Viennese Bakery: Classic Desserts from Vienna's Café Culture

Inspired by the handwritten notebook of recipes compiled by the bakery manager of Vienna's Grand Hotel in the early twentieth century, this book evokes an era when the city was recognized as a world capital of fine pastry and offers concrete instructions for recreating its classic desserts and treats.

Author Bernadette Wörndl's interest in beautiful pastry began while she was in art school and led her to work in professional kitchens, including Chez Panisse. The recipes include many immediately recognizable signature bakes: Linzer, Dobos, and Sacher tortes, apple strudel, and lebkuchen cookies for Christmas.

Those of us who did not grow up in Vienna will also be introduced to the likes of:

• Bishop's Bread, which is actually an anise-scented loaf cake flecked with chocolate and dried fruits
• Spanische Windtorte, a fantasy of piped meringue and whipped cream hiding a horde of fresh strawberries
• Kardinalschnitte or Cardinal Slice, which layers sponge and meringue with dramatic red currant jam
• Bohemian Pancakes, leavened with yeast and egg white, baked in a mold, and layered with sour cream and plum butter

Attractive, carefully researched, and genuinely inspiring for anyone drawn to the grand tradition of Viennese pastry.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.