Book excerpt: The essential guide to truly stunning desserts from pastry chef Francisco Migoya In this gorgeous and comprehensive new cookbook, Chef Migoya begins with the essential elements of contemporary desserts—like mousses, doughs, and ganaches—showing pastry chefs and students how to master those building blocks before molding and incorporating them into creative finished desserts. He then explores in detail pre-desserts, plated desserts, dessert buffets, passed desserts, cakes, and petits fours. Throughout, gorgeous and instructive photography displays steps, techniques, and finished items. The more than 200 recipes and variations collected here cover virtually every technique, concept, and type of dessert, giving professionals and home cooks a complete education in modern desserts. More than 200 recipes including everything from artisan chocolates to French macarons to complex masterpieces like Bacon Ice Cream with Crisp French Toast and Maple Sauce Written by Certified Master Baker Francisco Migoya, a highly respected pastry chef and the author of Frozen Desserts and The Modern Café, both from Wiley Combining Chef Migoya's expertise with that of The Culinary Institute of America, The Elements of Dessert is a must-have resource for professionals, students, and serious home cooks.