Delicious book! Clear and concise. It begins with a Dictionary of Terms and Procedures, which M. Lenôtre orders you to read before proceeding any further! Good advice.

The recipes begin with the basics: various doughs and pastries, meringues, icings, etc. These are the building blocks. Once you have mastered them, you can move on to ever more complicated and delightful desserts.

Each recipe is preceded by a drawing of from one to three chef's hats, to indicate the level of difficulty involved.