Lesson 1Flavouring and acidity balance: citrus, vanilla, nuts, coffee, and alcohol use and dosingLearn to mix sweetness with acidity, bitterness, and scent using citrus, vanilla, nuts, coffee, and alcohol. Look into right amounts, soaking ways, and how flavours 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: function of flour types, butter (water content), eggs, sugar, milk, cream, starches, and leavenersLook at the job of each main pastry ingredient: flours, fats, eggs, sugars, dairy, starches, and raising agents. Learn how their traits affect build, softness, colour, and shelf life 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 3Dairy and egg cookery: pasteurization, tempering, curdling prevention, custard and crème anglaise fundamentalsLearn how dairy and eggs act under heat, how to heat safely, warm without lumps, stop curdling, and get 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 awareness relevant to pastry ingredients and fillingsKnow key pastry food safety dangers, right storage for dairy, eggs, and fruit, and how to handle allergens like gluten, nuts, dairy, and eggs when planning, marking, 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: tempering basics, ratios for ganache (pouring, piping, coating), bloom preventionGet sure with chocolate work and ganache. Learn simple tempering steps, how to stop bloom, and how to change 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 science: gluten development control, hydration, stability of creams and mousses, crispness vs flakinessLook into how gluten, fats, and water shape pastry feels, from flaky to soft. Learn to firm creams and mousses, stop leaking, and keep crisp in tarts, puff pastry, and trims.
Gluten development and inhibitionHydration levels in doughs and battersStabilizers for creams and moussesPreventing weeping and syneresisMaintaining crispness and flakinessLesson 7Overview of classic pastry categories: laminated, choux, custard, pâte sucrée/pâte sablée, puff pastry variantsReview main French pastry types, including layered doughs, choux, custard items, and sweet tart doughs. Know their builds, skills, and how they base classic sweets.
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 cooks' stages and their use in glazes and caramelStudy sugar and isomalt ways, from simple syrup to hard crack. Learn sugar cooking steps, crystal control, and how to use 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
