Foreword

I am proud to present Le Cordon Bleu’s Pâtisserie and Baking Foundations—the companion book to Le Cordon Bleu’s Cuisine Foundations. This book is intended to provide a useful reference guide as you explore the world of pâtisserie and also to serve you well as you embark on your own journey, both personally and professionally. At first glance you might think that this is just “another culinary textbook,” but on closer examination you will realize that the focus is on technique. This is particularly important in French pâtisserie, where mastering the basic techniques and recipes gives you the elements necessary to make almost any pastry, including ones to be created by you!