Day by day, lesson by lesson, Darra Goldstein takes you along as she works her way through two tough Boot Camp courses.

The Culinary Institute of America's tremendously popular Boot Camp courses help food and baking enthusiasts take their skills to a whole new level, offering hands-on, intensive instruction with some of the world's most talented chef-instructors.

In Baking Boot Camp, Julia Child Award–winning cookbook author Darra Goldstein takes you along as she embarks on two demanding Boot Camp courses, Baking and Pastry, where the fatigues are chef's whites and the weapons of choice are whisks, piping bags, and a bench scraper. Goldstein chronicles progress through each day of each course, bringing to life the intensity, the rigor, and the camaraderie that set Boot Camps apart from other cooking classes. Along the way, she reveals the tips and tricks of baking and pastry pros, sharing their fascinating insights with us on everything from the importance of weighing all ingredients to the secrets of perfect puff pastry. Throughout the book, more than 100 photographs by award-winning photographer Ben Fink vividly capture the excitement of the program.

Learn alongside Goldstein and her fellow students as they watch demonstrations, practice new skills, and receive critiques from their exacting instructors. You'll discover the hands-on skills and secrets you need to perfect your cookies, pies, cakes, and breads, as you build the know-how and confidence to tackle more demanding creations such as profiteroles, éclairs, mousses, and soufflés. To help you put these lessons to work in your own kitchen, the book includes nearly eighty delicious Boot Camp recipes—everything you need to start using professionaltechniques and embark on a lifetime of baking success.