What You'll Learn
By the end of this class, you will know:
- The difference between a flaky dough and a mealy dough
- How to perfectly roll your doughs and create decorative edges
- How to make mousse-filled pies while keeping the crust crisp and the filling creamy
About This Class
Master the art of pie making for the holidays! Using the flavors of the season, we’ll show you how to make the perfect, flaky tender crust and then fill it with custards, seasonal fruit, or toasted nuts and chocolate.
Along the way, you’ll learn plenty of tips and tricks to create pastry dough that is simple to put together, easy to roll, and of course, delicious to eat. You’ll learn how to crimp the edges, pre-bake a pastry shell, make a rustic slab pie, and balance the flavors of your filling so it really shines. By the end of class, you’ll be ready to make bakery-worthy pies throughout the holidays.
Menu
Bourbon Maple Chocolate Pecan, Salty Honey, Blushing Apple Crumble Slab, Pumpkin with White Chocolate Mousse, and Cranberry Curd Meringue Pie
Details
- Wine included
- Light meal served in class
- Work in teams
- Suitable for vegetarians
- Ages 18+
FAQ
The average duration of our cooking classes is 4 hours, and they are broken down into three segments: Introductory lecture or demo, hands-on cooking, and eating.
The class will begin with a short discussion or demo from your instructor. After, you can expect to work either on a team or individually to prepare the class menu. As a group, your class will prepare the selected menu in its entirety. In most classes, not every student will make every dish.
Learning happens throughout the class, and your instructor will often call out key techniques as they happen in each recipe.
Most classes conclude by sitting down as a group to eat what you’ve prepared, followed by a discussion of each recipe. You will leave with a copy of the recipe packet and a working knowledge of every dish that was made so you can recreate them at home.
Doors open 15 minutes before the class start time.
You do not need to bring anything with you to class, unless otherwise noted in the class description. The kitchens at SFCS are fully equipped and aprons, recipes, equipment, food and wine are all provided for you.
In most classes, you will be sitting down to eat a complete meal that you have prepared along with your classmates. Since this typically occurs towards the end of the class period, an appetizer or small plate is usually prepared early on in class. However, you’re welcome to additionally have a snack before you arrive or bring one with you.
Please note, for our Baking & Pastry classes, a light meal will be provided for you.
We suggest wearing casual clothing you can easily move around in, and highly recommend wearing comfortable closed-toe shoes. Long hair should be pulled back.
Cancellation Policy
Jessica Sullivan
Jessica Sullivan got her start cooking professionally with Paul Kliste at his Restaurante Fratelli in Portland, Oregon. After relocating to San Francisco in 2004, she worked as executive pastry chef at Nancy Oakes’ Boulevard Restaurant, and later at Prospect. In 2012, she accepted the position of executive pastry chef for Craig Stoll’s Delfina Restaurant Group. Today, she is a full-time Pastry Arts instructor at San Francisco Cooking School and serves on the board of non-profit Sprouts Cooking Club.
Christine Simard
Christine came to San Francisco with the dream of pursing a career in pastry after her previous life in tech. Since graduating from the Professional Pastry program at SF Cooking School, she has worked at Nopa and Black Jet Baking Co., does professional recipe development and bakery consulting, and loves teaching cooking to kids and teens.
Robin Rodriguez
A Pastry program graduate, Robin Rodriguez is a seasoned professional with over 22 years of experience in bakeries, restaurants, and high-end catering. Teaching is a life-long passion for Robin and she is dedicated to sharing her skills with students so they can confidently pursue their own career paths.