Long before award-winning chef Michel Richardmade his first cte de boeuf or prepared hisfirst foie gras terrine, he was a pastry chef. InLos Angeles, pastry lovers lined up outside his bakeshopon Wilshire Boulevard, waiting to enjoy the breadsand treats theyd heard were the best in town, maybeeven better than anything in Paris. Now, in this outstandingcollection, the superstar chef returns to hisfirst love, the food that made him famousdesserts.Here are mouthwatering, foolproof recipes forAmerican favorites such as pecan pie and poundcake; Richards personal inventions, such as FloatingIslands with Melted Chocolate Morsels and the "e;coffeecloud"e;; reinvented French classics, such as profiterolesand the Christmas log (bche de Nol); fruitfavorites, including tarts and Pavlovas; and, of course,plenty of cookies.Going beyond traditional cookbooks, Sweet Magicshares Richards insights into the thinking and craftbehind every aspect of dessert, with brief essaysthat explore, explain, and enticehighlighted by thechefs own playful illustrations.Creating exquisite dishes with only a few simpleingredientsbutter, eggs, sugar, flour, chocolatedemands the instincts of an artist and the soul of amagician. Sweet Magic will unlock the inner dessertwizard in every home chef, guiding both newcomersand old hands past common missteps, to seduce themost flavor and texture from every ingredient.