The pastry investigator hews to scientific method. She formulates her hypothesis: Pastry perfection rests on the ratio of flour to fat to water. She gets to work — years of false starts and soggy pies ...

From chiffon to angel food, mousses to sponges, folding is an essential technique in the world of baking. Some of my favorite desserts require this method to achieve that light-as-a-feather texture.