Lesson 1Balancing flavours and acidity: using citrus, vanilla, nuts, coffee, and alcohol with proper measuresLearn how to balance sweetness with acidity, bitterness, and scents using citrus, vanilla, nuts, coffee, and alcohol. Discover right amounts, infusion ways, and how flavours change during baking and keeping.
Using citrus peel, juice, and preservesHandling vanilla pods and extractsRoasting and grinding nuts for tasteCoffee brews and reductionsAlcohol, liqueurs, and when to burn offLesson 2Ingredients: roles of different flour types, butter (water amount), eggs, sugar, milk, cream, starches, and raising agentsLook closely at each main pastry ingredient: flours, fats, eggs, sugars, dairy, starches, and raising agents. Understand how their qualities affect structure, softness, colour, and shelf life in French pastries.
Flour kinds, protein, and ash levelsButter quality, fat, and water amountsEggs for structure, richness, and colourSugars for sweetness and browningStarches and chemical raisers in pastryLesson 3Cooking dairy and eggs: pasteurising, tempering, stopping curdling, basics of custard and crème anglaiseLearn how dairy and eggs act under heat, how to pasteurise safely, temper without lumps, stop curdling, and make smooth, steady custards and crème anglaise for classic French sweets.
Pasteurising milk, cream, and egg mixesTempering eggs without scramblingSpotting and stopping curdlingStarch-thickened vs egg-only custardsCrème anglaise feel and coating testsLesson 4Food safety and allergen knowledge for pastry ingredients and fillingsGrasp key food safety risks in pastry, proper storage of dairy, eggs, and fruits, and handling allergens like gluten, nuts, dairy, and eggs when planning, labelling, and making pastries.
Time and temperature danger areasSafe cooling and storage of fillingsStopping cross-contaminationHandling main pastry allergensLabelling, sharing info, and talking to guestsLesson 5Chocolate and ganache: basic tempering, ratios for ganache (pouring, piping, coating), stopping bloomBuild confidence in handling chocolate and ganache. Learn simple tempering steps, how to avoid bloom, and adjust ganache mixes for pouring, piping, covering, and whipped fillings.
Types of couverture and cocoa amountsSeeding way for temperingSpotting and stopping bloomGanache mixes for various usesMixing and fixing broken ganacheLesson 6Texture knowledge: controlling gluten growth, moisture levels, stability of creams and mousses, crisp vs flakyExplore how gluten, fats, and moisture shape pastry textures, from flaky to soft. Learn to steady creams and mousses, control leaking, and keep crispness in tarts, puff pastry, and extras.
Gluten growth and controlMoisture levels in doughs and battersSteadying agents for creams and moussesStopping leaking and separationKeeping crispness and flakinessLesson 7Overview of classic pastry types: laminated, choux, custard, pâte sucrée/pâte sablée, puff pastry kindsReview main French pastry groups, including layered doughs, choux, custard items, and sweet tart doughs. Understand their builds, methods, and how they form bases for classic sweets.
Layered doughs and puff pastryChoux pastry and steam risingCustard tarts and flansPâte sucrée and pâte sablée usesViennoiserie vs dessert pastriesLesson 8Sugar work and syrups: isomalt vs sugar, simple syrup, sugar cooking stages and uses in glazes and caramelStudy sugar and isomalt actions, from simple syrup to hard crack. Learn sugar cooking steps, controlling crystals, and using syrups and caramel in glazes, spun sugar, and decor.
Simple syrup strengths and usesSugar cooking steps and testsStopping and fixing crystalsIsomalt vs sucrose in decorCaramel, glazes, and poured sugar
