Paco Torreblanca - The Book

Paco Torreblanca - The Book

By Paco Torreblanca

Spanish pastry chefs are not nearly as well-known abroad as their French contemporaries - but they are doing some amazing work. Paco Torreblanca is considered one of the masters of modern pastry and is known for inventive designs and flavour combinations. This book, his first (he's since written two more), was initially released only in his mother tongue but demand from around the world convinced his publishers to re-release it with an English translation alongside the Spanish.

It's a gorgeous book that takes desserts to new heights. Dishes that are a standard in every pastry chef's repertoire - such as the humble pear tatin or raspberry charlotte - have been reworked into something new and beautiful. Even his pates de fruits - fruit jellies coated in sugar - have a lovely clarity that lets you see each tiny speck of vanilla seed (most other jellies are cloudy).

Chapters include 'The creation of a cake'; 'The new dessert cart'; 'The soul of chocolates'; and 'Sugar - the first pleasure'. He also has chapters stressing the importance of decorative elements, artistic presentation and hygiene. It would be a shame to ruin this book with food splatters so the considerate publisher includes a companion soft-bound laminated volume consisting solely of the recipes.

My one complaint about the book is that the English translation is printed in light grey, which makes it difficult to read.