- 288 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - ePub
About this book
James Beard Award–winning writer Aleksandra Crapanzano shares the secrets of the cakes Parisians bake at home, from the simplest yogurt cakes to a deceptively easy bûche de Noël, from yuzu madeleines to boozy flourless chocolate confections.
When we think of French desserts, we tend to imagine ornate creations and confections. Perhaps we envision a tarte Tatin, but rarely a homemade cake, whipped up on a weeknight with little fuss. But that is exactly what Parisians make and eat. Gâteaux are simple, delicious French cakes, both sweet and savory, served to family and friends.
As food columnist Aleksandra Crapanzano spent time in Parisian home kitchens, she realized that the real magic is a certain savoir-faire—that distinctly French know-how that blends style and practicality in every aspect of life. By and large, the French do not try to compete with their chefs or their boulangères and pâtissières. But many Parisians are natural cooks, and most finish dinner with a little something sweet, effortlessly made and casually served.
The trick is having an arsenal of cake recipes that, once mastered, become blueprints, allowing for seasonal variations and easy improvisation based on what’s in the cupboard. It is a practical approach, and the French are nothing if not practical. That is the savoir-faire—from tying a silk scarf just so to popping a gâteau in the oven without anyone even noticing. When you know what you’re doing, there’s no need to overthink it. It looks easy because it is easy.
While the Paris culinary world is experiencing a fresh vibrancy, certain traditions remain intact yet may surprise in their modernity. For example, French cakes have less sugar. The pure taste of apples is not masked by cinnamon, and vanilla is never a given. A cake may be lightly glazed, dusted with cocoa or confectioners’ sugar, drizzled with rose water, but rarely heavily iced. A splash of brandy, a squeeze of lemon, or a thin blanket of ganache elevates even the easiest of cakes in mere minutes.
And then there are savory cakes, or cakes salés, made with cheese, herbs, or ham, baked into a delicious loaf. These are ideal for picnic lunches, accompanied by a salad and a glass of Sancerre.
Gâteau includes cakes for birthdays, summer feasts and winter holidays, last-minute dinner parties and school lunches, as well as beloved regional recipes and guest contributions from superstar Parisian bakers like Poilâne and Pierre Hermé.
Practical, charming, and filled with over 100 rigorously tested recipes and lovely illustrations, Gâteau celebrates the everyday and sometimes fanciful cakes of France—perfect for home bakers, Francophiles, and anyone who believes that elegant baking should be both accessible and joyful.
When we think of French desserts, we tend to imagine ornate creations and confections. Perhaps we envision a tarte Tatin, but rarely a homemade cake, whipped up on a weeknight with little fuss. But that is exactly what Parisians make and eat. Gâteaux are simple, delicious French cakes, both sweet and savory, served to family and friends.
As food columnist Aleksandra Crapanzano spent time in Parisian home kitchens, she realized that the real magic is a certain savoir-faire—that distinctly French know-how that blends style and practicality in every aspect of life. By and large, the French do not try to compete with their chefs or their boulangères and pâtissières. But many Parisians are natural cooks, and most finish dinner with a little something sweet, effortlessly made and casually served.
The trick is having an arsenal of cake recipes that, once mastered, become blueprints, allowing for seasonal variations and easy improvisation based on what’s in the cupboard. It is a practical approach, and the French are nothing if not practical. That is the savoir-faire—from tying a silk scarf just so to popping a gâteau in the oven without anyone even noticing. When you know what you’re doing, there’s no need to overthink it. It looks easy because it is easy.
While the Paris culinary world is experiencing a fresh vibrancy, certain traditions remain intact yet may surprise in their modernity. For example, French cakes have less sugar. The pure taste of apples is not masked by cinnamon, and vanilla is never a given. A cake may be lightly glazed, dusted with cocoa or confectioners’ sugar, drizzled with rose water, but rarely heavily iced. A splash of brandy, a squeeze of lemon, or a thin blanket of ganache elevates even the easiest of cakes in mere minutes.
And then there are savory cakes, or cakes salés, made with cheese, herbs, or ham, baked into a delicious loaf. These are ideal for picnic lunches, accompanied by a salad and a glass of Sancerre.
Gâteau includes cakes for birthdays, summer feasts and winter holidays, last-minute dinner parties and school lunches, as well as beloved regional recipes and guest contributions from superstar Parisian bakers like Poilâne and Pierre Hermé.
Practical, charming, and filled with over 100 rigorously tested recipes and lovely illustrations, Gâteau celebrates the everyday and sometimes fanciful cakes of France—perfect for home bakers, Francophiles, and anyone who believes that elegant baking should be both accessible and joyful.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription.
No, books cannot be downloaded as external files, such as PDFs, for use outside of Perlego. However, you can download books within the Perlego app for offline reading on mobile or tablet. Learn more here.
Perlego offers two plans: Essential and Complete
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1 million books across 1000+ topics, we’ve got you covered! Learn more here.
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more here.
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS or Android devices to read anytime, anywhere — even offline. Perfect for commutes or when you’re on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Yes, you can access Gateau by Aleksandra Crapanzano in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in Art & Culinary Arts. We have over one million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.
Information
Table of contents
- Cover
- Title Page
- Dedication
- Introduction
- Equipment
- Ingredients
- Spirits
- Critical Intel, ‘aka’ Cheat Sheet
- 1. The Simplest of the Classics
- 2. Apple, Pear, Berry, Stone Fruit and Citrus Cakes
- 3. Regional Classics
- 4. Nut Cakes and Tortes
- 5. Chocolate Cakes
- 6. Cakes to Layer
- 7. The Chic, Delicious and Playful
- 8. Madeleines, Financiers, Visitandines
- 9. Holiday Cakes
- 10. Savory Cakes
- 11. To Soak To Sauce To Coat To Fill To Ice To Drizzle To Spoon To Glaze and Perchance to Dollop
- Acknowledgments
- Index
- Copyright