Book excerpt: Indulge yourself with the finest pastries in the world, created by the award-winning pastry chef of the legendary Ritz Hotel in Paris Welcome to the universe of François Perret, pastry chef at the Ritz Paris. Savor sumptuous pastries and cakes: the famous honey madeleine, or the Poire BelleHélène en cage, and explore too this legendary hotel on the Place Vendome. Perret writes about his inspiration for his top ten creations, and then five haute pâtisserie desserts are each interpreted in three different variations: as an appetizer (la touche), as a main dessert, and as a light, sweet finishing flourish (la sucrerie). The book concludes with Perret's favorite: marble cake nestled in its pretty box stamped with the name of the famous hotel; the dessert unveils itself like a precious gem.