How to Make Perfect Pastry

The fine art of pastry-making is made easy with more than 75 tempting step-by-step recipes shown in over 400 stunning photographs. It shows you how to make every kind of pastry with foolproof techniques for shortcrust, rich shortcrust, pate sucree, suet, puff, choux, filo and hot water crust. It includes recipes for over 75 fabulous pastry dishes for every kind of occasion, from family suppers and light lunches to dinner parties and buffets. It presents step-by-step instructions combined with over 400 pictures demonstrate each stage of the process for success every time. It includes wonderful pastry appetizers and snacks, classic quiches and tarts, double-crust pies and parcels, as well as sweet pies, tarts and tartlets, and rich pastry desserts. It also includes information on equipment, lining tins and pans, using a food processor, and creating pastry decorations. Cook in style using this excellent guide to the art of pastry-making with contemporary and classic recipes from around the world. Making pastry is explained clearly, step by step, from simple shortcrust to choux and puff pastry. Every technique is included, from shaping pastry to using trimmings for decorative finishes, as well as essential information on baking times and oven temperatures. Recipes include Potato and Leek Filo Pie, Tomato and Black Olive Tart, Shellfish in Puff Pastry, Pecan Tassies and Mississippi Mud Pie. This is a fabulous guide and recipe collection for aspiring pastry chefs.

Catherine Atkinson is trained as a Cordon Bleu cook and holds a degree in Home Economics. After graduating, she worked in a number of hotels and restaurants, including the Roux Brothers' patisseries. Her catering experience led to work in publishing - creating recipes and styling food for photography - and she became Deputy Cooking Editor on Woman's Weekly and later Me magazine. She is currently a full-time writer and food consultant, writing cookbooks and contributing to various magazines.