Professional Pastry Program Level 1 / Baking Class May 24, 2011

This 8-week series is designed for the novice culinary student or home baker looking to learn the basics of the art of baking and pastry. These four-hour classes are taught in a professional environment and include textbook and chef coat. You will work independently and hands-on in a class with no more than 10 students.

Our classes are crafted to teach the basic chemistry of baking as well as techniques you’ll use both at home and in a professional kitchen. As with all our classes, everything you learn will be made from scratch, from the graham crust on your cheesecakes to the candied lemon zest on your lemon bars. We encourage you to bring a food-safe container to class to bring home your delicious work. Certificates of completion will be awarded at the end of the series.

Tuesday, May 24: Introduction to Basic Techniques: Start the series off by learning about the chemistry of baking. We will explore how flour, sugar, eggs and other ingredients work in your recipes. The proper use of pastry bags, reading formulas and the importance of mise-en-place will be discussed. Students will receive textbooks and chef coats.

Tuesday, May 31: Muffins, Quickbreads and Poundcakes: We will exploring three different techniques and learn about ratios to create rich baked goods for breakfast, lunch and dessert. Blueberry Muffins, Carrot Cake, Lemon Poppyseed Cake and Vanilla Bean Poundcake.

Tuesday, June 7: Cookies, Brownies and Bars: Make the perfect batch of cookies for consistently even baking and great results every time. We will bake Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Cakey Brownies, Fudgey Brownies and Meyer Lemon Bars.

Tuesday, June 14: Egg-based Desserts: Custards are the base for many desserts, fillings and sauces. You will master Vanilla Bean Pastry Cream, Crème Brulee, Puddings and Pots de Crème.

Tuesday, June 21: Pate a Choux: You’ll make this versatile dough two ways: once sweet to make Cream Puffs and Eclairs and once savory for cheesy Gourgere.

Tuesday, June 28: Seasonal Fruit Desserts: Cobblers, coulis and clafoutis all highlight the bounty of our local fruits. You’ll learn proper techniques for mascerating, reducing and pureeing to make quick jams and seasonal desserts.

Tuesday, July 5: Cheesecakes: This class follows the latter with its rich, egg-based cakes. We will make our Graham crust from scratch and follow it with Ricotta Cheesecakes, Vanilla Cheesecakes (Southern style), Chocolate Cheesecake. We’ll top our cakes with a handmade sauce of seasonal mascerated berries.

Tuesday, July 12: Cake Baking: Learn the difference between High-Ratio, Sponge cakes and Genoise as well as Swiss Meringue Buttercream and Ganache. Cakes will be cut, filled and frosted in class.
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The Professional Baking Series take place at our new, state-of-the-art cooking school at the Santa Monica Place Mall. There is plenty of parking on the third level directly behind the school. In order to qualify for a certificate of completion, all classes need to be attended.

Please arrive on time in comfortable attire and close-toed shoes. No cell phones in class, please.

Please note that we do not offer refunds but honor a 48-hour cancellation policy in order to reschedule your reservation.

The Professional Baking Series take place at:
The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories
The Market at Santa Monica Place
395 Santa Monica Place
Santa Monica, CA 90401

For a complete schedule of cooking, baking and pastry classes in Los Angeles offered by The Gourmandise School, please visit:
http://www.TheGourmandiseSchool.com/classes

About Us
The Gourmandise School offers daytime, evening and weekend cooking classes in a hands-on setting with small class sizes. Our instructors teach classic techniques with locally sourced ingredients to make an adventurous chef out of anyone! Gourmandise offers Professional Cooking and Baking Series, individual classes and private rooms for special events.

The Gourmandise School was born in the early '80s when a little Parisian girl discovered the wonders of sweets. As she grew up, Pastry Chef Clemence Gossett, honed her pastry skills at her family's auberge in Provence. Hadley Hughes, a sweet native of Atlanta, joined the school in 2010. Her southern charm and gluten-free recipes round out a delicious menu of courses. The Gourmandise School offers cooking classes, private lessons, Professional Baking Series for Baking, Pastry, Chocolate and Confections and Corporate and Team-building Events.

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Official Website: http://www.thegourmandiseschool.com/class.php?id=339