Pastry Fundamentals I

$460 per person

Our Fundamentals classes are designed to give home cooks a solid foundation of skills for everyday cooking and baking. They will build your confidence, equip you with techniques, and provide you with abundant inspiration in the kitchen.

What You'll Learn

By the end of the class you will:

  • Know how to identify basic baking ingredients and understand their functions
  • Practice piping, mixing, rolling doughs, assembling and decorating various pastries
  • Have the ability to build a layered cake, make pastry cream and execute piping techniques

About This Class

The Pastry Fundamentals series will teach you a set of dessert-based recipes, each one with the ability to become many additional variations. Meeting once a week over three consecutive weeks, you will learn base recipes that will enable you to build an intuitive sense for how things work in the pastry kitchen and give you the freedom to create innovative desserts on your own.

You will leave Pasty Fundamentals with master recipes for pâte à choux, pastry cream, tart dough, layer cake, buttercream frosting, and more. You’ll be amazed at how many creative desserts you can bake from these foundational techniques.

And yes, you’ll get to take home many of your desserts!

 

Class Meetup Dates:

 

Menu

Session One: Pâte à Choux, Pastry Cream, Chocolate Glaze, and Intro to Tart Dough

Learn the base dough for éclairs, cream puffs, profiteroles, and gougères, as well as the traditional custard fillings, and foolproof chocolate glaze. You will also begin to explore the ins and outs of tart dough.

Session Two: Tarts, Curds, Ganache

Learn the art of a tender, flaky tart crust and how to marry it with a variety of fillings, from fruit to chocolate. You’ll also learn how to prep pastry dough-based desserts in advance, how to blind bake tarts, and even how to make your leftover scraps into delicious treats.

Session Three: Cakes and Cake Decorating

Learn the secrets of mixing, baking, assembling and frosting a complete layer cake, as well as tips on how to decorate like a pro.

 

 

Details

  • Wine included
  • Light meal served in class
  • Work in teams
  • Suitable for vegetarians
  • Three-session series
  • Ages 18+

FAQ

What is the format of a typical cooking class?

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.

When should I arrive for my class?

Doors open 15 minutes before the class start time.

What do I need to bring with me to class?

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. 

Do I need to eat before class?

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.

What should I wear to class?

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.

What happens if I can’t make it to one of the classes in a series?

If you can’t make it to a class in a three, five or six-week series, you are welcome to send a friend in your place. Please notify us if a friend will be taking your spot.

Unfortunately, due to the small size of our classes, we do not offer make-up classes for missed sessions in a series.

More FAQ

Cancellation Policy

Any cancellation up to two weeks prior to your class start date will be refunded 100%. Cancellations up to 5 days before your class start date will qualify for an online credit to be applied to another class. No refunds or credits will be issued for cancellations received less than 5 days before your class start date, however, you may always send a friend in your place if you’re unable to attend.
Please note: Cancellation requests made the day of class are not eligible for a refund or credit, no exceptions. 
View our full cancellation policy

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