The Pastry Chef's Guide (Raveneet Gill)

Written by pastry chef extraordinaire, Observer Food Monthly 50 and Code Hospitality 30 Under 30, Ravneet Gill, this is a straight-talking no-nonsense manual – THE baking reference book for any cookery shelf. This is the written embodiment of Ravneet’s very special expertise as a patisserie chef filled with the natural flair and razor-sharp wit that gives her such enormous appeal.

Starting with a manifesto for pastry chefs, Ravneet then swiftly moves onto The Basics where she explains the principles of patisserie, which of ingredients you just need to know (gelatine, fresh and dried yeast, flours, sugar, chocolate, cream and butter), how to line your tins, understanding fat content, what equipment you really need, oven temperatures and variables to watch out for. This section alone will give the reader enough knowledge of baking to avoid the pitfalls so many of us take when baking. Chapters are then organized by type of patisserie: Sugar, Custards, Chocolate, Pastry, Biscuits, Cakes and Puddings.