After 30 years of teaching and 8 cookbooks, Nick Malgieri is finally writing the book he's meant to—a collection of 20 essential techniques, with 3 to 5 variations thereof-outlining the easiest way to learn the essentials of baking. The 20 chapters cover all the main techniques of fine baking, starting with simple pastry dough and moving through puff pastry and Danish pastry, all sorts of breads, quick breads, cakes, and cookies.