Rating: 
Summary: Looks may be deceiving
Review: After reading through the entire book and trying out several recipes I have to say I am a bit disappointed. The photos of the desserts do not necessarily match the recipe instructions. For example, the Chocolate Coconut Cake instructs one to sprinkle toasted coconut over the top and sides of the cake but the photograph shows a cake with a sleek coating of ganache on top. This may seem like a picky complaint, but why photograph a dessert that looks different than the recipe outcome? Afterall, this is a book for home cooks not professional pastry chefs. In fairness to Mr. Payard, the book does explain techniques well and is very user friendly.
Rating: 
Summary: Deceptively Simple and nicely photographed
Review: At first I thought this book would be another food porn book --nice pictures, no substance. Like the world really needs anotherpoundcake recipe.I was surprised that the simple structure andinstructions offered a wealth of possibilities. for instance using Meyer lemons with the lemon curd recipe. I recommend this book for the following reasons: 1) very easy - similiar desserts have more steps and do not come out as well as the ones here; 2) Very nice layout -- care was taken in visual presentation; 3) Recipes are provided in both metric and imperial weights -- guaranteeing sound results; 4) Recipes are done with a minimal amount of fuss, ease of reading and less cluttered; 5) The recipes work. Not a bad combination at all. Much effort has gone into this book and at first it seems too simple to justify the expenditure but it definitely deserves a place on the shelf. Granted, there are hundreds of poundcake recipes out there but none so simple and allows for a certain understated elegance. You could get a dessert book that provides show stoppers that cause people to oohh and ahhh on the visual level but it is all in the taste. Now the the stuff here will not get you the ooohhh and ahhh but it will get you a "yum" or two. END
Rating:
Summary: Deceptively Simple and nicely photographed
Review: At first I thought this book would be another food porn book --nice pictures, no substance. Like the world really needs anotherpoundcake recipe. I was surprised that the simple structure andinstructions offered a wealth of possibilities. for instance using Meyer lemons with the lemon curd recipe. I recommend this book for the following reasons: 1) very easy - similiar desserts have more steps and do not come out as well as the ones here; 2) Very nice layout -- care was taken in visual presentation; 3) Recipes are provided in both metric and imperial weights -- guaranteeing sound results; 4) Recipes are done with a minimal amount of fuss, ease of reading and less cluttered; 5) The recipes work. Not a bad combination at all. Much effort has gone into this book and at first it seems too simple to justify the expenditure but it definitely deserves a place on the shelf. Granted, there are hundreds of poundcake recipes out there but none so simple and allows for a certain understated elegance. You could get a dessert book that provides show stoppers that cause people to oohh and ahhh on the visual level but it is all in the taste. Now the the stuff here will not get you the ooohhh and ahhh but it will get you a "yum" or two. END
Rating: 
Summary: The closest thing to being in Paris
Review: Awsome book. The best Parisian desserts are yours to make. Some recipes may be a little difficult for the beginning baker, but the explanations are very detailled and should get you through the most difficult cake. Not since leaving Paris 15 years ago, have I found a book that captured so well the essence of French Pastry. I made the Opera several times, which is the most painstaking recipe in the book, but with equal success every time, and fabulous compliments from my guests. A chapter about basic pastry crusts, creams and sauces is also very helpful, and then, the variations are yours to create. Since buying this book for myself, I must have given 6 or 7 away as presents to friends with different baking abilities. All love it. If it's the only baking book you purchase, let it be this one
Rating:
Summary: The closest thing to being in Paris
Review: Awsome book. The best Parisian desserts are yours to make. Some recipes may be a little difficult for the beginning baker, but the explanations are very detailled and should get you through the most difficult cake. Not since leaving Paris 15 years ago, have I found a book that captured so well the essence of French Pastry. I made the Opera several times, which is the most painstaking recipe in the book, but with equal success every time, and fabulous compliments from my guests. A chapter about basic pastry crusts, creams and sauces is also very helpful, and then, the variations are yours to create. Since buying this book for myself, I must have given 6 or 7 away as presents to friends with different baking abilities. All love it. If it's the only baking book you purchase, let it be this one
Rating:
Summary: Remarkably simple recipes create luscious desserts
Review: Fabulous pictures, easy-to-follow recipes create simple yet sophisticated desserts that look and taste wonderful. I started off with the Apricot/Almond/Raspberry Tart and the Pear/Almond Tart (Tarte Bourdloue), and had terrific results the very first time. Skip the junk food and save your calories for "the real thing"...your guests and family will love you!
Rating:
Summary: The Passionate Crazy Horse
Review: Feasting your eyes on the elegant cover one can begin the journey through the ancestry to become engulfed in the world of a true artisan. Once inside one can envision the culmination of a right of passage. The layout, pictures and personal comments of this fine author, from a foreign land, are not to be believed. His ability to express his art to the distinguished connoisseur is well-known. Now the master makes his creations malleable to the true baker at heart. Simply magnificent!
Rating:
Summary: Good dessert book
Review: Here's what I like about this book: 1. I think most of the recipes in this book is do-able for regular homecook without any special ingredients (i.e. the ingredients can be found in regular grocery store). The explanations are clear, the measurement is given in regular U.S. and metric. 2. I like the way he started with simple dessert components such as pastry cream, genoise, buttercream, sauces and develop the recipes from there. It gives me room for substitution and creativity. 3. He explains how long you can keep your baked goods and how (i.e. is it wrapped in a plastic, stored in air-tight container, etc.) Those are the details often overlooked by many dessert books, but very helpful for homecook. Here's what I don't like: 1. There are some recipes that require special equipment, such as special pans, special ingredients, that you just cannot do without, or cannot do with any substitution. And, the equipment/ingredients can be pricey (such as candied chestnut/marron glacee or ice-cream maker; there's a whole section about ice cream/sorbet that I just can't do b/c I don't have the machine) Out of 140 recipes, I can easily make 20-30 of them without special equipment/ingredients and another 15-20 with a little bit of investment from local craft-store. As far as the taste of the finished product, some of them are quite usual (many of the pound-cakes are nothing special as well as the cookies) but some are very 'French' as he described it. And the price of this book is a bit expensive considering I can only make about less than 40% of the recipes. Thus I'm giving this book 3 stars!
Rating:
Summary: one of the best dessert books from a chef
Review: I have over 200 cookbook, many of them on desserts and baking. I was greatly suprised that a french pastry chef could write such a wonderfully simple dessert book, putting fabulous classic french desserts in the easy reach of the most basic american baker. This will certainly be a dessert book that I intent on turning to often. Payard did an outstanding job streamlining his desserts to very easy workable recipes. I was suprised that he would use frozen puff pastry, canned pears. Wow. Bravo!
Rating:
Summary: Recommended
Review: I've had this book for just a few weeks and am very pleased with the recipes. I've made the apple cake (3 times), pound cake and the chocolate raspberry cake. Everything was delicious. The photos are beautiful and they inspire you to try every recipe.
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