As a baker, your kitchen is likely home to dog-eared, chocolate-fingerprint-stained baking books. And as your skills evolve, so too should your reading material.

If you’re not so much a novice baker as you are an artisan, then you need more than just recipes. You need theories, techniques, and information on the latest trends. Here are our top picks for bakers who need deeper insight into the craft:

Professional Baking by Wayne Gisslen

This has served as the quintessential guide to baking for many a chef and baking professional. Whatever your level, there’s a treasure trove of information here, from baking for special diets to sugar confections to how particular ingredients will perform in the oven.

Baking and Pastry: Mastering the Art and Craft by The Culinary Institute of America

Another comprehensive source for professionals and aspiring professionals alike, the latest version of this guide contains new recipes, new techniques and input on sustainability and seasonality. Named "Best Book: Professional Kitchen" at the International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Cookbook Awards.

Tartine Bread by Chad Robertson

As co-owner of Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, Robertson is considered by many to be the country’s best bread baker. Inspiration leaps from every page and the author’s passion for loaves of bread as life’s foundation shines through as well.

Flavor Bible by Karen Page

Flavor provides color to a world that would otherwise be black and white, and Page provides confidence and creativity for bakers who would otherwise shun experimentation. Excite all your senses with this tremendous index of ingredients that can combine into endless flavor combinations.