Best-Ever Book of Pastry

This new book provides a straightforward guide to making great pastry, with plenty of expert tips and illustrated, step-by-step techniques, so that even first time pastry cooks will easily achieve excellent results.

A comprehensive introduction includes all the information you need to know about making pastries and pies at home. There are easy-to-follow basic recipes from simple shortcrust to trickier types such as puff, choux, strudel and hot-water crust, along with illustrated instructions for shaping and flavouring, lining pie tins and moulds, and using trimmings for decorative finishes.

The second section contains recipes for over 135 sweet and savoury pastries. There are wonderful starters and snacks, classic quiches and savoury tarts, fabulous recipes for double crust pies, and delightful savoury parcels and pastry cases. You can choose from well-loved dishes, such as Quiche Lorraine, discover how to make the perfect Steak and Kidney Pie, or try out some of the elegant ideas for special occasions, such as Scallops and Mushrooms in a Puff Pastry Case.

The sweet pastry chapters are just as comprehensive, with dozens of delicious recipes for individual pies and tarts made from shortcrust, choux, puff and filo pastries, and rich pastry desserts made with chocolate and nuts. There are recipes, too, for classics such as Treacle Tart and Mississippi Mud Pie, as well as a whole host of wonderful tea-time treats such as Bakewell Tart and Filo-topped Apple Pie.

Full of fabulous recipes and packed with helpful advice and all the information you need, this is an essential kitchen reference for every budding pastry chef.

• An expertly written, comprehensive guide to the art of pastry making
  
• Practical advice and all the essential information needed to make perfect pastry every time, with useful facts about ingredients and suggestions for pastry variations, savoury and sweet fillings, and custards and sauces.

About the Author

Catherine Atkinson has always had a passionate interest in food and cookery and as a student this culminated in a BSc (Hons) in Home Economics at Surrey University. Catherine currently works as a full-time writer and food consultant, contributing to various food and lifestyle magazines, and producing many outstanding cookbooks. Her published works include: The World Encyclopedia of Coffee, Pastry - The Complete Art of Pastry Making and Preserves.