Book excerpt: Le Cordon Bleu is the highly renowned, world famous cooking school noted for the quality of its culinary courses, aimed at beginners as well as confirmed or professional cooks. It is the world's largest hospitality education institution, with over 20 schools on five continents. Its educational focus is on hospitality management, culinary arts, and gastronomy. The teaching teams are composed of specialists, chefs and pastry experts, most of them honoured by national or international prizes. One of its most famous alumnae in the 1940s was Julia Child, as depicted in the film Julie & Julia. There are 100 illustrated recipes, explained step--by--step with 1400 photographs and presented in 6 chapters: Pastries, cakes and desserts; Individual cakes and plated desserts; Pies and tarts; Outstanding and festive desserts; Biscuits and cupcakes, candies and delicacies, and finally the basics of pastry. There are famous classics such as apple strudel, carrot cake, black forest gateau, strawberry cakes, profiteroles... Simple family recipes including molten chocolate cake, cake with candied fruit, hot soufflé with vanilla, Tart Tatin... Delicious and original desserts like yuzu with white chocolate, chocolate marshmallow and violet tartlet, cream cheese and cherry velvet, pistachio cristalline... At the end of the book there is a presentation of all the utensils and ingredients needed for baking and also a glossary explaining the specific culinary terms. This is THE book for pastry lovers everywhere, from beginner to the advanced level and is the official bible for the Cordon Bleu cooking schools around the world in Europe: Paris, London, Madrid, Istanbul; the Americas: Ottawa, Mexico, Peru; Oceania: Adelaide, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney; and Asia: Tokyo, Kobe, Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Shanghai, India, Taiwan.