OP: Bachour

Of course by now pastry chef Antonio Bachour (1975– ) is an Instagram sensation and has a number of cookbooks under his belt, but in 2013 when his eponymous book was published, could we have known how far he would ascend? The answer to that is a resounding yes.  A special kind of energy stirs among these some 130 pages. Alan Batt’s striking, close-up photography—an asset to any chef’s work—effectively demonstrates how just a few components, assembled with the right vision, can become something magical. Facing each image are concise recipes with short ingredient lists. Certainly, some pastry and baking experience is a must, but Bachour’s style is remarkably approachable. We might mention the coconut rice pudding with mango crémeux, tropical fruits, and foam, assembled high and tight in a verrine, garnished with flower petals. A number of semifreddo popsicles are here treated as plated desserts, playful head-turners, no doubt. And the microwave sponge cakes that dominated pastry menus in