Every day 1,500 Bostonians can’t resist buying sweet, simple treats such as Homemade Pop-Tarts, from an alumna of Harvard with a degree in economics.

From Brioche au Chocolat and Lemon Raspberry Cake to perfect croissants, Flour Bakery-owner Joanne Chang’s repertoire of baked goods is deep and satisfying. While at Harvard she discovered that nothing made her happier than baking cookies leading her on a path that eventually resulted in a sticky bun triumph over Bobby Flay on the Food Network’s Throwdown. Almost 150 Flour recipes such as Milky Way Tart and Dried Fruit Focaccia are included, plus Joanne’s essential baking tips, making this mouthwatering collection an accessible, instant classic cookbook for the home baker.

about Joanne Chang:

After working at Bentonwood Bakery, and then Rialto as the pastry chef, Chang moved to New York City in 1997 to work in the cake department of Payard Patisserie. She returned to Boston a year later to run the pastry kitchen of Mistral.

In 2000, Chang opened Flour, the first of three Flour bakery and cafés, in Boston’s South End. 2007 was a busy year for Chang: she opened the second location of Flour in the Fort Point Channel area, and launched Myers + Chang with her husband Christopher Myers. She describes Myers + Chang as a funky indie diner with food inspired by Taiwanese soul food and Southeast Asian street food. The third Flour is currently in the works.

Never one to rest on her laurels, Chang also writes pastry articles and reviews cookbooks for Fine Cooking magazine; she teaches classes and advises pastry cooks both within the bakery and at area cooking schools. She is currently in the process of writing a cookbook featuring the best pastries from Flour and her other experiences.