On Baking: A Textbook of Baking and Pastry Fundamentals, 4th edition
Published by Pearson (December 22, 2019) © 2020
  • Sarah R. Labensky
  • Priscilla A. Martel
  • Eddy Van Damme

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Title overview

For courses in baking and pastry.

Introducing students to the how's and why's of baking

On Baking has prepared thousands of students for successful careers in the baking and pastry arts. This award-winning classic has been uniformly praised for its organization, clarity and quality photography. The authors present core baking principles and fundamental skills for producing a wide array of baked goods and confections. They also address tools for the bakeshop, along with safety and professionalism tips.

The 4th Edition is aligned to ACF baking and pastry standards, with a new chapter dedicated to healthy baking and dessert plating.

Hallmark features of this title

Easy-to-follow principles and practices

  • More than 800 recipes for all skill levels demonstrate baking principles and procedures.
  • Clear, thorough explanations help students absorb techniques used in professional bakeries.

Resources supporting recipes and formulas

  • A mise en place feature accompanies recipes to help students prepare ingredients and equipment prior to baking.
  • Variations at the end of select recipes help students customize recipes or prepare different dishes.

Features deepening the discussion

  • Descriptions of the cultural or historical roots of a bread or pastry accompany many recipes.
  • End-of-chapter Questions for Discussion help learners integrate theory and technique.

New and updated features of this title

Real examples and practical applications

  • NEW: A new chapter dedicated to math exercises covers the math skills needed for baking.
  • EXPANDED: Step-by-step color photographs detail techniques for forming bread dough, shaping cookies and tempering chocolate. Illustrated sections identify bakeshop equipment and ingredients.
  • UPDATED: Descriptions of key concepts have been enhanced based on feedback from students and instructors.

Additional recipes and techniques

  • EXPANDED: More recipes for making classic pastries and other items served at modern bakery cafés appear in this edition.
  • EXPANDED: More dishes reflecting a wider ethnic influence have been added.
  • EXPANDED: Added coverage of advanced techniques for sugar work, chocolates and confections help students take their baking to the level.

Key features

Highlights of the DIGITAL UPDATE for Revel (available for Fall 2020 classes)

Instructors, contact your sales rep to ensure you have the most recent version of the course.

  • NEW: A new chapter dedicated to math exercises prepares students to apply math skills needed for baking. One model problem is included for 20 identified math concepts, with 10 practice problems for each concept.

Features of Revel for the 4th Edition; published 2019

  • Assignable Shared Writing Activities direct students to share written responses with classmates, fostering peer discussion.

Table of contents

  1. Professionalism and Food Safety
  2. Tools and Equipment for the Bakeshop
  3. Bakeshop Ingredients
  4. Mise en Place
  5. Principles of Baking
  6. Quick Breads
  7. Basic Yeast Breads
  8. Preferments and Natural Starters
  9. Enriched Yeast Breads
  10. Laminated Doughs
  11. Cookies and Brownies
  12. Pies and Tarts
  13. Pastry and Dessert Components
  14. Cakes
  15. Icings and Cake Assembly
  16. Custards, Creams, and Sauces
  17. Ice Creams and Frozen Desserts
  18. Healthy Baking and Special Diets
  19. Tortes and Entremets
  20. Petits Fours
  21. Chocolate
  22. Plated Desserts
  23. Sugar Work and Confections

Author bios

About our authors

Sarah R. Labensky is a culinary educator and academic administrator with an extensive background as a restaurateur and caterer, textbook author and dedicated advocate for culinary professionalism. She is currently on faculty at Woosong University's Sol International Culinary Arts School (SICA) in Daejeon, Korea. Previously, Sarah was founding director of the Culinary Arts Institute at Mississippi University for Women (MUW) in Columbus, MS, and was a professor of culinary arts at Scottsdale (Arizona) Community College. Before teaching, Chef Sarah spent many years as a pastry cook and caterer.

Priscilla A. Martel is a professional chef, educator and food writer with a special interest in Mediterranean cuisines, artisan baking and the pastry arts. She honed her cooking skills at Restaurant du Village, a country French restaurant opened in Chester, CT, in 1979. Today, she operates All About Food, which holds several baking patents and collaborates with food manufacturers and restaurants to create innovative products, menus and marketing programs.

Eddy Van Damme was born and raised in Belgium and started to create desserts at the age of 10. He attended pastry school in Bruges and at PIVA in Antwerp, and also studied patisserie in Paris at Lenôtre and Cacao Barry. Chef Eddy currently teaches his groundbreaking techniques in the pastry program at Houston Community College. The American and European Press have named Chef Eddy the Prince of Pastry, and he has won numerous awards and pastry competitions. He also holds five gold medals from the American Culinary Federation. Of 4,000 culinary books, On Baking has been selected in Sweden as the best professional cookbook worldwide.

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