Book excerpt: French pâtisserie—from a flaky croissant in the morning to a raspberry macaron with tea or a layered Opéra cake after dinner— provides the grand finale to every memorable meal. This comprehensive volume, from the professionals at the Ferrandi School of Culinary Arts—dubbed “The Harvard of Gastronomy” by Le Monde newspaper—offers everything the home chef needs to create perfect pastries for all occasions. 1500 skills and techniques Learn how to make pastries, creams, decorations, and more with step-by-step instructions and tips and tricks from Ferrandi’s experienced chefs. 235 classic French recipes Recipes for the complete range of French pâtisserie also include variations that are rated according to level of difficulty so that home chefs can expand their skills over time.