Lesson 1Hydration, gluten formation and how ingredients affect textureLearn how water, milk, and other liquids mix with flour proteins and starches. Understand gluten growth, mixing ways, and how fats, sugars, and acids change chewiness, flakiness, and crumb in different pastry types we use here.
Hydration levels and dough consistencyGluten formation and how to limit itAutolyse, resting, and dough relaxationEffects of fat, sugar, and eggs on glutenMixing methods: stirring, creaming, foldingLesson 2Ingredient storage, shelf life, and simple spoilage signsLearn how to store flours, fats, nuts, dairy, and rising agents safely. Understand how long they last, when they go bad, and spot easy signs of spoilage so your pastries stay the same, tasty, and safe to eat in our warm climate.
Dry storage: flour, sugar, and leavenersRefrigeration and freezing best practicesProtecting fats and nuts from rancidityRecognizing off smells, colors, and texturesLabeling, dating, and rotation systemsLesson 3Sugar chemistry: confectioners, granulated, invert, and their rolesExplore how different sugars act in pastry. Learn sweetness amounts, how they form crystals, absorb moisture, and how fine sugar, regular sugar, brown sugar, and invert sugar affect softness, color, spread, and lasting time in baked things we make.
Comparing granulated, brown, and confectioners’ sugarInvert sugar, glucose, and corn syrup functionsSugar’s role in tenderness, spread, and moistureCaramelization, Maillard browning, and colorSugar and crystallization control in candiesLesson 4Salt, acids, and flavorings: balancing taste and dough behaviorDiscover how salt, acids, and flavorings shape pastry. Learn to balance sweetness, control gluten and browning, and add smells using extracts, fruit skins, spices, and infusions without making the structure or texture too strong.
Salt’s role in flavor and gluten controlAcids: buttermilk, yogurt, and citrus juicesVinegar and cream of tartar in doughsUsing extracts, zests, and whole spicesBalancing sweetness, richness, and acidityLesson 5Reading and adapting recipes: yield calculation, unit conversion, and ratio adjustmentsDevelop confidence reading and changing pastry recipes. Practice understanding baker’s notes, calculating amounts, changing units, and adjusting parts for pan size, high places, and wanted texture while keeping balance in our local ways.
Decoding recipe structure and key cuesConverting between volume and weight unitsAdjusting yields and pan sizes safelyTweaking sugar, fat, and liquid ratiosAdapting recipes for altitude and ovensLesson 6Fat types and working temperatures: butter vs margarine vs shorteningCompare butter, margarine, and shortening in pastry. Learn about fat amount, bendability, melting range, and taste, and how working heat and handling affect flakiness, air, spread, and feel in doughs and creams we prepare.
Butter composition, grades, and water contentMargarine and shortening: pros and consPlasticity, melting point, and flakinessIdeal fat temperatures for mixing methodsPreventing greasy, dense, or oily texturesLesson 7Dairy and alternatives: milk vs cream, stabilizers, and fat content impactExamine dairy products and non-dairy choices in pastry. Learn fat parts, proteins, and stabilizers, and how they influence whipping, thickening, browning, and feel in creams, custards, and baked goods for our diets.
Milk types, fat levels, and pastry usesCream types and whipping performanceEvaporated, condensed, and powdered milkNon-dairy milks and vegan cream optionsStabilizers, emulsifiers, and label readingLesson 8Principles of baker’s percentages and scaling recipesMaster baker’s percentages as a tool for exact pastry making. Learn to show ingredients compared to flour, scale recipes big or small, compare mixes, and fix texture by changing water, fat, and sugar levels simply.
Defining baker’s percentages by flour weightConverting a recipe into baker’s percentagesScaling formulas for any batch sizeAdjusting hydration, fat, and sugar levelsUsing percentages to compare dough stylesLesson 9Properties and functions of common ingredients: flours, fats, sugars, eggs, dairy, leavenersSurvey the main pastry ingredients and their key jobs. Understand how flours, fats, sugars, eggs, dairy, and rising agents give structure, softness, moisture, and taste so you can pick and replace with purpose in local markets.
Flour types, protein levels, and usesFats for tenderness, flakiness, and flavorSugars for sweetness, color, and moistureEggs for structure, richness, and glossDairy and leaveners in crumb developmentLesson 10Egg science: whole eggs, yolks, whites — emulsification, structure, and foamingUnderstand how whole eggs, yolks, and whites act in pastry. Learn thickening, mixing fats and liquids, and foaming, and how mixing, heat, and sugar affect structure in cakes, custards, meringues, and rich doughs we bake.
Egg composition: whites, yolks, and whole eggsCoagulation temperatures and curdling preventionEggs as emulsifiers in batters and custardsWhipping egg whites: stages and stabilityUsing eggs for richness, color, and shine
