Passionate about Baking? Thinking about a career as a Baker/Pastry Chef? Whatever your goal, we have a program or class for you. Many of CHEF ERIC’s students are baking professionally in restaurants and bakeries, and starting their own businesses. Many others are simply more confident in their private kitchens baking for their families, making desserts for dinner parties and creating wonderful cakes and baked items.
Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom Master Baking Program Series is for those who are ready to put on their aprons, hold their rolling pins high and feel confident every time they bake breads or desserts at the workplace or at home.
Classes are held weekly, 3 hours a day, for eight weeks. Registration includes a Chef Jacket, Apron, Class Binder, and all equipment and ingredients. Certificates are awarded upon completion of the Program.
Our class encompasses current techniques and original recipes to rival the finest dining establishments and culinary publications so that your pastries and desserts are timeless and treasured. You learn all you need to succeed in today's restaurant kitchens, as well as master techniques you can use at home. We assist in career guidance for those who are ready to make the culinary arts their life’s passion. Recipe Development and Costing are components of this Program.
- Learn fundamental Baking Skills in a Comprehensive Program
- Hands-on Techniques
- Fresh and unprocessed Ingredients
- Plating and Presentation Components
- Certificates awarded upon Completion
The program is for individuals who want to bake breads and desserts like a professional every time and feel confident enough to take that knowledge into the workplace and their homes. Plating, presentation, and costing are components of this program.- Class 1: The Basics of Baking – Let’s get started! Students will learn different mixing and measuring techniques, including proper scaling and weighing of wet and dry ingredients. Then we dive into baking classic and contemporary items that do not require yeast. Recipes include Irish Soda Bread, Ginger Scones with Orange Butter, Cornbread Biscuits, Gluten-Free Muffins, French-Style Breakfast Muffins and Toasted Pecan Butter Cookies.
- Class 2: Yeast Breads – In this class, students learn the importance of yeast, flour and water in the composition of breads. Proofing and fermentation of yeasts are introduced as well as recipe conversion techniques. Chef Eric shares his culinary secrets for Pain de Ménage (Country Bread), French Baguettes, Brioche, Focaccia Bread, Hamburger Buns, Whole Wheat Bread, Pizza Dough and more.
- Class 3: Pie and Tart Doughs – Students will develop their baking skills as they learn to make Flaky or Crispy Shells for Pies and Tarts. Blind baking, dough docking and the use of pie weights are introduced. We will also be creating sumptuous sauces, such as Peanut Caramel Sauce and Chocolate Sauce that can be drizzled to elevate baking creations to a tasty new level. Recipes include: my Mom’s Pie Dough, Rice Flour Pie Crust for the Gluten-Intolerant, Apple Tarte Tatin, Lemon Tart, Chocolate Ganache Tart, Lemon Meringue Pie and White Chocolate Banana Cream Tart. We even add delicious Swiss Meringue to the mix!
- Class 4: Cakes and Tortes – Learn to make cake! In today’s class, students learn a selection of batter mixing techniques and apply these to the art of making cakes and tortes as well as a bevy of beautiful and tempting frostings. We also make a special Gluten-Free Flour Cake. Recipes include: Torte Caprese, Whipped Cream Pound Cake, Ancho Chile Devil’s Food Cake with Chocolate Ganache Frosting, Ginger-Lime Curd Coconut Cake with Marshmallow Frosting, Orange Buttercream Frosting, Chocolate Buttercream Frosting, Swiss Meringue Buttercream Frosting.
- Class 5: Dessert Soufflés – The importance of the egg is the focus of this class as students master the art of sweet Soufflés. Students learn what types of eggs work best for soufflés. Chef Eric also covers advanced preparation for soufflés, the use of Cream of Tartar and much more. Soufflé recipes include Dark Chocolate, Citrus, White Chocolate, decadent Chocolate versions AND Fallen Chocolate Cake! We will also cover how to confidently create sauces that will pair wonderful with the soufflés, including Crème Anglaise, Strawberry Sauce and Pastry Cream.
- Class 6: Puff Pastry Desserts – Today, students will explore the world of puff pastry as they learn to make desserts utilizing this cleverly adaptable staple of a Master Baker’s kitchen. We discuss Puff Pastry vs Quick Puff Pastry and create Napoleons, Turnovers, Sacristains, and Palmiers. Each student makes their own Puff Pastry to use in this class. Chef Eric teaches what types of flours work best and how this dough can be stored for future use. We make additional Pastry Creams and Sauces to use with our Puff Pastry Desserts.
- Class 7: Pate a Choux and Dessert Sauces – Often the secret of a successful dessert is in the sauce. Students will learn to make delicious toppings and sauces such as Chocolate Ganache Sauce, Cranberry Sauce, Caramel Sauce, Chocolate Sauce, Vanilla Sauce and Pastry Cream. We also create desserts that pair perfectly with these sauces - we make Pate a Choux for Cream Puffs and Crème Chantilly Swans. Chef Eric will discuss proper sauce consistency for each of these desserts and sauces.
- Class 8: Plated Desserts – In this final class, students will prepare desserts and sauces, with emphasis on learning how to present restaurant-quality desserts. We cover Fruit-Stuffed Beignets, Waffles with Cardamom, Profiteroles, Pastry Cream, Chocolate Sauce, Vanilla Sauce, Espresso Cream Frosting, Classic Crepes, Banana-Rum Crepes and Cinnamon-dusted Churros. Chef Eric guides students in organizing the separate dessert components, how to time those components and quickly assemble them for optimum eye-appeal, quality and freshness. Chef Eric encourages students to be creative in their personal dessert creation as they utilize all of the skills gained in the series. Certificates will be presented at this final class session.
Cost Includes a Chef Apron, Class Binder and all ingredients and equipment.
