate ingredients and procedures as well as dozens of stunning breads and finished desserts.

For the first time, the chefs and instructors of the world-renowned Le Cordon Bleu cooking schools have written a cookbook that will teach anyone, from novices with a sweet tooth to expert bakers, how to prepare beautiful and delicious desserts at home. Hundreds of techniques are explained in step-by-step detail, with more than one thousand color photographs illustrating the experts methods for success. Even if you've never made a sugar syrup or rolled out a piecrust before, this is the book for you. The simplest of techniques, typically left out of most cookbooks, are covered in the greatest detail. When you've mastered the basics, Le Cordon Bleu Dessert Techniques will challenge you to make increasingly difficult recipes on your way to preparing dazzling desserts. For example, upon mastering the basics of grating, chopping, melting, tempering and piping choclate, you'll want to try your hand at creating choclate ribbons and culs, marbleized chocolate slabs, and lacy chocolate cups for truly spectacular presentation. Once you've reviewed the techniquws for baking perfect cake layers, you'll be reday to creat a Chocolate Chestnut Roulade or the classic and decadent Sachertorte. After learning from the experts, you'll be piping meringue, whipping up chocolate mousse, and preparing Pots de Creme with ease before you know it.