[magixx]

For simpler items like croissants, IMO the recipe and following directions is all that matters. I've made a decent amount of semi complex desserts from recipe authors I trust and they turned out great. Sure, there are some minor physical skills you learn and knowledge you gain, but for baking I find that as long as you follow good recipes precisely you can get great results. This does fall apart when you start talking about decorating desserts as that is definitely more art/skill than science.