In my opinion, this is the best dessert cookbook to come out in years, especially for the "pastry phobic." Executive chef Caprial Pence and Pastry Chef Melissa Carey of Portland, Oregon's Caprial's Bistro present the book like a culinary class, focusing on the techniques pastry chefs use everyday.

The essential techniques are taught through 67 master dessert recipes. These master recipes can then be expounded upon to create countless sweet treats of every description: pies, cakes, tarts, cookies, cobblers, custards, mousses, ice creams, sorbets and others.

Caprial's philosophy is to steer clear over overly fussy creations that look gorgeous but lack flavor. These timeless recipes are delicious and satisfying while being relatively simple to prepare. Full color photographs of many of the desserts will inspire you start cooking and step-by-step photos of Caprial and Melissa in action will help insure your results are spectacular as theirs.

If you're new to baking, this book will give you a solid foundation of culinary skills. If you're an experienced dessert maker, it will help you hone your skills and give you a springboard to new levels of culinary creativity. Along the way Caprial and Melissa generously share their time-tested tips and techniques, giving your every possible advantage in the kitchen. Highly recommended.