The latest addition to renowned culinary authority Sur La Table's cookbook series, The Art and Soul of Baking (Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC; $40.00 hardcover), guides readers through the world of baking, where the tantalizing aromas of chocolate, vanilla, butter, and cinnamon fill the air and tempt the palate. Whether turning out a rustic olive and thyme bread or crafting a show-stopping triple-layer chocolate cake, pastry chef and baking instructor Cindy Mushet provides indispensable tips and tricks to help home bakers achieve professional-looking—and professional-tasting—results.

Is there a difference between a crisp and a crumble? Why do baking times vary? Can active yeast be substituted for instant? Each chapter of The Art and Soul of Baking begins with a primer that answers even the toughest baking questions, explaining essential ingredients and baking methods. Special "Getting Ahead" tips offer pointers on prepping in advance (biscotti logs can be frozen for up to two months, lemon curd can be made three days ahead), and sidebars tell "What the Pros Know" such as how to fix a "broken" ganache, how to make brownies either fudgy or cakey, and how to bake a soufflé in a coffee mug.

More than 275 tested and delectable recipes cover all the bases from tasty pies, tantalizing tarts, melt-in-your-mouth meringues, and delicious cookies to more complicated creations such as flaky pastries, decadent cakes, and lighter-than-air soufflés. Novice bakers and pastry perfectionists alike will be tempted by such treats as Dulce De Leche Éclairs with Milk Chocolate Glaze; Pumpkin Spice Cake with Maple-Cream Cheese Frosting; Gingerbread Shortcakes with Caramelized Apples and Cider Sabayon; and Warm Cranberry Crumble Tart. Of course, there are savory recipes, too, including fragrant Parmesan-Herb Popovers; Potato, Onion, and Gruyère Galette; and a perfect Herbed Chicken Pot Pie. And for a delicious twist on tried-and-true favorites, there are recipes for Bananas Foster Bread Pudding; Citrus-Goat Cheese Cheesecake; Chocolate Velvet Pound Cake; and Peanut Butter Thumbprints with Peanut Caramel.

Additionally, there are 100 sumptuous, full-color photographs by acclaimed photographer Maren Caruso. Along with finished dishes, Maren captures helpful step-by-step techniques, so you see not only the finished Almond Croissants, for example, but also what the butter-filled dough looks like along the way.

Whether you're new to the kitchen or baking is a familiar old friend, the guidance and recipes in The Art and Soul of Baking will not only make everything you bake look and taste better, but they will also improve the quality of your time spent in the kitchen. As Cindy Mushet says, "Have fun, enjoy the process, and when you're done, sit back and lick the spatula every once in a while."

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Contact: Aimee Bianca, YC Media: (212) 609-5009, aimee@ycmedia.com

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The Art and Soul of Baking

Authors: Sur La Table with Cindy Mushet
ISBN: 978-0-7407-7334-1
Format: Hardcover: 8 ½ x 10 ½, 464 pages
Price: $40.00 U.S.A. ($44.00 Canada)