Innovative pastry books/lessons

[Rana]

Hi all,,,

Ok I have a HUGE amount of books and videos about desserts and recipes, good ones when it comes to that.

However I wanna pastry guides (or for baking) that teach innovative creations, gourmet desserts, techniques and recipes used by professional chefs in restaurants. Not ones that teach ordinary recipes (e.g. cookies, cream caramel, chocolate cake....etc)

I want something that makes me feel as I am in pastry (or baking) school! Something creative, with clear instructions

I can't afford these schools so I am trying to learn at home.

Online websites with videos even if I have to pay for them are even better if you know good ones or even in youtube

Thanks a lot in advance guys!

Rana

[Baselerd]

Dessert FourPlay by Iuzzini - I'm a big fan of this one. It has a lot of creative desserts - combining a lot of cool flavors in ways other than the usual classic french/italian pastries and cakes. Some of the recipes in this book require a few modernist gelling ingredients. You can get an idea of what's inside this book here - there's a few sample recipes very similar to those found in the book.

Elements of Dessert by Migoya - a huge focus on the modern style desserts you find at high-end resaurants. Very technical though, so if you don't have some special equipment you may not be able to pursue all of the recipes. Namely, he uses a spray coater extensively, as well as distillation equipment and a plethora of modern thickeners and gelling agents.

Edited April 1, 2013 by Baselerd (log)

[mkayahara]

However I wanna pastry guides (or for baking) that teach innovative creations, gourmet desserts, techniques and recipes used by professional chefs in restaurants. Not ones that teach ordinary recipes (e.g. cookies, cream caramel, chocolate cake....etc)

I want something that makes me feel as I am in pastry (or baking) school! Something creative, with clear instructions

Aren't those two things at odds with each other? Pastry school will start by teaching you ordinary recipes, because those are the foundation for the innovative desserts.

In any case, I second Baselerd's recommendations, and would add Migoya's book Frozen Desserts as well: even though it's nominally about frozen items only, it contains lots of interesting composed desserts that use non-frozen elements. Also, check out anything you can find written by Michael Laiskonis. Eric Ripert's book On the Line has a few of his recipes, and you should be able to find several more online.

Beyond that, you may want to take a look in many of the high-end restaurant books that aren't dedicated to pastry, like Alinea, Eleven Madison Park and the like. You're not going to find a comprehensive course in innovative pastry in them, but that's where some of the most creative stuff has been happening.

Edited April 1, 2013 by mkayahara (log)

[Mjx]

What mkayahara said.

Pastry chefs who are successfully producing creative desserts/pastries/sweets tend to have two things in common: they have a lot of experience and internalized knowledge, and an active imagination.

The former makes it possible for the latter to function as the guiding force (i.e. they've moved past the necessity to spend a vast amount of time looking things up or finding them out); the latter is something no book/course/person can teach you, you just have to get out there, look at things, think about them without other crap cluttering up your environment.

Don't go out of your way to be outrageous, since that just leads to being derivative, but don't let yourself be embarrassed about making a complete ass of yourself (e.g. the brilliant idea for a dessert inspired by Piranesi's Carceri, which, unable to sustain it's weight, ends up looking like Post-WWII Dresden ... don't ask, it seemed good idea at the time).

Basically, learn the physics and chemistry of what you're working with until you know it inside and out, and then just play with it.

ETA, Migoya's Elements of Dessert is a great book, I got it recently, and it's just killing me that I can't really play with many of the ideas at this time.

[Rana]

What mkayahara said.

Pastry chefs who are successfully producing creative desserts/pastries/sweets tend to have two things in common: they have a lot of experience and internalized knowledge, and an active imagination.

The former makes it possible for the latter to function as the guiding force (i.e. they've moved past the necessity to spend a vast amount of time looking things up or finding them out); the latter is something no book/course/person can teach you, you just have to get out there, look at things, think about them without other crap cluttering up your environment.

Don't go out of your way to be outrageous, since that just leads to being derivative, but don't let yourself be embarrassed about making a complete ass of yourself (e.g. the brilliant idea for a dessert inspired by Piranesi's Carceri, which, unable to sustain it's weight, ends up looking like Post-WWII Dresden ... don't ask, it seemed good idea at the time).

Basically, learn the physics and chemistry of what you're working with until you know it inside and out, and then just play with it.

ETA, Migoya's Elements of Dessert is a great book, I got it recently, and it's just killing me that I can't really play with many of the ideas at this time.

However I wanna pastry guides (or for baking) that teach innovative creations, gourmet desserts, techniques and recipes used by professional chefs in restaurants. Not ones that teach ordinary recipes (e.g. cookies, cream caramel, chocolate cake....etc)

I want something that makes me feel as I am in pastry (or baking) school! Something creative, with clear instructions

Aren't those two things at odds with each other? Pastry school will start by teaching you ordinary recipes, because those are the foundation for the innovative desserts.

In any case, I second Baselerd's recommendations, and would add Migoya's book Frozen Desserts as well: even though it's nominally about frozen items only, it contains lots of interesting composed desserts that use non-frozen elements. Also, check out anything you can find written by Michael Laiskonis. Eric Ripert's book On the Line has a few of his recipes, and you should be able to find several more online.

Beyond that, you may want to take a look in many of the high-end restaurant books that aren't dedicated to pastry, like Alinea, Eleven Madison Park and the like. You're not going to find a comprehensive course in innovative pastry in them, but that's where some of the most creative stuff has been happening.

Thanks for your responses I will check the recommendations.

I am well of that, but since I can't afford to go to these schools and since I already can make the ordinary things I want something more advance. I saw maaaaaany videos and read maaaaaaaany books, all the techniques and methods are repetitive to the point that I can tell the what the dish is by looking only at the ingredients and vise versa.

However if you go to fancy restaurants you see their amazing complex desserts with many components, with many interesting techniques and things like that. I want to extend my pastry knowledge as I can't get them anywhere else!

I know these things need experience but where am I going to get it from if not from the internet or books? no cooking schools here.

I will be checking also the ones you mentioned Baselerd Thanks

If you know good websites or channels please let me know. Even if they cost money

Edited April 1, 2013 by Rana (log)

[HungryC]

Pierre Herme's books offer lots of interesting compositions, building on traditional french techniques....

Dessert Professional magazine: http://www.dessertprofessional.com/

Pastry & Baking North America: http://pastryna.com/

So Good: http://www.sogoodmagazine.com/

[dhardy123]

If you want a good book on creating restaurant quality plated desserts, check out:

http://www.amazon.com/Plating-Gold-Dessert-National-Championships/dp/1118059840/

[Bojana]

Rana,

find a good restaurant in your area and ask to work there for free, focusing on pastry. There are no books that will be able to convey what an experienced chef can. Alternatively, you do not have to go all the way with classes. I did a 4 day patisserie training (6 hours a day) with a former michelin star pastry chef, and it cost something like eur 300. I have learnt so many useful techniques and tricks, it was invaluable.

Restaurants can sometimes be reluctant to take an amateur, even if it's free. My tactic was to put a portfolio of pics togeter, illustrating all the things that I do know how to make. Plus, I took a batch of my own macarons with me ( i make killer macarons), to have the food speak on my behalf.

good luck