# Books for someone trying to be a better pastry chef



## antoines (Sep 18, 2016)

Hi so for this summer I got this super awesome job at this super awesome restaurant. I was hire to be the night garde manger and that's not the problem at all but that specific restaurant has garde manger station do desserts too eventually coming up with dessert features and etc. I am still in culinary school so my pastry skills are very limited so is there a book or anything that someone can recommend that will help me be a better pastry cook?? I'm not looking for a book that teaches me how to do muffins, cookies or like a simple cake I want a book that teaches me to do high end restaurant quality desserts thank you very much!


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## jellly (Jan 3, 2005)

You might want to check out Antonio Bachour.  He is on Instagram and Facebook, so you can see if his style appeals to you.  I have two of his books and have had luck with the recipes I have tested.  His style is very modern.


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## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

Another recommendation for Bachour's books, which are quite good (I have all of them) - the recipes are written for an experienced pastry chef/cook (it will say something like "combine as for pastry cream" which means you're tempering the mix). You might like Francisco Migoya's book too, and if you are on Instagram, check out Frankhaasnoot, christophe_michalak, pastry_inspiration for ideas too.  These might not be what your restaurant is doing, or can sell (it depends on your demographics - these kinds of plates cost big bucks and you might be in a beach/resort area where people really want ice cream for dessert so coming up with a really good chocolate sauce, or a butterscotch sauce or cookie or granola that can be served with it, or a brownie base might be a good use of your time too).  For those kinds of things, my favorite cookbook author is Maida Heatter; her books are written for home cooks but they work (every recipe I've ever made from her books has worked, and I can't say that about all authors.  I might not have liked something like the hot pepper and ginger pound cake, but the recipe worked!).She has a nice group of sauces (and a fantastic group of ice cream recipes in one of them) so see if your local library has any copies and look through.


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## jellly (Jan 3, 2005)

JCAKES - I believe Maida Heatter may be missing from my cookbook library.  I have used Rose Levy Beranbaum for some of these basics with good results, but would like to check out Maida Heatter since she is still referenced so much.  Do you have a recommendation on which of her books to start with?

Also, I agree on Francisco Migoya - I have had success with some of his recipes.  The creme fraiche cake is great and I have used it in many desserts.


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## jcakes (Feb 18, 2007)

@Jellly - I've collected all of Maida Heatter's books over the years, starting with the New Book of Great Desserts and then I just got all of them. I think her best book is the Book of Great American Desserts; but honestly all of them are really really good. The ice creams/sauces are in the Brand New Book of Great Desserts; and now you can find compilations of the recipes from the books in Cookies, Pies and Tarts, and Cakes. The Palm Beach brownies (in the original book and the chocolate book,and also online) ? EXCELLENT! There's a fantastic Miami Beach Sour Cream cake (American Desserts) that is to die for. And a huge following for the Queen Mother's Cake, which is a kind of bete noir in the style of Lora Brody's original recipe but it uses almond flour. Her cheesecakes are the dense, NY style; she has a layered one in the chocolate book. And a bullseye cheesecake (not commercially viable in big quantities but it's really good and you can do indviduals if you want, Tge Chocolate Cheesecake Brownies are also amazing and I get requests for it all the time. That works better in bars; I've tried it as individuals and it's not as easy; so bake a sheet and cut it. I use extra brut cocoa in it and it is so much better that way.)

You will eventually want to get all of the books  She's my favorite author, (followed closely by jaques pepin, julia, dorie greenspan, herme) and I am embarrassed to admit I have about 500 cookbooks so that's saying something.

I'll stop now LOL


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## jellly (Jan 3, 2005)

@JCakes - Thank you for so many recommendations!  The book is in my cart and I have all of the recipes you mentioned already tagged.  I really appreciate you taking the time to mention them.


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