14 best pastry cookbooks

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SAMPLE RECIPE: Pesto-Ricotta Braid

1. PREPARE THE BAKING SHEET. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. PREPARE THE DOUGH. Unfold the sheet of puff pastry on a floured surface. Using a dull knife, lightly make indentations into the dough to separate it into 3 equal sections. The middle section will hold the fill- ing, and the outer 2 sections will be braided. Using a sharp knife, cut slits about 1-inch thick down the left side, stopping when you reach the indentation that marks the start of the middle section. Cut the same number of slits down the right side.

3. FILL THE BRAID. Spread the ricotta cheese down the center panel with the back of a spoon. Top with prepared basil pesto and spread it over the ricotta.

4. BRAID THE DOUGH. Starting at the top, fold over the strips of dough, alternating between the left and right sides to create a braid.

5. BAKE THE BRAID. To make the egg wash, whisk together the egg and water. Brush the top of the braid with the egg wash. Bake the braid in the preheated oven for about 18 minutes, or until golden brown.

6. SERVING AND STORING. Let the braid cool for 10 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

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Madeleines

Caramel Apple Jam

Cream Brûlee

Strawberry Layer Cake

Baba Isaphan

Molten Chocolate Cakes

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Luxury Oatmeal Cookies from The Baking Bible

What makes this cookie really special is that instead of adding rolled oats and nuts to the dough, I make my own granola. The oats and nuts get tossed with just enough brown sugar and maple syrup to sweeten them lightly and then they are baked at a very low temperature to crisp and infuse them with the sweetener and fully bring out their flavor. The granola recipe, a gift from my multi-talented friend and fellow cookbook author Caitlin Williams Freeman of San Francisco MOMA and Blue Bottle Coffee, also contains cinnamon and vanilla, and any left over is excellent sprinkled over yogurt. These cookies are crisp and chewy and soften slightly on storage.

Oven Temperature | 225°F/107°C for the granola; 375°F/190°C for the cookies

Baking Time | 20 to 22 minutes for the granola; 12 to 15 minutes for the cookies for each of three batches

Special Equipment | One 17¼ by 12¼ by 1 inch half sheet pan | Two 15 by 12 inch cookie sheets, no preparation needed or lined with parchment

Granola (makes about 5 cups)

Preheat the oven | Twenty minutes or longer before baking, set an oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 225°F/107°C.

Make the granola | In a large bowl, toss together the oats, walnuts, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour on the maple syrup, oil, and vanilla and toss to coat the oat mixture thoroughly. Spread the mixture evenly on the half sheet pan and bake for 20 minutes. Turn the pan halfway around after the first 10 minutes. Remove the pan to a wire rack to cool to room temperature. You will need 4 cups/14.8 ounces/420 grams of granola for the cookie dough.

Raise the oven temperature to 375°F/190°C.