Lesson 1Hydration, gluten formation and how ingredients affect textureDiscover how water, milk, and other liquids mix with flour proteins and starches. Understand gluten building, mixing ways, and how fats, sugars, and acids alter chewiness, flakiness, and crumb in various pastry types.
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 signsDiscover how to store flours, fats, nuts, dairy, and raising agents safely. Understand shelf life, rancidity, and loss of strength, and spot simple spoilage signs so your pastries remain consistent, tasty, and safe to eat.
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 levels, crystallization, moisture absorption, and how confectioners, granulated, brown, and invert sugars influence tenderness, colour, spread, and shelf life in baked items.
Comparing granulated, brown, and confectioners’ sugarInvert sugar, glucose, and corn syrup functionsSugar’s role in tenderness, spread, and moistureCaramelization, Maillard browning, and colourSugar and crystallization control in candiesLesson 4Salt, acids, and flavorings: balancing taste and dough behaviourFind out how salt, acids, and flavourings shape pastry. Learn to balance sweetness, control gluten and browning, and layer smells using extracts, zests, spices, and infusions without overpowering structure or texture.
Salt’s role in flavour and gluten controlAcids: buttermilk, yoghurt, 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 adjustmentsGain confidence in reading and adjusting pastry recipes. Practice understanding baker’s notes, calculating yields, converting units, and adjusting ratios for pan size, altitude, and desired texture while maintaining balance.
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 content, plasticity, melting range, and flavour, and how working temperature and handling affect flakiness, aeration, spread, and mouthfeel in doughs and creams.
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, stabilisers, and fat content impactExamine dairy products and non-dairy options in pastry. Learn fat percentages, proteins, and stabilisers, and how they influence whipping, thickening, browning, and mouthfeel in creams, custards, and baked goods.
Milk types, fat levels, and pastry usesCream types and whipping performanceEvaporated, condensed, and powdered milkNon-dairy milks and vegan cream optionsStabilisers, emulsifiers, and label readingLesson 8Principles of baker’s percentages and scaling recipesMaster baker’s percentages as a tool for precise pastry making. Learn to express ingredients relative to flour, scale recipes up or down, compare formulas, and fix texture by adjusting hydration, fat, and sugar levels.
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, leavenersReview the main pastry ingredients and their key roles. Understand how flours, fats, sugars, eggs, dairy, and leaveners add structure, tenderness, moisture, and flavour so you can choose and replace them wisely.
Flour types, protein levels, and usesFats for tenderness, flakiness, and flavourSugars for sweetness, colour, 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 behave in pastry. Learn coagulation, emulsification, and foaming, and how mixing, temperature, and sugar affect structure in cakes, custards, meringues, and enriched doughs.
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, colour, and shine
