Lesson 1Balancing flavours and acidity: using citrus, vanilla, nuts, coffee, and alcohol with right measuresGet to grips with balancing sweetness using acidity, bitterness, and scents from citrus, vanilla, nuts, coffee, and alcohol. Check out correct amounts, infusion ways, and how tastes change during baking and keeping.
Using citrus zest, juice, and confitWorking with vanilla beans and extractsToasting and grinding nuts for flavorCoffee infusions and reductionsAlcohol, liqueurs, and burn-off timingLesson 2Ingredients: roles of flour types, butter (water content), eggs, sugar, milk, cream, starches, and raising agentsLook closely at each key pastry ingredient: flours, fats, eggs, sugars, dairy, starches, and raising agents. Understand how their qualities shape structure, softness, colour, and keeping time in French pastries.
Flour types, protein, and ash contentButter quality, fat, and water contentEggs for structure, richness, and colorSugars for sweetness and browningStarches and chemical leaveners in pastryLesson 3Handling dairy and eggs when cooking: pasteurising, tempering, stopping curdling, basics of custard and crème anglaiseLearn how dairy and eggs act under heat, safe pasteurising, tempering without scrambling, stopping curdling, and perfecting smooth, firm custards and crème anglaise for classic French sweets.
Pasteurizing milk, cream, and egg basesTempering eggs without scramblingRecognizing and preventing curdlingStarch-thickened vs egg-only custardsCrème anglaise texture and nappe testsLesson 4Food safety and allergen knowledge for pastry ingredients and fillingsGrasp main food safety dangers in pastry, proper storage for dairy, eggs, and fruits, and handling allergens like gluten, nuts, dairy, and eggs in planning, labelling, and making pastries.
Time and temperature danger zonesSafe cooling and storage of fillingsPreventing cross-contaminationManaging major pastry allergensLabeling, disclosure, and guest communicationLesson 5Chocolate and ganache: basic tempering, ratios for ganache (pouring, piping, coating), stopping bloomBuild confidence handling chocolate and ganache. Learn simple tempering steps, avoiding bloom, and tweaking ganache mixes for pouring, piping, covering, and whipped fillings.
Types of couverture and cocoa contentSeeding method for temperingRecognizing and preventing bloomGanache ratios for different usesEmulsifying and rescuing split ganacheLesson 6Texture know-how: controlling gluten growth, moisture levels, stability of creams and mousses, crisp vs flakyDive into how gluten, fats, and moisture form pastry textures, from flaky to soft. Learn to firm up creams and mousses, stop weeping, and keep crispness in tarts, puff pastry, and trimmings.
Gluten development and inhibitionHydration levels in doughs and battersStabilizers for creams and moussesPreventing weeping and syneresisMaintaining crispness and flakinessLesson 7Overview of main pastry types: laminated, choux, custard, pâte sucrée/pâte sablée, puff pastry typesReview key French pastry groups, like laminated doughs, choux, custard items, and sweet tart doughs. Know their builds, methods, and roles as bases for classic puddings.
Laminated doughs and puff pastryChoux pastry and steam leaveningCustard-based tarts and flansPâte sucrée and pâte sablée usesViennoiserie vs dessert pastriesLesson 8Sugar work and syrups: isomalt vs sugar, simple syrup, sugar cooking stages for glazes and caramelStudy sugar and isomalt actions, from simple syrup to hard crack. Learn cooking stages, controlling crystals, and using syrups and caramel in glazes, spun sugar, and decor.
Simple syrup strengths and usesSugar cooking stages and testsPreventing and fixing crystallizationIsomalt vs sucrose in decorationsCaramel, glazes, and poured sugar
