A gorgeous professional-level guide to the most challenging form of the confectioner's art

A showpiece created entirely from sugar is truly a work of art, and it takes an eye for design and strong pastry skills to work with this delicate medium. "The Art of the Confectioner" is the ultimate guide to working with sugar to create beautiful sugar and pastillage shapes, flowers, figurines, and breathtaking full-scale showpieces. Author and award-winning pastry chef Ewald Notter shares wisdom gained from more than 35 years in the pastry kitchen, and combines straightforward advice and step-by-step instructions with lessons on developing artistry and design skills.

The book begins with a basic overview of sugar, including information on the equipment and ingredients needed to work with sugar and Isomalt. Subsequent chapters cover Pastillage, Sugar Casting, Sugar Pulling, Sugar Blowing, and New Trends in Sugarwork, and include detailed instructions on how to make everything from delicate flowers to whimsical blown sugar figurines. And the final chapter shows how readers can bring together all the skills learned throughout the book to create award-winning sugar and pastillage showpieces. From working with shapes and color and choosing a focus point to developing a sculpture based on a particular theme, Notter provides insights into all the tricks of the trade and expert advice on preparing for competitions.

Throughout the book, techniques are explained with simple, step-by-step instructions and illustrated with clear how-to photos, while stunning showpiece beauty shots provide inspiration. The book includes hundreds of color photos as well as beautiful hand-painted watercolor illustrations by the author, and an Appendix of templates is provided to help readers replicate the showpieces shown throughout the book. For pastry students, aspiring confectioners, and professional pastry chefs looking to improve their skills for restaurant work or competition, "The Art of the Confectioner" is a must-have guide from one of the field's most well-known experts.

A must-have guide to chocolate making and chocolate showpiece design, from renowned confectionery expert Ewald Notter

Covering the full spectrum of chocolate work-from the fundamentals of chocolate making to instruction on advanced showpiece design and assembly-"The Art of the Chocolatier" is the most complete and comprehensive guide to chocolate-making on the market. The book covers basic information on ingredients, equipment, and common techniques in the pastry kitchen, while also offering clear, step-by-step instructions on creating small candies and large-scale chocolate pieces.

This is the ideal book for pastry students enrolled in chocolate and confectionery courses, as well as working professionals and even serious home confectioners who want to improve their skills in advanced chocolate work.Illustrated step-by-step instructions cover all the essentials of chocolate-making, from tempering and creating ganache and gianduja to using molds, transfer sheets, and moreAn entire chapter devoted to Creating a Competition Piece covers the ins and outs of confectionery competition, from preparing for the event and developing a concept to designing and building a winning chocolate showpieceBeautiful full-color photos throughout provide inspiration for chocolate decor and showpiece design, while clear how-to photos illustrate key techniques

"The Art of the Chocolatier" provides expert-level coverage of every aspect of the chocolatier's art for students and professionals alike.