Lesson 1Handling moisture and sweetness when ditching refined sugar: recipe scaling, water activity, and shelf life effectsGet to grips with how cutting out refined sugar impacts sweetness, moisture, and shelf life. Learn to rebalance recipes using water activity goals, humectants, and scaling tricks to keep texture, safety, and eating quality spot on.
Sweetness matching and target profilesTweaking liquids and dry matter balanceWater activity and bug resistanceHumectants' role in soft texturesScaling recipes for steady outcomesShelf life checks and recordsLesson 2Ways to boost natural colours: reduction, drying out, freeze-drying, and using tinctures/infusionsMaster methods to amp up natural colours with reduction, dehydration, freeze-drying, tinctures, and infusions. Weigh up solvent picks, amounts, and stability to get bright yet label-friendly pastry finishes that pop.
Safely reducing juices and pureesOven and low-heat dryingUsing freeze-dried powders in pastryBasics of alcohol and glycerin tincturesOil infusions for fat-based mixesStopping fading in storageLesson 3Veg and root sources (beetroot, carrot, pumpkin): colour hold, flavour hiding, heat sensitivityLearn to use beetroot, carrot, and pumpkin for natural colour and mild sweetness. Tackle earthy tastes, fibre bits, particle size, and heat sensitivity in cakes, creams, choux pastry, and decorative bits.
Picking fresh, juice, or powder formsPre-cooking and pureeing for smoothnessDealing with earthy and veg flavoursColour hold during baking and freezingFibre's effect on structure and feelUses in sponges and chouxLesson 4Basics of sweetness: intensity, moisture pull, invert sugars, and matching ratiosBuild a strong grasp of how sweetness is felt, moisture pull, and invert sugars. Learn to work out matching ratios and foresee how various sweeteners change texture, freezing, and shelf life in your bakes.
Sweetness curves and feel thresholdsMoisture pull and texture changes over timeRoles of invert sugar, glucose, and fructoseFreezing point drop in icy treatsWorking out sweetness matching factorsBalancing sweetness with acids and saltLesson 5Coconut sugar and unrefined cane options: caramel hints, lower blood sugar claims, dough/batter structure effectsDive into coconut sugar and unrefined cane choices, focusing on caramel notes, minerals, colour, and how they affect gluten build, airiness, spread, and crumb in biscuits, cakes, and layered doughs.
Flavour and scent comparisons by sourceEffects on creaming and air additionImpact on biscuit spread and crunchColour and caramelising in spongesSeen blood sugar and marketing claimsManaging clumping and storage woesLesson 6Rules and labelling basics for natural ingredients and usual allergens in pastryPick up key rules for natural pastry ingredients, including what counts as natural, colour labelling, allergen warnings, cross-mixing, and docs needed for compliant menus, packaging, and bulk sales.
Meanings of natural and clean label wordsLabelling rules for natural colours and flavoursMain allergens and caution notesCross-mixing controls in pastry makingReading supplier details and certsMenu, shop, and bulk label samplesLesson 7Fruit purees and concentrates (berries, apples, pears): pectin, water tweaks, cooked vs. raw useCheck out fruit purees and concentrates as sweeteners and colour sources. Learn to adjust water, pectin, and acidity, and compare cooked vs. raw in mousses, curds, fillings, sorbets, and low-sugar cakes.
Choosing puree vs. concentrate formsPectin levels and gel actionsWater tweaks in batters and creamsCooked vs. raw flavour vibesSugar balance in sorbets and gelsColour keeping during baking and freezingLesson 8Maple syrup and date syrup: flavour adds, practical uses, crystal control, and swap ratiosStudy maple and date syrups as natural sweeteners, looking at flavour types, minerals, thickness, crystal habits, and how to figure exact swap ratios in cakes, biscuits, fillings, and glazes.
Flavour types by grade and fruit kindImpact on batter thickness and mixingCrystal control in sweets and fudgesSwap ratios vs. sucrose and honeyUse in glazes, caramels, and saucesStorage, spoilage signs, and shelf lifeLesson 9Honey: flavour types, handy perks (moisture keep, browning), swap guides and limitsDig into honey as a multi-task sweetener, covering types of flavours, moisture keep, browning, germ-killing effects, and spot-on swap guides, plus limits in meringues, yeasted doughs, and plant-based pastry.
Honey types and flavour strengthHoney’s moisture and softening perksEffect on browning and colourSwap ratios and water cutsUse in yeasted doughs and risingAllergen, plant-based, and labelling issuesLesson 10Powdered natural colourants (matcha, turmeric, spirulina): strength, bitterness handling, light/heat holdBreak down powdered natural colourants like matcha, turmeric, and spirulina. Learn dosing, spreading, bitterness control, and how light, air, and heat hit colour hold in icings, sponges, and fillings.
Picking food-grade powder colourantsSpreading powders without lumpsHandling bitterness and odd notesLight and heat hold in goodsPairing colours with matching flavoursRules and dose thoughts
