[.ca] Simply Sensational Desserts: 140 Classics for the Home ... (ISBN 0767903587)

From Amazon.com:
Payard Pâtisserie and Bistro has won the devotion of Manhattan's pickiest sweet tooths, who hardly know which of its treats to devour first: the extra-tart Lemon Tart, the Chocolate Mikado Cake, or the Frozen Coconut Soufflé, among other delights. Besieged with requests for the recipes, the store's award-winning owner and pastry chef, Françoise Payard, has responded wisely with a book geared to the home baker. Simply Sensational Desserts presents over 140 Payard classics transformed (where necessary) to make their preparation absolutely accessible. Everyday and advanced bakers alike will delight in Payard's easy yet uncompromised formulas, not to mention the results they yield. Beginning with chapters devoted to ingredients, fundamental techniques, and pastry basics like sweet tart dough and genoise--the building blocks of Payard's repertoire and never more simply conceived--the book also presents dessert soups, cookies and petits fours, chocolate cakes (don't miss the Chocolate Pudding Cake), tarts, souffl & eacutes, candies, ice creams, and granités. Special chapters devoted to weekend cakes like pain d'epices--portable treats designed for casual munching--and holiday cakes, cookies, and bites conclude the feast. And a feast it is: besides recipes for the four-star goodies mentioned above, Payard includes Rhubarb Lemongrass Soup, Pistachio-Almond Biscotti, Pecan Reine de Saba, Rustic Peach Tart, Chestnut Yule Log, and Soft Chocolate Caramels. Payard also offers his special take on Belgian waffles, tuiles (his pistachio-almond version is stellar), macaroons, pound and fruit cakes, charlottes, and that most perfect dessert (and dessert accompaniment), vanilla ice cream, among others. Color photos profile Payard's homey yet sophisticated desserts--all designed, as Payard tellingly notes, to be made. --Arthur Boehm

The closest thing to being in Paris:
Awsome book. The best Parisian desserts are yours to make. Some recipes may be a little difficult for the beginning baker, but the explanations are very detailled and should get you through the most difficult cake. Not since leaving Paris 15 years ago, have I found a book that captured so well the essence of French Pastry. I made the Opera several times, which is the most painstaking recipe in the book, but with equal success every time, and fabulous compliments from my guests. A chapter about basic pastry crusts, creams and sauces is also very helpful, and then, the variations are yours to create. Since buying this book for myself, I must have given 6 or 7 away as presents to friends with different baking abilities. All love it. If it's the only baking book you purchase, let it be this one

Looks may be deceiving:
After reading through the entire book and trying out several recipes I have to say I am a bit disappointed. The photos of the desserts do not necessarily match the recipe instructions. For example, the Chocolate Coconut Cake instructs one to sprinkle toasted coconut over the top and sides of the cake but the photograph shows a cake with a sleek coating of ganache on top. This may seem like a picky complaint, but why photograph a dessert that looks different than the recipe outcome? Afterall, this is a book for home cooks not professional pastry chefs. In fairness to Mr. Payard, the book does explain techniques well and is very user friendly.

Good dessert book:
Here's what I like about this book: 1. I think most of the recipes in this book is do-able for regular homecook without any special ingredients (i.e. the ingredients can be found in regular grocery store). The explanations are clear, the measurement is given in regular U.S. and metric. 2. I like the way he started with simple dessert components such as pastry cream, genoise, buttercream, sauces and develop the recipes from there. It gives me room for substitution and creativity. 3. He explains how long you can keep your baked goods and how (i.e. is it wrapped in a plastic, stored in air-tight container, etc.) Those are the details often overlooked by many dessert books, but very helpful for homecook. Here's what I don't like: 1. There are some recipes that require special equipment, such as special pans, special ingredients, that you just cannot do without, or cannot do with any substitution. And, the equipment/ingredients can be pricey (such as candied chestnut/marron glacee or ice-cream maker; there's a whole section about ice cream/sorbet that I just can't do b/c I don't have the machine) Out of 140 recipes, I can easily make 20-30 of them without special equipment/ingredients and another 15-20 with a little bit of investment from local craft-store. As far as the taste of the finished product, some of them are quite usual (many of the pound-cakes are nothing special as well as the cookies) but some are very 'French' as he described it. And the price of this book is a bit expensive considering I can only make about less than 40% of the recipes. Thus I'm giving this book 3 stars!

Extraordinary desserts, very french!:
This is one of the most amazing dessert books I own. Not only are the recipes easy, but they have that french touch that makes them unique and delicious in a incredibly balanced way. For anyone who likes (or loves, like me)french cuisine this is an essential book! I have tried the lemon tart (more than once), pear and almond tart (twice), pistachio almond biscotti, chocolate tart to mention some, and I'm constantly asked to make them again. Excellent in every way!!

Contributions from a master:
This book is not only a pleasure to look at but the variety of recipes is one that will keep you busy for a very long time. The biographical information on the chef, the facts about what sells best in his famous NYC shop as well as the organization of items is simply fantastic. Even though the first one I baked was the "banana cake" it was actually banana bread with a great variation. It was lighter and moister that the one that I use from one of my other books.The photos are professional and the recipes are easy to use. I will make alot of items from this book.