This is a beautiful book, full of sumptuously photographed cakes. I've loved patissier Eric Lanlard ever since I first saw him on the diabolically titled TV programme Glamour Puds. This did show rather glamorous desserts but was actually the best historical baking programme I've ever seen - particularly focussing week by week on the career of amazing chef, Antonin Careme, reproducing one of his great desserts each week - truly my version of dream TV! Careme's life story, from abandoned street urchin in the French Revolution, to chef to Talleyrand and The Prince Regent is, like the food he created, the stuff of fairytales.
After meticulously downloading all the photographs from the Channel 4 website just to have a record of truly great French baking, my dear hubby bought me this follow up book.
So why the meagre 3 stars? In all honesty, I find Eric's recipes just don't work out for me. I've tried a few, including the Lavender Almond cake recently (but admittedly cutting down on the vanloads of sugar). Even the muffins disappoint. Maybe I really do need a super stand cake mixer - or maybe these cakes are simply visual delights that really do need a master patissier's hand.