Sweet Paris
Seasonal Recipes from an American Baker in France
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- $18.99
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- $18.99
Publisher Description
A dazzling cookbook featuring 59 seasonal dessert recipes with American and French influences, accompanied by exquisite photographs and tips on serving and hosting with French flair for any occasion, from a casual afternoon teatime to an intimate dinner party to a festive holiday gathering.
Moving to Paris in the winter of 2012, California native Frank Adrian Barron reveled in exploring his new city. Exploring Paris’s different arrondissements, he would sample the assortment of patisseries on offer in each—Madeleines, macarons, éclairs, Paris-Brest, mont-blancs, and other sweet, buttery delicacies.
But as much as he loved these delicate confections, he eventually found himself longing for a taste of home. To satisfy his cravings, he began recreating in his Paris kitchen the classic desserts he’d enjoyed growing up in Southern California—childhood favorites like his mom’s signature Cinnamon Brown Sugar Bundt Cake, Lemon Bars, and classic American-style layer cakes. When word of his delicious desserts spread, Frank went from hosting intimate afternoon cake parties for friends to baking for local cafes. Soon he was known best for making French desserts inspired by American ingredients and American desserts with bit of French flair. His profile rose with notice from French and American publications, including Time Out Paris, Bake from Scratch, and Fou de Pâtisserie, and soon, Frank was hosting cake decorating workshops in his Marais apartment, accepting commissions, and developing a devoted following as @cakeboyparis on Instagram.
In Sweet Paris, Frank brings together the best elements of French style and American baking. Inspired by the tradition of l’heure du goûter, a daily French tradition similar to British teatime, and autour de la table, the idea of gathering around the table with good friends and delicious food, Sweet Paris is a love letter to the sublime world of desserts and the City of Light. Here are 59 recipes for irresistible baked goods, organized by season, using the peak fruits and flavors of each, including:
Spring—Cherry Blossom Financiers, Coconut Pineapple Layer Cake, Rhubarb Tart, Very Vanilla Cake
Summer—Strawberry Tart, Chocolate Cherry Layer Cake, Lavender Honey Madeleines, Pavlova with Summer Berries
Fall—Mirabelle Upside Down Cake, Apple Cardamom Tea Cake, Praline All Day Cake, Gâteau Opera
Winter—Medjool Date Cake in Orange Caramel Sauce, White Chocolate and Cassis Bûche de Noël, Lemon Meringue Cake, Blood Orange Mini Bundts, Alsatian Gingerbread
In addition, Frank offers tips and advice for becoming a quintessential Parisian host, including creating stunning floral arrangements, creating the perfect cheese plate, setting the table with French flair, and much more. Illustrated with Joann Pai’s gorgeous photographs, this wonderful cookbook and style guide delivers a taste of sweet Paris no matter where you are.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this delectable debut, a love letter to the City of Light, self-taught baker Barron recipes that marry American comfort bakes with French pastry-making techniques. After moving to Paris from the U.S. in 2012, Barron, homesick for the familiar layer, loaf, and bundt cakes of his California roots, began to make them himself, but with a Parisian twist, taking his cues from the "elegant sophistication" and flavors of the city. Here he shares the confections that wowed friends and Parisian café owners (who began ordering his bakes for their shops), and garnered him thousands of fans on Instagram. Though some creations—such as his coffee-infused Gâteau Opéra—are deeply French, others, like a classic Vanilla Celebration Cake with bouncy cake layers smothered in buttercream, boast a marked American vibe. Recipes are organized seasonally, hewing closely to the French practice of relying on in-season ingredients: for summer, there's a sumptuous Fraisier Layer Cake enhanced with a strawberry syrup, while winter delivers a Chestnut Cake enriched with sweetened chestnut cream. Images of a postcard-perfect Paris—along with shopping, floral, and sightseeing tips (such as visiting the city's many museums)—lend an extra note of sweetness to Barron's tantalizing treats. For a Parisian culinary fairy tale, turn to this enchanting volume.
