Sweet Magic: Easy Recipes for Delectable Desserts

From popular pastry chef Michel Richard, author of Happy in the Kitchen, comes Sweet Magic—a gorgeous, hand-illustrated primer of classic and innovative dessert recipes. Winner of multiple James Beard Awards and an acknowledged pastry genius whom Thomas Keller called “one of the great practitioners of the culinary arts in America” Michel Richard is on a mission to help you improve your dessert technique—and he’s got the stuff to help serious bakers perform Sweet Magic over and over again!

Long before award-winning chef Michel Richardmade his first côte de boeuf or prepared hisfirst foie gras terrine, he was a pastry chef. InLos Angeles, pastry lovers lined up outside his bakeshopon Wilshire Boulevard, waiting to enjoy the breadsand treats they’d heard were the best in town, maybeeven better than anything in Paris. Now, in this outstandingcollection, the superstar chef returns to hisfirst love, the food that made him famous—desserts.

Here are mouthwatering, foolproof recipes forAmerican favorites such as pecan pie and poundcake; Richard’s personal inventions, such as FloatingIslands with Melted Chocolate Morsels and the "coffeecloud"; reinvented French classics, such as profiterolesand the Christmas log (bûche de Noël); fruitfavorites, including tarts and Pavlovas; and, of course,plenty of cookies.

Going beyond traditional cookbooks, Sweet Magicshares Richard’s insights into the thinking and craftbehind every aspect of dessert, with brief essaysthat explore, explain, and entice—highlighted by thechef’s own playful illustrations.

Creating exquisite dishes with only a few simpleingredients—butter, eggs, sugar, flour, chocolate—demands the instincts of an artist and the soul of amagician. Sweet Magic will unlock the inner dessertwizard in every home chef, guiding both newcomersand old hands past common missteps, to seduce themost flavor and texture from every ingredient.

In Praise of Home Cooking with a French Accent “Richard’s culinary star began to rise with the debut of his restaurant, Citrus, in Los Angeles in 1987. Now, five restaurants later, he brings his love of food to the page. Richard may be classically trained, but he firmly believes in experimenting with taste and texture to develop something new: he borrows often from diverse cultures and cuisines to create the unexpected...His enthusiasm is so infectious, however, and his recipes are so well-written, that even the inexperienced may gear up to try chicken kataifi with purple sauce—it’s too intriguing not to.” - Publishers Weekly

“In this hefty follow-up to his 1993 debut (Home Cooking with a French Accent), Richard imparts culinary wisdom of the highest order in cheerful nursery tones. Humpty Dumpty, Captain Crunch and a vegetable called Mr. Beet are a few of the merry characters who populate his kitchen. Goofiness apart, the book is filled with clever, innovative techniques and little-known time-savers (microwave béchamel, anybody? food processor sorbet?)...Professional cooks and serious amateurs will find this volume an essential resource.” - Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“…the playful tale of the boy who would (always) be chef, complete with instructions on preparing French classic desserts like Buche de Noel along with some personal inventions including “Floating Islands with Melted Chocolate Morsels.” Before you’re finished, you will be tempted to believe life IS just a bowl of Cherry ... Clafouti.” - Georgetown Dish

“…the playful tale of the boy who would (always) be chef, complete with instructions on preparing French classic desserts... along with some personal inventions... Before you’re finished, you will be tempted to believe life IS just a bowl of Cherry ... Clafouti. - Georgetown Dish

“Personal, humorous and fun. - Wine Spectator

“…cheerful, perfect-to-make-on-a-Sunday-afternoon recipes” and “American classics including cherry pie, apple pie, and chocolate chip cookies, have their place alongside French favorites such as crepes, meringues, and éclairs in this delightful and timeless title that feels like a small but worthy indulgence.” - Publishers Weekly