Tartine

Overall, I found the written instructions in the book to be good: clear and descriptive. I've made a few things in here and they've all turned out well; I'm not a professional baker but I'm not a complete novice either. Don't think I'd buy another Tartine book based on this one. There's just a few things that if the authors/publishers added would make this book so much better. The biggest issue is there are not nearly enough pictures. Especially in a book like this where the recipes can get a bit complex, every recipe should have at least one photo of the finished product. Ideally there should be photos of some in-progress/technique work too. A lot of the recipes don't have any pictures at all - not helpful. And with such a promising cover, it's a let down. Second issue (more minor) is with the layout: it would be helpful to clearly mark both at the introduction of the recipe how long it takes to make, and in the instructions. For example, the croissants take days to make: it might be helpful if for planning to know right off the bat how far in advance you need to schedule these. Follow that up in the instructions and note where each day begins. Full disclosure: I use Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice as a standard of comparison for baking books, and that's a high bar. Apart from that, the writing is good and I like the ideas for seasonal substitutions, alternative fillings, and the basic recipes in the back. This book is not for beginning bakers. I think the recipes are absolutely doable for an experienced home baker, but it would be a better if the authors just went a little farther in making this book more accessible.

Beautiful book. I often buy Kindle cookbooks to save space, however, I'm glad I have a physical copy of this book. It's just so pretty and the recipes are surprisingly simple. Or I should say, there are many that are simple. The author also gives great hints about what to make. For example She mentions that people hardly make pudding cakes, they are unusual and delicious, but easy to make. My grandmother's recipe for lemon pudding cake is actually very similar to the recipe in this book. I found that strangely comforting, that this somewhat fancy book, would include a recipe that my Granny Rowsom made often, and I remember from childhood. So far I have made the frangipane, which is amazing, pie crust, shortbread, brioche and buttermilk scones. All of the recipes were correctly written and came out beautifully without much effort. As someone who enjoys baking, I love that grams are included ( and also cups) I always use the scaled amounts. Once you get used to it, a scale makes a great baking companion. You don't need to dig for your measuring cups and the amounts are exact. You also avoid adding to much flour to your recipes. Believe me, it will make a difference in your results that you will like.

The ingredient ratios of this book are shockingly off! Take for example, the recipe for croissants. The first sign of disaster was the wet to dry ratio for the starter/preferment, which called for way too much flour. Following the recipe exactly, you end up with an incredibly dry dough instead of a wet batter. I almost couldn't believe the recipe (and had to re-read it twice!), as any seasoned baker knows that there is no way a preferment can double without enough liquid to activate the yeast. Second sign of disaster was the butter to dough ratio, which, again, called for way too much butter. Most traditional croissant recipes call for about 50% butter, the Tartine recipe calls for a whopping 65% butter, which results in butter leaking/burning during the bake. I am a seasoned baker, and would not bother baking anything from this book as I have no confidence in the recipe ratios. I can't even imagine what a beginner baker would do with this book without knowing how to adjust ingredient ratios properly as needed. Highly disappointed in this book.

When I first received this book, I loved it. The book is very beautiful and it has weight measurements, which is one of the reasons I purchased it. However, now that I've made enough recipes from the book, I feel like I can give a fair review of the actual quality of the recipes, and unfortunately, some of them did not turn out so great. I have been practicing baking with the precision of making macarons and baking from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, so it's not an issue of technique; the bad results are really due to the ingredients and ratios. There were quite a few recipes that just turned out way too sweet - the brownies and the chocolate hazelnut tart (understandably they are both chocolate based but then the authors add a LOT of sugar to the base). And then there were the ones that didn't taste spectacular (like I was blown away with Bouchon Bakery) - these were the cookie recipes and the chiffon cake. Now onto some of the good recipes that initially made me like the book: the banana cream pie (but their caramel recipe is too fancy, it ended up becoming rock hard. I would stay with the simple 1:1 sugar and heavy cream), the almond tea cake, and the lemon bars. So there's a few nice recipes in here but definitely proceed with caution...

Tartine recently released an updated version of this cookbook and I find it far inferior to this- the original. This original book has ingredients and methods that are reachable and attainable for most home bakers and they are recipes that I keep going back to time after time. For example, the soft glazed gingerbread cookies are a holiday staple as well as the brown butter shortbread lemon bars. This cookbook has become part of our family tradition and I consider it one of the cookbooks I can’t live without.

I want to make everything in this cookbook. The authors are great at explaining a bit of the chemistry that goes on in baking, which I think is helpful but rarely included in baking recipes. Why things work is just as important as how they work. But this book is far from stuffy. It is a great read, informative, entertaining and most importantly inspiring. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to go make some croissants.

I'm a beginner baker and this book has a lot of "this must be too fancy/difficult for me"-looking recipes, but I was able to do it! The instructions are detailed and there are helpful photos. The baking times and quantities were all spot on and accurate, with practical detailed notes. Everything I've made so far from this book has been delicious and turned out as it should've to my great surprise :)

I purchased this book some time ago. I made their croissant recipe a couple of weeks ago, following the directions to the letter. They were amazing. My family feels Tartine makes the best croissants outside of France, and the homemade ones were the same buttery goodness. Will be trying more recipes. Pastry dough is next.

As someone mentioned before me, the true test of a cookbook is the success of its recipes. I have been baking my way through the Tartine cookbook since September, with near perfect results for every recipe. This has now become my "go-to" book for family gatherings, holidays, and every day baking. I have never been a fan of certain desserts, namely Lemon Bars or Pecan Pie, but since they are listed in the book, I decided to give them a try. The Lemon Bars are now one of my favorites, and many of my coworkers have proclaimed them the best they have ever tasted. The base of the lemon bars is crispier than similar recipes, and stays that way even after being refrigerated for a day or two- no more soggy crust! The lemon flavor really pops with the addition of zest and extra lemon juice, so be sure and scale them back if you want a more subdued flavor (I have tried it with the full amount, and scaling it back a few tablespoons). The Pecan Maple pie is another recipe that I make quite often; I have made it at least 12 times in the past 2 months. I use orange zest instead of kumquats, because it is easier to obtain in my town. I have currently made the following recipes from the book on numerous occasions: Croissants, Pain au Chocolat, Morning Buns (recipe not in book), Devil's Food Cake, Pecan Maple Pie, Almond Lemon Tea Cake (another hit with friends), Pumpkin Tea Cake, Brownies, Chocolate Truffles, Flaky Tart Dough, Sweet Tart Dough, Pecan-Bourbon Pralines, Double Chocolate Cookies, Apple Crisp, and several more. It is worth noting that you "need" a stand mixer for many recipes, including the croissants. As the authors of the book frequently say, read the recipes carefully before attempting to make them. I admit that I was intimidated by the steps for the croissants, but I have made them several times now, and it has become easier with each successive try. The croissants turned out just like the photos the first time I made them, even though I enlisted the help of my 5 year-old to help roll out the dough! The recipes in this book are written well, and many are very simple, but the results are outstanding. This cookbook is a must for any baker.

this is a great book with a wide selection of nice pies, desserts, cookies, pastries and confections and instructions on how to do them. Peanut brittle, chocolate soufle cake,bouche de noel, trifle, apple crisp, eclairs, truffles and nice recipes for dough, and creams. Yummy!

Overall, I found the written instructions in the book to be good: clear and descriptive. I've made a few things in here and they've all turned out well; I'm not a professional baker but I'm not a complete novice either. Don't think I'd buy another Tartine book based on this one. There's just a few things that if the authors/publishers added would make this book so much better. The biggest issue is there are not nearly enough pictures. Especially in a book like this where the recipes can get a bit complex, every recipe should have at least one photo of the finished product. Ideally there should be photos of some in-progress/technique work too. A lot of the recipes don't have any pictures at all - not helpful. And with such a promising cover, it's a let down. Second issue (more minor) is with the layout: it would be helpful to clearly mark both at the introduction of the recipe how long it takes to make, and in the instructions. For example, the croissants take days to make: it might be helpful if for planning to know right off the bat how far in advance you need to schedule these. Follow that up in the instructions and note where each day begins. Full disclosure: I use Peter Reinhart's Bread Baker's Apprentice as a standard of comparison for baking books, and that's a high bar. Apart from that, the writing is good and I like the ideas for seasonal substitutions, alternative fillings, and the basic recipes in the back. This book is not for beginning bakers. I think the recipes are absolutely doable for an experienced home baker, but it would be a better if the authors just went a little farther in making this book more accessible.

Beautiful book. I often buy Kindle cookbooks to save space, however, I'm glad I have a physical copy of this book. It's just so pretty and the recipes are surprisingly simple. Or I should say, there are many that are simple. The author also gives great hints about what to make. For example She mentions that people hardly make pudding cakes, they are unusual and delicious, but easy to make. My grandmother's recipe for lemon pudding cake is actually very similar to the recipe in this book. I found that strangely comforting, that this somewhat fancy book, would include a recipe that my Granny Rowsom made often, and I remember from childhood. So far I have made the frangipane, which is amazing, pie crust, shortbread, brioche and buttermilk scones. All of the recipes were correctly written and came out beautifully without much effort. As someone who enjoys baking, I love that grams are included ( and also cups) I always use the scaled amounts. Once you get used to it, a scale makes a great baking companion. You don't need to dig for your measuring cups and the amounts are exact. You also avoid adding to much flour to your recipes. Believe me, it will make a difference in your results that you will like.

The ingredient ratios of this book are shockingly off! Take for example, the recipe for croissants. The first sign of disaster was the wet to dry ratio for the starter/preferment, which called for way too much flour. Following the recipe exactly, you end up with an incredibly dry dough instead of a wet batter. I almost couldn't believe the recipe (and had to re-read it twice!), as any seasoned baker knows that there is no way a preferment can double without enough liquid to activate the yeast. Second sign of disaster was the butter to dough ratio, which, again, called for way too much butter. Most traditional croissant recipes call for about 50% butter, the Tartine recipe calls for a whopping 65% butter, which results in butter leaking/burning during the bake. I am a seasoned baker, and would not bother baking anything from this book as I have no confidence in the recipe ratios. I can't even imagine what a beginner baker would do with this book without knowing how to adjust ingredient ratios properly as needed. Highly disappointed in this book.

When I first received this book, I loved it. The book is very beautiful and it has weight measurements, which is one of the reasons I purchased it. However, now that I've made enough recipes from the book, I feel like I can give a fair review of the actual quality of the recipes, and unfortunately, some of them did not turn out so great. I have been practicing baking with the precision of making macarons and baking from Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, so it's not an issue of technique; the bad results are really due to the ingredients and ratios. There were quite a few recipes that just turned out way too sweet - the brownies and the chocolate hazelnut tart (understandably they are both chocolate based but then the authors add a LOT of sugar to the base). And then there were the ones that didn't taste spectacular (like I was blown away with Bouchon Bakery) - these were the cookie recipes and the chiffon cake. Now onto some of the good recipes that initially made me like the book: the banana cream pie (but their caramel recipe is too fancy, it ended up becoming rock hard. I would stay with the simple 1:1 sugar and heavy cream), the almond tea cake, and the lemon bars. So there's a few nice recipes in here but definitely proceed with caution...

Tartine recently released an updated version of this cookbook and I find it far inferior to this- the original. This original book has ingredients and methods that are reachable and attainable for most home bakers and they are recipes that I keep going back to time after time. For example, the soft glazed gingerbread cookies are a holiday staple as well as the brown butter shortbread lemon bars. This cookbook has become part of our family tradition and I consider it one of the cookbooks I can’t live without.

I want to make everything in this cookbook. The authors are great at explaining a bit of the chemistry that goes on in baking, which I think is helpful but rarely included in baking recipes. Why things work is just as important as how they work. But this book is far from stuffy. It is a great read, informative, entertaining and most importantly inspiring. Now if you will excuse me, I'm going to go make some croissants.

I'm a beginner baker and this book has a lot of "this must be too fancy/difficult for me"-looking recipes, but I was able to do it! The instructions are detailed and there are helpful photos. The baking times and quantities were all spot on and accurate, with practical detailed notes. Everything I've made so far from this book has been delicious and turned out as it should've to my great surprise :)

I purchased this book some time ago. I made their croissant recipe a couple of weeks ago, following the directions to the letter. They were amazing. My family feels Tartine makes the best croissants outside of France, and the homemade ones were the same buttery goodness. Will be trying more recipes. Pastry dough is next.

As someone mentioned before me, the true test of a cookbook is the success of its recipes. I have been baking my way through the Tartine cookbook since September, with near perfect results for every recipe. This has now become my "go-to" book for family gatherings, holidays, and every day baking. I have never been a fan of certain desserts, namely Lemon Bars or Pecan Pie, but since they are listed in the book, I decided to give them a try. The Lemon Bars are now one of my favorites, and many of my coworkers have proclaimed them the best they have ever tasted. The base of the lemon bars is crispier than similar recipes, and stays that way even after being refrigerated for a day or two- no more soggy crust! The lemon flavor really pops with the addition of zest and extra lemon juice, so be sure and scale them back if you want a more subdued flavor (I have tried it with the full amount, and scaling it back a few tablespoons). The Pecan Maple pie is another recipe that I make quite often; I have made it at least 12 times in the past 2 months. I use orange zest instead of kumquats, because it is easier to obtain in my town. I have currently made the following recipes from the book on numerous occasions: Croissants, Pain au Chocolat, Morning Buns (recipe not in book), Devil's Food Cake, Pecan Maple Pie, Almond Lemon Tea Cake (another hit with friends), Pumpkin Tea Cake, Brownies, Chocolate Truffles, Flaky Tart Dough, Sweet Tart Dough, Pecan-Bourbon Pralines, Double Chocolate Cookies, Apple Crisp, and several more. It is worth noting that you "need" a stand mixer for many recipes, including the croissants. As the authors of the book frequently say, read the recipes carefully before attempting to make them. I admit that I was intimidated by the steps for the croissants, but I have made them several times now, and it has become easier with each successive try. The croissants turned out just like the photos the first time I made them, even though I enlisted the help of my 5 year-old to help roll out the dough! The recipes in this book are written well, and many are very simple, but the results are outstanding. This cookbook is a must for any baker.

this is a great book with a wide selection of nice pies, desserts, cookies, pastries and confections and instructions on how to do them. Peanut brittle, chocolate soufle cake,bouche de noel, trifle, apple crisp, eclairs, truffles and nice recipes for dough, and creams. Yummy!

I haven't tried any of the recipes yet, but they seem straightforward. I bought it after seeing another one of the Tartine books on a friend's bookshelf and sampling something she had made from it. I like to bake desserts, though, so this one seemed like a good place to start.

This little book is magic. I’m not a baker and purchased this book out of curiosity. So far I’ve made the devil’s food cake (time consuming but delicious) and blueberry scones (fast and also delicious). I think the trick to this is to read all the directions twice before you start putting things together and then once you start, follow the instructions as best you can. If you can follow instructions, then this little book is magic!

I have made several recipes from Tartine and can't say enough good things about the book. Beautiful layout, great tips, grams and ounces provided, and the recipes turn out beautifully. Attached is a picture of the Pumpkin Tea Cake that I baked. Delicious!

I made the croissants from this book. It took me 3 days, but they were the best I have ever had. The directions are detailed and include explanations of why something needs to be done a particular way. I was very impressed with what I could accomplish. Just note that these are not to be whipped up at the last minute. These are mostly plan ahead for the big occasion recipe.

I already made the Lemon Bars and Banana Cream Pie and both were absolutely delicious. For the Lemon Bars, I thought it was absolutely ingenious to add pine nuts to the crust...the flavor was amazing! You'll get a lot of basic recipes for cakes, tart crusts, cream fillings, etc so you can even make your own desserts using her techniques and a combination of any of the book's basic ones. The procedures in all the recipes are easy to comprehend as well and I like that the author includes "kitchen notes" which are tips to ensure a successful bake for that particular recipe. The book itself has a lot of colored pictures which always helps give you an idea on how the final product should look like.

I love this baking book which I got for my birthday. I've prepared several cakes from the book already. The preparation descriptions are detailed. Though I wish there would be a list in the back (maybe) linking the basic cake recipes with the various elaborate cakes that you can make with say chiffon cake. Some recipes make 2 basic cakes and then you're left to search for a second recipe that calls for the same basic cake recipe later. Be mindful that at least one recipe (I forgot which one) states at the top a 10" cake mold while the text talks about a 9" mold. Guess this one slipped the editors.

There are many cooking and baking books at home. I have an advance knowledge in baking, not an expert, but I understand what the writer explains, and new tips and things I learn every time going into the recipes.

It is a great book for reference but not a book with many recipes I use often (except the brioche, I always make my brioche based on their recipe).

I would say that I'm a pretty good home baker. I'm not afraid to try new techniques, and I'm pretty good at reading a recipe and visualizing the steps. I've been to Tartine Bakery and I still dream of those Orange Morning Muffins. The devil made those, because I still crave them and can't forget that lovely caramelized texture of the muffins, with the crunch of sugar, and notes of orange. Bliss. Temptation. With that said, I downloaded the book into my kindle because I was told (by others) that the recipe is in this book. Alas, it was not. (Wailing, here.) Still the book is an interesting read, with an great introduction from Alice Waters. I have a lot of respect for artisan bakers who use sustainable and organic ingredients (lest I not be labeled a snob, I also love rice krispie treats). I wonder if my finger and nose prints are still on the display cases at Tartine. Everything looked so beautiful and classy (and expensive). It was interesting to read how to make croissants but I'll settle for buying them. They are a LOT of work, and it's not on my list of things I want to make. There are a couple of recipes that I might want to play with, like Almond Frangiapane or Bavarian creme. Overall, I wasn't lusting to make most of the recipes, though I appreciated reading how it's made-- and the photographs that are in the book are quite lovely. Sadly, there isn't a photograph for every recipe. I'm so visual (which is why my food blog is done is a pictorial format...step-by-step), so I was a bit disappointed. There's something about the format of the recipes, that I found a little hard to follow. Maybe it's the kindle format, I don't know...but the paragraphs seemed long and wordy. I did like, though, that measurements are given in American and metric. That's nice, since I'm liking the idea of using a scale, when baking. Overall, it's a nice book and I'm glad I paid less than $4.00 for the kindle version. Now, where is that recipe for those glorious orange morning muffins! Those I would love to replicate!

This 'cookbook' is almost as fun to read as it is to bake from. After receiving a diploma for Baking and Pastry Arts I thought this book was still very educational and loaded with tips and hints. There are beautiful pictures, detailed instructions, and even a little bit of the writer's personal food history. An absolute must have for anyone who loves baking and doesn't get intimidated by a challenge...because even though there are step by step instructions there are number of items in the book that even experienced bakers can be intimidated by.

Great recipes, used often...one of the rare cookbooks I own where the spine is falling apart and the pages are covered in egg yolk and flour and melted butter and notes.

Sublime. Great read informative. Unsure about actually making any of recipes. Wanting to go there and try them all

I do read cookbooks for the fun of it and this is one of those for me. I'm not a great cook by any means, but I've been to the establishment and enjoy creating some of those delicious treats at home. The lemon bars are one of my favorite. The photos are beautiful and the recipes have details that make the dish special.

Okay, I've only tried two recipes so far, the apple nougatine tart and the croissants. The apple tart, it wasn't that impressive, all it got from my family was a "mehhhh"... but as far as the croissants go, I had tried the Julia Child recipe (it wasn't a complete failure, but I wasn't satisfied) and the Nick Malgieri recipe (complete failure!) and then I tried this one and it was a success the first time! So for me, that makes it completely worth it! I'll keep trying the other recipes, but so far I'm happy with my purchase!

Great book! One of my favorite bakeries in San Francisco and I love trying out their recipes. Some are easier than others but all fun to do.

everything went great more than I expected

This recipe book is fabulous. If I want to bake something for a special occasion and want something slightly different, but still outstandingly delicious, this is the first place I look. Everything I've made has been a huge hit and if I bring it into work, someone always says, "this is the best thing I've ever eaten". I recently made the Lemon Meringue Cake and it was a perfect balance of tart, sweet, light and rich. Like heaven in your mouth. I gave most of it away because I was afraid of having it sit in my refrigerator "calling to me". My husband still talks about the brioche bread pudding I made with the leftover brioche from Christmas. The only downside is that the recipes tend to be fairly time consuming, often incorporating several different recipes. For example, the Lemon Meringue Cake has recipes for chiffon cake, caramel, lemon cream and the over assembly including lemon syrup and italian meringue. If you like taking the time create something amazing, this is the dessert book for you.

Daughter requested and received this book for Christmas. She has tried a few recipes and says she loves this cookbook.

Helpful baking book.

The Coconut Cream Pie, which is a variation under the Banana Cream Pie recipe in the book, is probably one of the best desserts ever assembled. It is absolutely perfect how you get a bit of the pudding-coconut inside that is finished off by the melting of the chocolate coated crust. The flow of tastes and textures is perfect from start to finish of each bite. The Caramel sauce is an incredible dessert just drizzled over a premium quality vanilla ice cream. The recipes are easy to follow and fairly easy to replicate at home. The book gives U.S. measurements and Metric. If you attempt one of the Cream Pie variations, I suggest making the 3 different base items over a couple days. It can be a little overwhelming the first time. Buy these Vanilla beans ahead of time. Just over a buck a bean with free shipping. The grocery store beans can be seven bucks a bean! If you make a big batch of pastry cream you will go through a couple beans in one shot.

Tartine's bakery is the closest to being in France that I have found anywhere in the U.S. Their pastries and desserts are always amazing. The cookbook allows me to make baked goods and desserts that are at the quality of the bakery. They aren't always easy to make, but they are always fantastic.

Aside from Rose Beranbaum's books this is my favorite go-to baking book. Every recipe I've tried has been a success. The best pumpkin bread (cake) I've ever eaten. I love that the recipes provide weight measurements and are generally easy to follow. I also like the short intros to each recipe that offer tips and give suggestions for modifications.

Bought this for my wife, and she loves it. She made the lemon tart first, and it was out of this world.

Love this book! The cheese crackers are delicious. Recipes are very involved and take a lot of time commitment

I recommend this book to anyone who wants to make great baked goods. The recipes are wonderful.

This is the best book of all of the Tartine books. It has all of Tartine's classic pastries and cakes (except for the Morning Buns!). The thing to remember when using this book, is that these are professional pastry chefs, and the recipes and techniques can be challenging to the home cook. You will probably fail in recreating the recipe (my three layer cakes were a mess!) but as you try that recipe more and more, and analyze your mistakes, you will become successful. My lemon cream tart is coming out wonderfully now that I've mastered the crust. I had the opportunity to go to Tartine in SF, and my attempt was pretty close to the real deal! So if you don't live anywhere close to SF, this is a great way to bring that taste home to you.

This has the recipes I was looking for to create yummy desserts. Recipes not too complicated and easy to understand.

I am an experienced cook and looked forward to this book. For home cooking, the recipes I tried are sometimes inaccurate and sometimes just plain over-the-top. By this I mean they are things you would go to a bakery and buy 1 of, but do you really want a whole tray of them? Take for instance the Mixed-Berry Shortcake with Berry Caramel sauce. This was very good, but I couldn't help thinking the whole time I was eating it that I wish it was just plain strawberry shortcake with a little cream poured over the top. More importantly, there are many catastrophic errors in the recipes. The worst so far was with the Shortbread cookie recipe. Unfortunately my wife made this one. After going into how important the cornstarch is in the introduction to the formula, the author calls for 1/2 cup plus 2 T of cornstarch. Well let me tell you: The resulting cookie was the worst, most horrible thing I every put in my mouth! Obviously it should have called for confectioner's sugar rather than cornstarch. I will probably not use this cookbook much.

The recipes are lovely, the photography delightful, but the complexity of the instructions may put off less accomplished cooks. If you have the energy and the time, make the croissants. It's a project, but your family will be amazed when you emerge from the kitchen with these flaky beauties.

There is not enough words for love in this world to cover what I feel for this book. Easy to follow instructions and many varieties. This has something sweet for every occasion.

love it

I took this out from the library and then had to order it eventually because I didn’t want to keep borrowing it.

This is the most thorough and well organized cookbook that I have ever used. I marvel at the fact that on page 51 - 52 Chocolate Hazelnut Tart is accompanied with three variations and so it goes with this book throughout. Page 212 Caramel Sauce and all its versatile uses. Could be good on my Parfait p. l7l, just completed. I needed to visit (create) something new and the Parfait is just that, a perfect confection for this French/American. I also appreciate the master recipes at my fingertips in the last chapter. I will treasure this book and use it often.

Best baking book if you are looking for the "real" way to make bread. Excellent recipes and phenomenal English muffins!

This book is great for classic pastries. Recipes are easy to understand for home bakers.

Terrific cookbook. I have made mutliple recipes and all have turned out great. Especially the recipes for the crossoints and brioche bread.

I was really in it for the chocolate pudding, I'll be honest. And the recipe here delivers. It tastes and feels exactly like the bakery version. I'm making the almond-lemon tea cake next, and noticed that the photo between the first and second pages of the recipe is for almond-lemon-poppyseed pound cake, which appears to be topped with a dusting of powdered sugar rather than the citrus glaze the recipe specifies. I can certainly add some poppyseeds to this recipe of my own accord, but it seems odd to me to have a photo of something else in there, especially when there are relatively few photos in the book. Also, the recipe calls for almond paste, which I only found locally at a restaurant supply shop, in a gigantic tub for $40. Again, it won't kill me to look up a recipe for almond paste online, but for a book of this quality, from a restaurant of this quality, I would've expect a little more attention to detail. For this reason, I'm knocking off a star. I am not dinging them for the relative paucity of sandwiches/savory things, although those are among my favorites from the bakery. They chose to give the book a strong sweet focus, and that's their choice. I would've loved to have seen a recipe for those spicy pickled carrots! Maybe next time?

Before I purchased this book, I was an extremely insecure baker. Through her thorough instructions and tips, Elizabeth has given me and continues to give me confidence as I bake amazing goods in my kitchen. I've made the brownies, the lemon bars, the pumpkin tea bread, the double deluxe chocolate cookies,the quiche, and yesterday, due to strawberry season, my eight year old and I made a strawberry tart together - absolutely perfect! My twelve year old son made the buttermilk scones with strawberries instead of currants(Elizabeth tells you exactly how to prep the strawberries), and they were indescribably delicious - the BEST scones I've ever tasted. All the baked goods I just listed are to be found in numerous other cookbooks, online, etc., but Elizabeth's recipes stand apart. She does not use too much butter or sugar, but just the right amount to compliment the key ingredients, such as the chocolate, lemon, and pumpkin. She is meticulous, and that is contagious! Meticulous generally insures success. I love that she gives you the ingredient amounts in grams. Again, more confidence in your success. You will not regret purchasing Tartine; it is worth every penny.

I really love pastries and would someday like it for a career... so this book is a good start for practice. it has many recipes and the directions are easy to understand.

After a visit to Tartine (which was well worth the 25 minute wait and the packed dining area), I knew I had to buy this book. It's gorgeous, has dependable recipes, and brings back great memories of a wonderful trip to San Francisco with good friends. I've received many complements on the desserts I've made from this book. A couple of friends have bought the book on the strength of tasting those creations, despite not having visited Tartine itself. I have many baking books, but turn to "Tartine" often, especially when I want something classic and a cut above average. It's probably not a beginner's baking book, but if you have some experience, or are a confident beginner, you won't go wrong.

I've baked about 5 things from this book and they all turned out to be hits! The best one yet is their fresh fruit tart. I made one for a family party and it was devoured in minutes! The best part of this book is that ingredients are super easy to find and the instructions are easy to follow. I recommend making the banana cream pie, gingerbread cookies, orange cranberry walnut cookies, biscottis, and of course their fruit tart!

One of my favorite cook books. The recipes are very detailed with more color than just the ingredients & instructions. The banana cream pie turned out exactly like it tasted at Tartine and is one of the best desserts I've ever made. Bravo Tartine on a great book!

Great recipes. Easy to follow highly recommended

Love love love this cookbook

I am a novice baker who was wanting to learn how to make some exceptional treats. I planned on flopping a handful of times before I was able to get it right. I found this book overly complicated and difficult. I was relieved when I brought the book to a friend of mine who attended pastry school for a hobby. He was frustrated by the book and found it unnecessarily wordy and confusing as well. I watched him make a fruit tart with his recipe from school and I was like, "that's it??" Much more straight forward. Regrettably, I spent $25 on this book. I recommend Martha's Baking Handbook. Scrumptious and attainable.

We had a chance to check out Tartine during our stay in San Francisco. It's a small bakery strategically located near Dolores park. I picked the Passion fruit Bavarian randomly and we were blown away. Since we live on the East coast and couldn't deal with not trying this again in the near future we got the book. We are relatively good cooks, but have never baked ANYTHING and we just successfully replicated the Passion fruit Lime bavarian. I'd say if you have some sense of cooking you should be able to follow these recipes. Looking forward to exploring more.

This is a great cookbook for old school old world dessert and pastry recipes. I made 5 recipes in the first week after receiving the book in the mail. The scone recipe is excellent. These scones taste like no scone you will ever buy at a popular coffee shop (hint, hint) or average bakery. Don't skip or short cut steps and ingredients.

Help - by mistake, I ordered the Kindle version of this book. I wanted the physical book. But there's no way I can find to send an email to anybody to discuss this. So I'm stuck with doing a product review. I'd like to cancel this order, please.

Excellent cookbook!

Wow! I made one recipe from this cookbook so far and am completely in awe! This week I made the gingerbread cookies from this cookbook and they were one of the best cookies I've ever eaten in my entire life! The gingerbread cookies I've been making for years pale in comparison to this fantastic recipe. I've been making gingerbread cookies using Betty Crocker's recipe and where her recipe uses crisco (which i don't like), Tartine uses butter and less flour than the old recipe. There were also 2 ingredients I would have never thought to use in a gingerbread cookie recipe, one was cocoa and the other was black pepper. I was so hesitant to use the black pepper but went with it and all i can say is this Gingerbread Cookie recipe is BRILLIANT! GENIUS! Now to try one of her tart recipes!

Well written recipe. I've made several including the Devils food cake and banana cream tart. One of the best professional bakery books converted to the home kitchen.

I love that this book gives so many wonderful recipes and three ways to measure them. I also love how they add extra explanations about the "why" of the directions. You will improve your skills and knowledge with this book! I can't wait to get in the kitchen and bake!

Very straightforward and surprisingly unpretentious. I liked it and it was a steal at $4.00. Less than my usual library late fees.

Too classic for me

If you are in love with French pastries that is the only book you will need . Really easy to follow and straight forward.

I almost returned this book. Although there are good discussions in the recipes offering tips and ideas, I am surprised at the lack of photos. Many recipes do not show the finished dish or photos of the process for creating the dish. I would find this helpful since I am not familiar with the techniques described. While I will keep the book, I can't help but wish it was better.

I'm only on the second recipe of the whole book (Brioche), and it's already apparent that either the measurements provided are completely incorrect, or the writers were too lazy to make their instructions useable - in my honest opinion it's both. The book asks you to make a preferment of 2 tsp yeast, 175 mL of 85*F nonfat milk, and 250g bread flour, resulting in a "smooth batter". Using even HALF that amount of flour results in a dry, lumpy mess, and leaves you with about a cup of excess flour you don't know what to do with. Bare in mind, the recipe doesn't make even the slightest indication that you might not need the full amount of flour, nor is there a "techniques" section earlier in the book that covers that type of thing. How this book won one of the highest levels of awards for such inaccurate, sloppy writing is beyond me. UPDATE: Good grief! These have to be some of the most poorly written instructions I have ever read: A) the almond breakfast cake says "Yield: one TEN - inch cake"... the very first sentence of the instructions "butter an EIGHT - inch cake pan".... FFS, did anybody proof read this book? B) The brioche recipe makes FAR too much dough for a 4.5 quart mixer... you know, the kind that almost everybody has at home - wouldn't that have been nice to know. I give up.

This book was not in good condition. Wish I had bought a different one.

Would highly recommend this book. Gives you very helpful tips as you do the recipes. Did lemon tart and croissant...came out really good.

The recipe for Tartine's Lemon Cream Tart is worth the price of this book! Recipes I have tried that were well received included the buttermilk scones, walnut cinnamon slices, the banana cream pie (very rich) but the show stopper has been the lemon cream tart...love the book and the bakery! Recipes include weights and volumes which is a big plus.

This could well be the cookbook you need to elevate your cooking to a whole new level. From something as simple as spiced nuts and shortbread to chiffon cakes and beyond. It is step by step, hold your hand instructions for every recipe you try. So, here's your chance to make someone think you're a chef today. Follow the instructions to the letter for best results.

Simply lovely recipes and photos. I initially purchased this book because it just looked gorgeously delicious. The recipes are divine but not for a beginner. There is a permanent home in my kitchen for Tartine and I sometimes use it as a coffee table book because it's so pretty. If you want to impress at a bake sale, this will help you do it.

Loved the book. Shows not just the how, but also the why. You will enjoy this book in your kitchen.

Love this book! The soft glazed gingerbread cookie tasted so good. Beautiful pictures throughout the book with high quality papers. I like the white ribbon that was attached to the book, using it to mark my next recipe to try out. Happy baking. I also purchased their bread book.

I own many baking books and this rates highly in my library. The directions are detailed enough to guide a novice but intricate enough to engage someone with more advanced skills. I recently made the Summer Berry Trifle and it was delicious. The directions for the chiffon cake and the pastry cream were excellent. I was a bit worried when the chiffon cake called for 10 egg whites for fear it might be a dry cake--it wasn't. I'm looking forward to making more things from this book.

Typical to this couple to produce books that tell the story behind their careers their travels and all the thought and inspiration behind the recipes all this calming you down and putting you at ease to go ahead and dive into them. Excellent book!

This place is awesome and I love the book. The lemon recipes, soft gingerbread, and tarts are awesome. People lose their minds anytime I bring something I've made from this book. Thanks for making me look good.

This is a fab book. I have made the Lemon Meringue Cake, Devil's Food Cake, Lemon Cream Tart, Chocolate Friands and the eclairs. Every dessert tasted unbelievably good and looked stunning. Recipes are easy to follow and I love the fact that metric measurements are given too. A `must buy' for bakers.

If you've ever waited in line on a foggy San Francisco morning with a yearning for the perfect croissant or pastry, you've probably been to `Tartine'. This small bakery has long been a well kept secret of the locals. I lived in San Francisco for many years before moving to the windy city, but no trip home is complete without a stop here. Now, I no longer have to wait. This delightful book is full of their most popular items, and is worth purchasing for the croissant recipe alone. I just finished a batch of the Soft Glazed Gingerbread cookies and they are almost gone. The recipes are explained in clear concise English, easy to follow and, perhaps most importantly, true to their origins. In short, this book does not disappoint!

I feel so lucky to live in the San Francisco Bay Area. That said, I have had the pleasure of visiting the bakery on several occasions. Tartine is located nearby a few great food places to visit (i.e., Bi-Rite market, one of my favorite grocery stores, they have awesome ice cream and such, do look for their cookbooks!!!). Every time I do arrive to Tartine, I always see several people both outside and inside, happily enjoying life as they indulge in food and drink (the coffee beverages look amazing!). Unfortunately, I have not purchased many things from the bakery because the items are pretty pricey for me (a graduate student). My go-to items are the cookies and the Rocher with cocoa nibs. One day I will buy an eclair, or a lemon pie ... but for now ... I can bake with the very same recipes that they use. I have made a pie crust that is to die for from this book (butter only, yes please!). I'm soooo excited for the other recipes (brownies, eclairs, and some of the savory items). My next cookbook purchase will be Tartine's bread cookbook.

I like that the descriptions of each recipe have lots of tips that vary with ingredients. Also in grams if you like to weigh items instead of using volumetric cups. Good pictures. Familiar items from the bakery and also a few extra.

Tartine is a complete and utter joy! Each recipe is more fabulous than the first! If you like to experiment and try new things -- this is a book for you. Also old favorites with a new twist -- just all sooooooo yummy! Going to be making the lemon shaker pie tomorrow and we can't wait to taste it! Treat yourself to this book -- you will NOT be sorry! ENJOY! Then you MUST try their bread book! Tartine Bread!

There is enough valuable information inside this book to start a scratch bakery and succeed ! Wonderful ideas and fabulous formulas make this a must have in every baker's collection.

Chad Robertson's wife and co-chef at Tartine makes great pastries. I would highly recommend following either one of them as they continue to publish great material.

This cookbook was a gift for my girlfriend. Tartine is a great bakery in SF. The line to order usually wraps around the block. Looking forward to not having a line anymore to try their great treats!

I am obsessed with this book. I simply can not put it down! I've eaten at this bakery many times and before i got this book I would just wake up and wish I lived in the mission so I could walk down and have a morning pastry. That, coupled with my love for baking, is what inspired me to get this book. Since I've bought the book I've made their: quiche(wow!), croissants( almost got them right!), eclairs, and a variation on their lemon cream tart. The tart I made with their recipe for candied lemon peel and laid down as a bottom/surprise layer beneath. The recipe for sweet tart dough is now the only one I will use henceforth. What I love about this book is the freedom it gives you. It encourages you to make what YOU think will taste good. It encourages you to only use the best possible ingredients and produce at the peak of it's season. Therefore, the book gives you tons of options and possibilities but also treats you as an expert in your own kitchen. I love it when a book is informative and uses language that gives you respect as a knowledgeable baker, such as this book does. The book does read more like a novel than an ordinary cookbook, so do not expect lists of any kind other than an ingredient one. If you are making something complicated or with many steps, like croissants, you should read the recipe a few times and have it down COLD. This book is an inspiration and pushes me to become a better baker. Bravo Tartine!

Great book to complete my Tartine series. Starts off with delectable croissants and ends with candied fruit and zest. Easy to understand, and well written.

I'm a professional private chef and use this book often. All of the recipes are good and work - I find most cook books to be full of untested and poorly developed recipes.

Tartine in San Francisco is a MUST go to whenever I'm in the area!!. Now that I have this great cookbook, I'm able to enjoy some of my favorites at home. Friends love when I make something delicious from the great cook book - it has fool-proof instructions.

Beautiful book... great recipes and easy to follow. Definitely leans towards someone more experienced with baking and pastry work. Pretty enough to be a coffee table book.

Nice book. Bought it for someone as a gift

I own this cookbook but I bought this copy for my sister. It is the best cookbook ever! The desserts are to die for and are easy to follow. We have been to Tartine bakery in San Francisco so this is our way of getting our Tartine fix. You won't regret buying this cookbook.

It's a really nice book, full of good recipes, great if you're looking for a gift. Beautifully made and very good explained. The only "but" it would be the lack of photographs. For the people who knows how the recipes looks like must be great, but I haven't had the luck of being into this Tartine bakery, so I can hardly imagine how most of the things should look like. Anyway, the recipes are great. I would recommend it.

Bought this book as a gift to a friend, and she seemed to LOVE it. Looked through it before I gave it to her, and it made me salivate and wanted to try baking. Overall, I think it is a great book.

I love this book! Great recipes....pictures...directions...and more. My son uses it to create things for his restaurant too!

The recipes work, easy to follow and they taste great. Simply its a very good book and good addition to an aspiring home baker.

Decadence. Pure, delicious decadence. I'm glad/sad that I don't live near this bakery.

This book is so beautiful to look at and to cook from. Having visited the bakery in SFO, it brings back wonderful memories. Definitely recommended....

Love this cookbook. Great recipes and techniques. Easy to read. I love the recipes for tarts. Can't wait to try their breads.

Love the pictures but Haven't tried any of the recipes yet.

All I can say is, Wow. Tartine is not only one of the most delicious bakeries anywhere, but they have created a cookbook that lives up to the food they serve. The pictures are illustrative and gorgeous. The writing is clear and succinct. But best of all, the recipes are thorough. I love how they give such detailed descriptions and explanations on all of the delicious sweets so that you can recreate them exactly. This book is a joy to read. My highest recommendation (and this comes from someone who has too many cookbooks and bakes too many sweets).

Made Tartine Quiche yesterday...easy, simple instructions resulted in a fabulous quiche! So good, in fact, that I am baking it again tomorrow. Harrison House Bed and Breakfast guests love this meal...served with fresh fruit and Tartine's buttermilk scones. Plates were scraped clean!

Beautiful pictures, excellent descriptions. The measurements are in Standard and Imperial!

Just as delicious as the bakery itself- expect to spend a long time in the kitchen when using this cookbook!

I couldn't love this book more. Really happy with it.

Great fun, can't wait to try recipes. Pictures are wonderful.

as far as I have read and done it is a good book. my pastry chef has it and that is why a bought it

Bought this for my fiancee after a trip to Tartine last time we were in SF. It's a terrific book, well put together and laid out. And most importantly, the recipes are great.

I would have liked the book to have more pictures. The contents of the book, however, are wonderful. I'm looking forward to making my own croissants.

I purchased this for myself because I had the great pleasure of tasting the banana cream pie from this bakery on a trip to Northern California in November. A banana cream pie was kind of a take or leave it dessert for me prior to tasting Tartine's version of it, and what a treat. I bought this so I can re-create the pie for a family member who introduced me to it. The directions appear quite clear.

This cookbook looks declicious in my personal library. Truly step-by-step instructions on how to make delicious pastries before you go to a Weight Watchers meeting?

I adore this bakery in San Francisco and I doubly adore their cookbook! It has all my favorite pastries they make and then some. Exquisite photographs, which are a must for me and clear concise instrutions. LOVE IT!

I bought this for the wife because we made a detour to make sure we visited this bakery. Took three loaves back home and broke into one of them on the flight.

It's perfect! all receipe have perfect explication and recomnedations!!!, ademas casi todas las receipe have sus fotos!!! Perfect pictures!! Love it!

I tried out couple of the recipes as soon as I received the book and all of the pastries made were having great result. The book also provides some alternative ways to make traditional pastry items healthier and better.

This cookbook has great pictures, and honestly I found the book more enjoyable then my trip to the actual bakery (which included a towed car and a passionfruit cake that was not, so to speak, my cup of tea!) This is the kind of cookbook that I could curl up with and inhale. I haven't actually tried that many recipes yet, but the one I did turned out very nicely which indicates the recipes are also usable, which is of course, a bonus in any cookbook. I've already bought another copy as a gift, and would highly recommend this to any cookbook, or sweets lover- you will be salivating over these treats.

Great mix of simple recipes, good twist - love the banana tea loaf and Zucchini bread was a hit

This is a great cookbook! But the book was printed incorrectly. The entire contents is upside down. Still totally functional, but a little embarrassing -- I'm giving it as a gift and don't have time to return it.

Was a gift to my DIL who is a pastry chef/ mom/ professor she loves it

This is a very well written book with lots of background information. Every recipe is elegant and easy to follow. Recommended/

Great condition! Excellent book!

Love it!!

Ah Tartine. It's a great book. It's an even better bakery, if you ever get the chance to visit. If only my own baking came out that nicely.

This book is fantastic. It's my go to for pastry recipes. Great basic recipes for pie doughs and cakes etc, but also great dessert ideas

this is a great book with awesome recipes i really hope the authors release another baking book like this. Tartine taught me a new way to bake and think about pastry making! buy this now i highly recomend it

This is one of the books that this author has produced and I collect them.

Tartine is a serious baker's bible. There are lines outside Tartine in San Francisco every day and to be able to try their recipes at home is a wonderful treat and a great addition to the cookbook collection.

was a bit disappointed - not many recipes that I would be interested in. This book is not for the beginning baker. I consider myself an experienced baker but was not blown away by the recipes.

great, my daughter was happy

`Tartine', a high end American Patisserie cookbook by husband and wife master bakers, Elisabeth Prueitt and Chad Robertson is a fine exemplar of a particular kind of baking book, where the emphasis is simply on communicating excellent recipes from professional bakers which are, with proper patience and technique, quite doable by the home baking hobbyist. This book can be distinguished from several other fine baking books. The most outstanding variety genus is the restaurant baker / baking instructor book. Two of the finest examples are `The Secrets of Baking' by Spago superbaker, Sherry Yard and `The Sweet Live, Desserts from Chanterelle' by Kate Zuckerman. Another major genus is the professional baking teacher / encyclopedic book, such as the several `bibles' from Rose Levy Beranbaum and `How to Bake' and `Perfect Pastry' from Nick Malgieri. Still another genus is the `I love to bake, and here are my favorite recipes' books such as `Heirloom Baking with the Brass Sisters' and `Baking From My Home to Yours' by Dorie Greenspan. Two other small but important categories are the basic baking manual, such as the excellent `Martha Stewart's Baking Handbook' and Alton Brown's nerdy `I'm Just Here for More Food' and the omnibus sampler of baking techniques such as `Baking With Julia (Child)' written by Dorie Greenspan. Note that Alton Brown's book could also be lumped together with Sherry Yard's book, as both are excellent at illuminating the whys of great baking. In addition to all of these, there is the whole family of bread baking books, which is outside this discussion. I also have to give special mention to all books by Flo Brakker and the great Maida Heatter as great sources of instruction and encyclopedic range. So where does that leave us with `Tartine'. My first impression is that it could have been given the same name as culinary journalist Jeremy Jackson's `desserts that have killed better men than me', since these recipes are uniformly outstanding in standing out from the crowd. It should be no surprise that recipes from a high-end bakery fit within the range of skills of the hobbyist baker, since the difference between home and professional technique is much closer than it is for the savory kitchen. In fact, if anything, the home baker needs more patience, space and time to match professional results rather than more speed and hotter ranges needed by the professional line cooks. A perfect example of the need for lots of time is the recipe for brioche, which can often be seen more as a cake than as a bread (but it commonly appears in both pastry and bread books). My paradigm for brioche up to now has been Nancy Silverton's `Breads from the La Brea Bakery' recipe, but I think `Tartine' will replace it, not because it's easier, but because it requires even more steps and care, giving an even richer result. Books of this genus are great for entertaining recipes, as one challenge of the high end professional bakery is not only to produce great results, but to easily stand apart from the average stuff you may find on the supermarket cookie shelf or bakery counter. For example, the eight cookie recipes all seem vaguely familiar on first glance, but they all stand out in some way when you look at the recipes. The shortbread recipe is a fine example of how the authors have taken the pedestrian cookie found in a `Lorna Doone' Nabisco box and turned it into a rare treat. Another lesson from the shortbread recipe is the fact that the authors go to great lengths to be sure that no detail of their technique is left out. This is not to say this is a good teaching book. You will still do much better with these recipes if you have mastered the basics than if you are starting with no baking knowledge. But, with experience, you will be able to appreciate the wisdom of the authors' technique. While almost all recipes in this book are outstanding, there are three chapters that are more valuable than others. The first is the `Pasteries & Confections' which covers some of the wilder marches of the baking landscape, such as Eclairs, Friands, Toffee, Truffles, and Peanut Brittle. This is not your garden-variety peanut brittle! The second is in the `With a Glass of Wine' chapter covering gougeres, cheddar cheese crackers, wild mushroom tart, and pissaladiere on brioche. These are for entertaining with a flair. The last is the `Basic Baking Recipes' chapter that is notable for its recipes for chiffon cakes. The authors explain that unlike angelfood cake, chiffon cakes have gone out of fashion for their relative richness. So, if you are in need of something which is `decadent', traditional, and unusual all in one, try one of these four (lemon, orange, coconut, or chocolate) chiffon cakes. Even Alton Brown hasn't done a `Good Eats' show on chiffon yet. Given the authors' connection with Alice Waters, who supplies the introduction, it is not surprising that the only recipe in the book for which I could identify a superior replacement was the blueberry lemon tart, which seemed not quite as interesting as my favorite from Chez Panisse (in their `Chez Panisse Fruits' book). The only non-culinary caveat I have is that the spine of the book was just a bit stiff, so it will not easily lie flat on your kitchen table without some hefty weighting. All in all, a really great book on professional baking products and techniques.

Great book!

good book

This book has a lot of great recipes, but i miss the images very much. I think a recipe / cook book should have at least one photo of the finished work. I has pictures in some of the recipes, but some of them not.

It was full of helpful information, though it was a little hard to gleen from all the wordy additions. Not really easy to use because of the binding of the book. Pretty good for the price, not amazing though.

great book in excellent condition. getting ready for my 1st cake tomorrow. wish me luck. all ingredients ( some a little hard to find } are ready

Funny story. I was charged with making dessert for Christmas Eve dinner at my aunt's house so I turned to Tartine. I chose the Buttermilk Lemon Pudding Cake because it looked both fancy and easy. I made one and decided that it wouldn't be enough for everyone, so I made a second one. Being the helpful guy he is, my dad helped me pull it out of the oven in its water bath and carefully placed it on the counter, though he managed to place it ever so off center. Next thing I knew there was lemon cake/pudding all over the floor. Fuuuu*k!!! Alright, no biggie, I just made two of these rather simple concoctions, I'll just make another, we had time. I faux-ed up some buttermilk to cover the slight shortage and bartered an egg for parchment paper with my neighbor. Everything came together right on time. Huzzah! Over the highway and though the suburbs to my aunt's house we went. My aunt decided that a fun pre-dinner event would be at-home wine tasting. My uncle, the only non-drinker of the group, was the bartender pouring almost half-glass pours for a heavy tasting night. Wine upon wine was drunk and by the time dinner was over, we were all properly toasted. Gifts were exchanged, exclamations were made, and joy was had by all. It wasn't until we were in the car on the way home that I realized that we never ate dessert. All that I went through to make the beautiful dessert was not for my tastebuds. So in the end, while I did get to taste some of the pudding remnants of the great fall of #2 (which was delicious), I can't speak to the dish in its entirety. At least it was easy to make!

A must have book. Plenty of récipes ! A few hundred pastry récipes!Not many pictures But definitely essential for those Who love to cook

Good well done cookbook

We love all of the tartine books! while this one is a beautiful book, and good recipes, it is my least favorite of all the books.

Love the recipe

good purchase experience

it was a gift for my dad. he says he loves it

I love it.

Thenproblem with tris boom is that no has a picture of all the cakes.

haven't baked from the book yet

Great recepies

Good

An update of this book will be released in late 2019, so if you don't have it you may want to wait or pre-order that one. I plan to buy that edition, too... it will also have the beloved (and omitted, but searchable online) Morning Bun recipe and hopefully some more photos. I'm eagerly anticipating the update and curious to see what will be added or amended. I'm a big fan of Tartine and have visited the brick and mortar bakery, which is a delight. This book is one I have given as a gift several times and the quality of baked goods is outstanding. The brioche bread pudding is super simple and versatile, the Gougères are delectable, and the cheddar cheese crackers are divine. This is a solid collection of recipes that are on par with what they sell in their bakery, but without the long line or trip to The Manufactory in LA or Tartine Bakery in San Francisco.

Dying to try some things, no time. 😪

I can't believe that I actually don't like this book. Tartine makes some great breads and treats but the cookbook is just too fussy for me. I read every page looking for something I'd enjoy making. All I found was increasing resistance to trying a recipe. Here's the thing: I'm not much of a baker and this collection of recipes just reinforced my disinterest. I think there's lots of people out there who will respond favorably to the pedigree and recipes of this book. So me not liking this book may make someone else find this book a great choice for them. I instead will pursue the recipes in the two new and exciting Israeli cookbooks I just found along with two other cookbooks on Scandinavian baking I just ordered.

This book was just OK. I was looking for something a little different. I recently bought the bouchon bakery book and I feel the recipes there are better.

First off, as it appears it's necessary to declare one's credentials in order to receive any clout: I am a professionally-trained pastry chef and therefore well-versed in many of these techniques. All the recipes I've made from this book have been disappointing so far. I just made the brioche, and the ratios of flour to liquid are way off. The preferment has far too much flour to ever become a "smooth batter" as suggested in the recipe. And then when putting together the dough itself, there wasn't enough flour, and the dough never pulled away clean from the bowl. I had the same issue with the croissants...at first I thought maybe there was a discrepancy in conversion, since many of the ingredients are written in both volumetric quantities and weight (both standard and metric), but I've made recipes using the metric weights and others using volumes, and then I double checked by weighing my volumes :) and there's no difference. It is a beautiful book, but very classical, not "breaking the mold" concepts, and since the measurements are off, its only real value is appearance.

I love this book, and it's as if it's what I've been trying to find for years. combined with Marion Cunningham, this is all I need. I certainly haven't made everything in it, but everything I've tried has worked -- which never happens. Complaints about things being too sweet are uniform in reviews of baking books, and I share that concern here from time to time. Generally, however, it's safe to reduce sugar levels modestly and still get the right texture. Highly recommended!

Updates August '08: Just wanted to reiterate how successful these recipes are. Since my first review, I've baked several more cakes, a couple of tarts, and the brioche (of 3 versions I've tried, by far my favorite, better than the version in Baking with Julia). This book has a large section of bavarian style cakes, and I credit the authors for this becoming my very favorite type of cake. I've tried the passion fruit-lime cake and also the strawberry bavarian, and they came out so delicious, light, ethereal even. The lemon curd recipe is also delicious. This is my go-to baking book now, especially for cakes. The recipes really highlight quality, fresh ingredients, and they're never overly sweet or fussy. In addition to the weddings cakes (mentioned below), I've brought Tartine cakes to friends, family, and the office, and--assuming they are being honest--everyone says they are among the best they've had. I believe them because I agree, and I give full credit to the authors for that. One note, however, is that the basic cake recipes produce more batter than needed to fill the pan. For me, this usually means a 6-inch cake for the freezer, which is a treat. Usually I try not to review any book until I've cooked at least 3 recipes from it (which is often 3 more recipes than some of the highly-ranked cookbook reviewers around here try). Technically, I've only prepared 2 from this book: croissants and tres leches cake. However, that cake involved the recipe for a coconut chiffon cake, caramel, and vanilla pastry cream, in addition to the syrup and cream for assembling the final cake. That, coupled with the intricate nature of the croissant recipe, gives me enough evidence to say that this is an excellent baking book, a great addition to any baker's collection. I've tried croissants before, struggled with the technique, and failed to approximate the taste of a good, buttery, proper croissant. I followed the detailed instructions here exactly, and I got exactly what I want. My French husband approved, and my mom and sister and I ate them up far too quickly. The dough wasn't easy, but it made a true croissant. I especially like Tartine's extra touch of baking them a little darker than most other recipes. As for the tres leches cake, I'll say nothing as to its authenticity, since I wouldn't really know. As far as the recipe, though, it's utterly manageable: instructions and measurements are accurate and clear. The results: absolutely delicious, maybe the best non-chocolate cake I've made. The coconut chiffon is moist and tender, and the coconut syrup, caramel, and vanilla pastry cream make it so moist, flavorful, and satisfying. Another touch I liked was the small touch of lemon juice in the caramel. I haven't made it before, but I don't recall this as a standard addition in recipes I've seen. But it was definitely worth eating with a spoon. Probably a dozen or more people sampled this cake over the weekend, and they all loved it. I look forward to trying the devil's food cake and the brioche, and I'm confident that they'll turn out as well as what I've made so far. Added later: I also tried the devil's food cake recipe (Which includes recipes for the cake, caramel, ganache). It was a bit involved, but the directions were again very clear and spot on: I knew what to look for and even my first try came out great. I ended up making about 4 batches of the recipe and using it for my brother's grooms cake. Had raves from dozens of people. Also, ended up using the tres leches chiffon cake for part of the brides cake, which also got tons of great feedback. I look forward to working through this book even further.

I don't know if there was an issue in the editors scaling, or poor translation, but there are really off recipes in this book. While I do not claim to be a professional pastry chef (I do bake artisan breads for a hobby), even the novice baker can spot issues trying these recipes. For instance, let's take basic crusts. She suggests baking a sablee crust (basic sweet pie/tart crust). She notes to bake at 325 for 9-11 minutes. I am certain her intent was for 425 (at 325, you get a melted mess, as the crust won't bake before the butter melts, and the crust will still be wet batter after 12 minutes). She also notes a "3-2-1" recipe, where you take three parts flour, two parts fat, one part liquid (this is correct, one of the first things students learn to make). However, the recipe that it describes doesn't come close to the ratios by weight nor by volume. I'm sure Mrs Prueitt has a wonderful bakery and is a skilled chef. I don't know if something was missed when scaled for the home baker, or maybe something the publisher did, but the book itself is thus-far terrible.

The Tartine cookbook by authors Elizabeth M. Prueitt and Chad Robertson is a beautiful cookbook as there are plenty of beautiful photos depicting their recipes. The recipes though are probably a bit beyond the reach of the average home baker. For example I have no idea where I am supposed to find food-safe "large fresh rose geranium leaves" to prepare the Blackberry Tart with Rose Geranium Cream recipe found in their cookbook. Also, I found many of their recipes use nuts. I am allergic to all nuts including the legume peanuts. Their cookbook would not be useful to people like me as we can not eat nuts. The photos though are gorgeous and a lot of their baking tips are helpful and their inclusion of an interactive table of contents makes navigating their cookbook easy. Some of the recipes you will find in their cookbook include: Almond Breakfast Cake with Fresh Fruit and Crumble Topping Buttermilk Scones Quiche (uses Creme Fraiche which is not easy to find for most cooks) Pecan Maple Pie with Kumquats and Bourbon Banana Cream Pie with Caramel and Chocolate Shaker Lemon Pie Passion Fruit and Lime Bavarian Chocolate Souffle Cake Devil's Food Layer Cake Zucchini and Orange Marmalade Tea Cake Trifle of Summer Fruit Hazelnut Biscotti Chocolate Friands Pecan-Bourbon Pralines Maple-Glazed Pecans White Chocolate and Lime Parfait with Lime Granita Toasted Almond and Lavender Parfait (uses fresh or dried lavender blossoms --- where I am supposed to find this?) Wild Mushroom Tart Sweet Tart Dough Coconut Chiffon Cake Pastry Cream Candied Fruit Recommend with caveats given.

Assuming you have some kitchen experience, this cookbook contains wonderful recipes asking for basic/simple ingredients. There is a wide range of easy recipes such as the Brioche Bread Pudding that required 6 ingredients and was really easy to put together, and there are more complicated recipes that take a little longer to make. Recently, we tried the Fruit Galettes recipe as it was one that took a little longer as I was in the mood to try something new and it came out really nice. This book is nicely done. I gave a 5 star rating, but I also wanted to point out that this is a paper hardcover that can easily absorb liquids. I prefer hardcover books that can be wiped down if I accidentally spill anything on the cover.

So the stars are for the brioche alone. WOW. I felt like a pro when I pulled those perfect loaves out of the oven. And the flavor is so wonderful. Much better than other recipes for brioche that I have tried. But there are some issues with this recipe and others. The preferment should be a batter or so says the recipe but mine was definitely a dough and yes I measured by volume and weight. This resulted in an odd incorporation for the eggs and boy did my stand mixer get a workout. Also the Almond Breakfast Cake has a problem with the time. I, like others, baked it exactly as directed but after 40 minutes at 350 came out with an underdone cake (still super super gooey all over). And yes, it was at the correct temp because I keep a thermometer in the oven. This was a bit annoying as almond meal is $10 per bag so you hate to see anything go to waste. Though we still ate the cake after I jacked up the oven temp to 375 and threw the poor treat back in for who knows how long. I am not giving up and will try again.

As an avid baker and cookbook collector, Tartine is easily one of my favorite books. Not only has every recipe I've attempted turned out perfectly (with some effort of course!), but this book is filled with beautiful photographs, and really great easy-to-follow instructions. One of the recipes I attempted was the Buche de Noel. Tartine's version is not the easiest I've encountered, but the instructions were very clear, and my final product was exactly what I had imagined! My result was far more impressive than other recipes I had read in my search for "the one." I have also made the Banana Cream Pie with Chocolate and Caramel on a couple of occasions. The first time, I barely managed to steal a slice for myself before the entire pie vanished before my eyes. The second time I smartly made it for a smaller crowd and relished in every bite of leftover pie I could stuff in my face. I used low-fat milk instead of whole milk for the pastry cream, and my result was still incredibly creamy and delicious. Several people said it was the best pie (of any kind) they've ever had. I mean, add melted chocolate and caramel to pie crust and then fill it with custard, bananas, and fresh whipped cream... how would that NOT be a winner? Tartine's recipe for Fresh Fruit Tart is also really great and relatively easy. Tart dough is easy to make and keeps well in the freezer. After I rolled out my tart, I used the leftover dough and pastry cream to make a few mini tartlets as well. It was great! I had two people request that I make that tart for their birthdays. The Strawberry Bavarian Cake looked exactly like ones I've tried from professional bakeries... except mine tasted better and felt so special because I had made the whole thing--from Genoise to Bavarian filling--from scratch! It tasted like eating a cloud... a delicious, creamy cloud. You'd think it would be rich and heavy with all that cream filling, but it was the opposite. I'll make this cake again and again whenever strawberries are in season. I'm telling you, of the half a dozen or so recipes I've tried so far from this book, not a single one has come out even remotely disappointing. I will continue to go to this book for great baking ideas and recipes!

I have quite a few books on baking and don't generally like those from bakeries because they're not scholarly enough. They are big on their own bakery and somehow don't help you achieve what they do so easily. Tartine is really different in that regard. The method is focused upon and you can go off on your own from there. The instructions for each recipe are very clear and specific. I've never made anything from this book that didn't work. When I decide to make something I open up about 5 books to compare techniques and ingredients. Invariably I lean toward Tartine. By now I trust them and as complicated as some of the recipes may be, they are far more streamlined than in some of my other books. The Chocolate Cake is perfect. The Pate Sablee excellent. Well worth having on your shelf.

I've only made 2 things (compared to other reviewers) and I'm a relative novice in the kitchen, but I adore desserts. I've tried the gougeres and the mixed berry shortcakes. The gougeres were simple and pretty foolproof. I would definitely try these again, plus they inspire me to try the other choux pastry recipes. The mixed berry shortcakes were spectacular, primarily because of the berry-caramel sauce. Shortcakes again were clear, easy, turned out well, tasted good. The caramel recipe is so easy, although time consuming. Adding the berries is genius (this kind of added touch is what I expect from professionals). I do wish there were more photographs (I don't live in SF so have not seen the actual bakery products). The type is a little hard to read when you are in the middle of the process. I have found some of the times to be on the short side. By the way, I have heard from others that the quiche recipe is the best ever. It's definitely on my 'to-do' list.

i've been borrowing this book from a friend for the past couple of months, think it's going to be my xmas present this yr ;-) i haven't made everything in the book yet, but the ones i made turned out mostly excellent. i didn't have any problem with sugary level as i usually decrease the sugar amt in most of the reicpes anyways. excellent: all the chiffon cakes, especially the chocolate souffle cake! tea cakes, hazlenut biscotti (it's a bit more crumbly than i like but tastes devine), cheese cracker, wild mushroom tart, flaky tart dough, pastry cream, lemon cream, caramel. not so good: devil's food layer cake. the texture of the cake was dry & crumbly, and the chocolate ganache was also a bit dry/hard. my friends loved it, but not i.

As most reviewers have written, I have found the formulas in this book to be beautifully conceived and edited. The couple of people who posted that they had issues with the recipes may well have either had innacurate appliance temperature issues or did not exactly measure or follow prep methods. Every formula I and my colleagues have used has been dead-on with excellent results. I also gave the book to my non-baker sister-in-law, who, too, has had success with it. Baking is an exact science and techniques, temperatures and ingredients in the book MUST be followed. Specific ingredients react chemically and physically and if anything is off, results will not be optimal. If a recipe calls for a pound of butter, it NEEDS that pound of butter - at the temperature and texture called for in the formula. Also, measuring dry ingredients by weight is much more accurate than by volume. It leaves no room for heavy-handed scooping or packing a measuring cup too hard. Follow instructions to the letter, check appliances for temperature accuracy, use proper techniques and you will have fantastic results with this book.

I have made several recipies from the book and one my co-workers in the kitchen I work in made the Brownies. ALL were excellent-the recipies work and they are tasty. If you are a inexperienced baker, many of the recipies might be on the difficult side. They are pro level recipies that require attention to detail and good execution. Read the recipie carefully and take your time is what I would suggest. Also don't be afraid to spend a little extra on ingredients; It will make what you produce that much better. BTw-there are a few editorial errors. Double check the recipie for things like pan size and use some judgement..if a pan seems too full, it is most likely.

This is a gloriously good book. To start, the book itself is printed on heavier paper without that common overt glossiness most cookbook photos have. It gives it an oldworld print factory feel. The cover's center square has a raised texture to it. For tactile people these addtions make it a pleasure to hold and turn the pages. Something often missing this day and age. The stories behind Tartine, its morning rhythms and secrets behind how to actually create & bake the recipes so they turn out great everytime are very helpful. The only drawbacks to this book, as with many bakery and cook books is that not every recipe has a photo. Also, I would have loved to have read about some of the final decorations for the pastries, where to find them, options to use instead & how they keep or do not keep well, for instance rose petals or crystallized violets or edible gold foil. Still, if you are into baking and producing quality results rather than just cookie cutter perfect looking ones or are a true foodie, I highly recomend this book. A pleasure to read and touch. Check out La Dolce Vita by Ursula Ferrigno too. It's an amazing pastry book.

I tested almost all of the tarts recipes and the chocolate souffle cake recipe so far. They all turned out really good. My friends and coworkers are basically licking the cake stand and they can't get enough of the chocolate cake. It is the one of a kind flourless chocolate cake that is super smooth, moist, and decadent. I really appreciate the detail descriptions and tips that the pastry chefs provided in the book. They put in a lot of seasonal variations and ingredients pairing as well. If you are looking for martha stewart type of cookbook with fancy beautiful pictures, probably this book is not for you. Tartine is a French bakery shop which they specialize in rustic yet sophisticated French pastry and bake goods. I can't wait to try another recipe soon.

I purchased this book because of the delicious desserts featured on the cover. Yes, the recipes contain high amounts of butter. But hey, I don't mind a little bit of quality butter in my life. I've made the tart recipe so far and it's great. Flaky, crispy, and delicious. The next recipe I want to try is the croissants. The author provides really thorough, step-by-step instructions for complicated recipes like the croissant. It makes me feel comfortable taking the time to experiment with the recipe!

I am far from an experienced baker and have had excellent results using this book. The first recipe I tried were the croissants--oh my. Perfectly flaky, tender little gems with soft, buttery interiors. I saved some dough for the Morning Buns recipe (published on 7x7.com) which were heavenly! Lately I've made the Almond Lemon Tea Cake, Summer Fruit Bavarian and Banana Cream Pie, all with pleasing results. Some of the recipes yield more than is needed, but, as another reviewer mentioned, simply freeze for next time =) Beautiful photos, wonderful assortment of recipes. Some include: Almond Breakfast Cake with Fresh Fruit and Crumble Topping, Blackberry Tart with Rose Geranium Cream, Shaker Lemon Pie, Passion Fruit and Lime Bavarian, Pastel De Tres Leches, Chocolate Oatmeal Walnut Cookies, Eclairs, Chocolate Friands and more!

This one of my favorite baking books. I usually go to this book first when I want to bake a Yummy and beautiful dessert. I love how they give you the option of using a scale to measure the ingredients or measuring cups/spoons. They give some really good tips for each recipe. I had the opportunity to visit the bakery in San Francisco and was amazed and pleased to see the line into the bakery was rapping around the building. It was worth the wait. It was do Yummy. The best part is that the recipes from the book tasted just as Yummy as the real stuff at the bakery. I LOVE THIS BOOK. I just purchased their new books on bread and I can't wait to try the recipes!!!!

After journeying to Tartine Bakery in the Mission district, my fiancé and I fell in love with it. The environment, the food, all of it. When we found out they had released a cookbook, I had to have it. The photography is gorgeous, the recipes are approachable and instructions are conversational. (I definitely don't feel like an idiot when I read through some of the recipes I was anxiously awaiting to try) I have only had this cookbook for two days, and already I can't wait to bake!!!!

I've been to the restaurant and my one experience with the book was very disappointing. I made the buttermilk scones. I can make scones in my sleep and have included them in cookbooks I've written. Very bland and the batter didn't come together well. I'm not sure the proportions were right. My preferred scone is The London Cream Scone in Bernard Clayton's book but was expecting this to be special because of Tartine's reputation. I'll try something else but I'd think a scone is pretty basic.

Personal Tips: (Note: I am NOT a professional baker. These are just my PERSONAL tips that worked FOR ME. You should find out what works for you. There is no need to follow these tips): 1. DO *NOT* skimp on the time. If the recipe calls for 6 hours of chill time, that means 6 hours. This develops the flavor. 2. You CAN, however, skimp on the butter. I used only 1/3 of what the recipe called for in butter, but they still came out flaky, crunchy, and perfect! Any more, and I think it might've been too buttery for me to eat. Although, the butter did give the "this is so freaking good!' taste. 3. As for the chocolate croissant, I say skip it!! The croissant is such a masterpiece that took 13 hours to make, adding the chocolate chips completely deterred the taste and took my tongue away from the masterpiece. It's like slathering ketchup all over a burger (it kills the taste) so the the ground meat just taste like ketchup. 4. DO get it to the slightly burnt (dark) layers, this adds to the crispy flakiness. 5. DO *NOT* skimp on the yeast. My first preferment using a no-name brand market Active Dry Yeast for $0.50 created no foam. My second batch was with RED STAR Yeast, and boy are they active! 6. For the egg yolk wash near the end of the recipe, I used just 1 egg - it was enough. DO use a pastry brush. Using a spoon or fork makes marks on the surface and uneven coloring, as well as uneven crispness. 7. I used Lactose milk for the Non-fat and Whole milk replacements, and it still turned out fine. 8. MAKE SURE you create the 6 ridges on the croissant. Yes, it did alter the taste when the 6 ridges were not there. Having the correct shape of the croissant with the triangle ending on top adds a mountain of extra crispiness (more layers exposed to the air). 9. When you're starting out, I recommend creating half of what the original recipe calls for. This is just in case you mess it up. Also the less you make, the more you can practice. I made 24 croissants, about the size of the NUM PAD on the keyboard, from just half the recipe.

I bought this book not having heard of Tartine before but was attracted by the gorgeous pictures and the interesting recipes. I was not disappointed. Not only is the book good to look at, the recipes actually work and the cakes that I've tried my hand at so far are really good. So far I've tried their lemon meringue cake, lemon cream tarts and devil's food cake and all have received rave reviews. I haven't tried their bread recipes yet but am looking forward to it! I'm only disappointed that they did not share their recipe for their famous morning buns that I've read about (I guess they have to keep some trade secrets to themselves).

The recipes in this book are very reliable and accessible for the home cook in terms of ingredients, required time, and equipment. It is suitable both for the beginner and the more experienced cook. It contains everything from croissants (the recipe for which includes helpful illustrations and step-by-step, almost fail-proof instructions) to trifle. This book isn't all desserts-- there is also a section on savory dishes. Highly recommended.

There seem to be a lot of mistakes in this cookbook. Many of the recipes work great and many seem to have errors. For instance, I just tried making the Almond Breakfast Cake. It said to use an 8 inch glass cake pan, mine was 8 1/2 inches and the cake still overflowed while baking. Its said to bake for 40 minutes but mine took considerable longer. This was the case in many of the recipes. Many others work spectacularly. Would love the book if it had tested more carefully.

This book was a gift and when I finally got around to making the recommended shortbread recipe, I was blown away by the perfection of that simple cookie.

Too many recipes weren't tested enough, especially when scaled down. Some recipes are great. Google a recipe before making it and you should get an idea..

Tartine is known as one of the best bakeries in San Francisco. It's specialty is delicious baked goods that emphasize fresh-tasting ingredients. I've always liked going to Tartine and I was very pleased with the recipes in this book. They're thorough and easy to follow, unlike many chef cookbooks, whose recipes tend to be more complicated than the average home cook wants to bother with on a regular basis. It reminds a bit of Judy Rogers' Zuni cookbook in that regard. Highly recommended, especially the bread pudding.

I am always very impressed when I find cookbooks whose recipes have been tested meticulously by the authors. That's an evidence of honesty and hard work. This book is simply the very best desserts cookbook I have ever used. Not being a very good cook, I find the recipes to be easy to follow and accurate. I also like that most of the recipes call for minimum amount of sugar needed. As a result, the final products taste light and flavors of ingredients really come through without being masked by excessive sweetness.

I love this book so much, would recomend it to anyone who wants to learn how to bake amazing tasting food.

During a recent visit to the Bay Area, my daughter-in-law baked the lemon bars in this book. Her friend had turned her on to this simple recipe. They outshone my own lemon bars, having a crunchier crust (compete with pine nuts)and a much thicker and much more lemony filling than mine. Fantastic! After I bought the book, I made the chocolate cake with ganache for a birthday party. It was a huge hit. Just be sure to let the ganache set up in the fridge until thick enough to spread--and I used half bittersweet and half semisweet chocolate. The smaller amount of frosting is plenty!! Linda

Excellent book with some great recipes. Particularly liked the basic recipes such as the chiffon cakes and lemon cream which came out fantastic. Main issue with the book is that the paper that it is printed on is a non-glossy, highly absorbent paper which means that if you get any mixture or splashes on it and they'll be there for good! For example I managed to splash a drop or two of melted butter on one of the pages and it immediately seeped into a massive stain on the page. Not ideal!

This is a FABULOUS cookbook. I have owned it for 3 years now and have made more than 20 recipes from it. The Flaky Tart Dough has become the crust for all my pies. I have baked a myriad of chiffon cakes and cupcakes. The Shaker Lemon pie was so good that the next day my husband claimed to have tasted it in a dream. The Devil's Food Cake is heavenly. This is a great book for someone who enjoys the process of baking (and eating!).

I agree with K Cole and Cricket's reviews. There are quite a few typos in this book. Some apparent prior to baking and some only apparent upon tasting the baked goods. I bake daily and I have had one too many failures with this cookbook even when scaling all of my ingredients. I can only hope that someone gets in the test kitchen and corrects the errors for the next edition. I will give this cookbook two more recipe tries because I want to love it. Paging thru it makes me wish the bakery were in my city and right up the road. I'll follow up again and with fingers crossed I'll be adding stars to my review

I tried my first recipe this morning -- Almond Breakfast Cake -- and was left very frustrated. Recipe calls for 40 minutes at 350 -- I took mine out at 80 minutes when, although the center was still a little gooey, the tops and sides were too brown and any longer would have become inedible. I emailed the publisher hoping a correction is in the works for future printings. I was so hopeful that this would be a new fave!! Love the bakery.

Got this book in the mail yesterday. I flipped through it and decided my first attempt would be the lemon bars. I baked them today and they are to die for. I love everything about this book. My next attempt will be the lemon cream tart. If you are a beginner or even an experienced baker, you will love Tartine.

This cookbook was recommended to me by a pastry chef and it has become one of my favorite go-to cookbooks. I especially love their lemon bar, gingerbread, and pumpkin tea cake recipes!

Straight forward delicious recipes for an experienced home baker.

This book leaves a bit (just a bit, though :-) )to be desired. I take issue not with the creativity of the recipes, since I wanted exactly this: a way to recreate Tartine bakery's recipes at home so I can savor them even when the shop is closed & I can't get my grubby paws on the stuff right away! Nope - my concern is that the bake times on the recipes seem to be quite a bit off in some instances. Biscottis are soft after the recommended time, cookies still soggy on the inside, gougeres far from done after the 25 mins. the book calls for, etc. The only explanation I can come up with is that the book's not really well adapted for home ovens. Oh well... gotta experiment and learn, I guess (which is why I say that it may be frustrating for a novice baker following instructions to a T). Aside from that, the recipes that I have tried so far have turned out quite tasty, after a few adjustments to the recipes.

I made the truffles, toffee, and almond rochers. The truffles were not nearly as tasty and creamy as Mark Bittman's two ingredient truffles, nor have they stood up to storage as well. I made the toffee twice, since I messed up the recipe for the first time but still it tasted delicious, only to discover that my mess-up was better than the recipe, which crumbled in a disastrous way. I'm convinced there's too little butter. Only the almond rochers came out halfway decently. I see other reviewers mostly adore this cookbook. Maybe I chose bad recipes. But I do bake a lot, so I know my way around the kitchen pretty well. And with me, three strikes and you're out.

Best cookbook ever! Most used book in my kitchen. Great gift too.