Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

I purchased this book to learn more about pastry baking. While the recipes are ok, if you actually "read" the book in an attempt to learn the why's and wherefore's, you will find yourself scratching your head asking, why isn't the information on techniques complete or why the contradictions. Example: Making pastries is an ART! If you don't have the fundamental skills down pat, your creations will be a disaster. While reading the section on "laminated dough", the book states that mixing is a crucial step. It directs you to use a dough hook and to ensure that the dough isn't "overmixed", which will have negative effects. However, when you turn to the actual recipe, it directs you to use the paddle on your mixer in order to properly mix the ingredients. The net result between the two is that using the paddle will beat the daylights out of your dough and render it useless. Why the contradiction? Also, an important factor in any dough is, Temperature, not only of the finished product but the ingredients themselves! However, this is omitted and the results aren't as they should be. Coupled with incomplete instructions really makes the trial and error exasperating, the net result is you have to search the web to ascertain the information from other sources. I purchased this as a "Text Book", and hopefully the actual students get the missing/contradictory information provided/clarified during their respective classes. I have sent countless emails to the publisher and the author on numerous inconsistencies/missing information with no responses to my requests for clarification.