Discover the Best Pie Making Classes in Los Angeles
Pie making is a multi-step process that looks simple but is not. The actual art of pie making started centuries ago in Egypt and Greece. Since its inception, the pie making process has changed considerably. No longer does a pie only contain some type of meat, gravy, goat cheese, and honey surrounded by a hard–often inedible–crust. Pies today can contain anything: vegetables, nuts, custards, meat, or fruit. Pie dough has also changed. It can be flaky, puff, filo, or a shortcrust. All are lightly crunchy and buttery, delicious for consumption. Pies can also be a form of art. Some pastry chefs and pie makers create elaborate designs using the dough on the top of pies.
Whether your favorite pie is a savory or sweet, freshly baked pie from scratch is a dish every home cook should master. Pie making is a skill your friends and family will welcome with open arms.
Why You Should Learn Pie Making in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, the city of warm weather and entertainment, may seem like an unlikely place for pie lovers to develop. The area boasts many top pie shops that locals rave about. Chef Nicole Rucker, the owner of Fat and Flour, specializes in making sweet and tart pies from the fresh seasonal fruit of California. With three locations in the area, Winston Pies also bakes pies that locals ooh and ahh over.
Besides these two, other pastry shops in southern California offer freshly baked pies. Learning pie making could lead to a job at Fat and Flour, Winston Pies, or one of the many numerous pastry shops baking pies in the region. These shops offer part-time or full-time jobs as pastry chefs or assistants. Southern California is also home to numerous farmer’s markets where freelance pie makers can sell their creations. Becoming a skilled pie maker can lead to a side hustle in one of these markets.
Some people learn pie making because it’s a fun and relaxing hobby. The hustle and bustle of ordinary life events: work, exercise, and errands, can be draining. Making pies directly counteracts the fast pace of life that LA demands. Pie making requires a baker to slow down to get the crust and filling just right. Some even call the process pie therapy, claiming it can help with high-stress and emotional events, creating healing from within.
Like other popular foods, making good pie is a labor of love. It’s what you make of it. Take steps to mastering pie making skills today.
In-Person Pie Making Classes in Los Angeles
For individuals new to pie making, enrolling in an in-person pie making class in the Los Angeles area is the best way to learn.
On the westside of Los Angeles, Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom provides beginners with the skills they need to turn out a successful pie. Chef Eric Jacques Crowley believes that all pies and tarts must have a great crust, so he teaches several options. Participants will make My Mom’s Flaky Pie Dough, Pate Sucree Tart Dough, Creme Chantilly Pumpkin Pie, Cheddar Cheese Apple Pie, and more. Former participants rave about Chef Eric’s in-person Pies and Tarts class. His other baking and cooking classes have similarly positive reviews.
Are you gearing up for the holidays? Hosting a large number of people? Nothing says welcome like a table of freshly baked pies. With Cook LA Cooking School on Ventura Blvd., you can master holiday pies in an in-person pie making class. This class, typically offered in the fall and winter, teaches how to make the Classic American Apple Pie with a fancy lattice top, a Sweet Potato Pie, and a Pumpkin Rum Pie. Your guests will rave about your pie making skills after they try these spectacular creations.
Cook LA Cooking School also offers a Summer Pie Baking class right on time to take advantage of sun-ripened fruit. After teaching two foolproof pie doughs, the chef covers three classic pies: strawberry, apple, and peach/nectarine. Teens can take the class with a parent or guardian. Why not make it a multi-generational bonding event? Learn how to make summer fruit pies together.
The Institute of Domestic Technology offers cooking and baking classes in Beverly Hills. All levels can enroll in their Pie Crust 101 pie making course which teaches how to make the perfect pie. Hint: it’s in the crust! They teach the Pate Brisee style of crust, a flaky style that pairs well with fruit or custard-style pies. The filling recipes will change depending on the time of year you take the class. This class is typically offered from late summer through fall.
Some pie makers already familiar with the classic apple pie may want to experiment with ways to add a creative twist. Milk Bar, located in Los Angeles on Melrose Ave, teaches enrolled students in their Apple Pie Cake Making Course how to make an apple pie cake, a cross between an apple cheesecake and an apple pie. If you love cheesecake and apple pie, this class is for you. It’s typically offered during apple season.
Virtual Pie Making Classes
Taking in-person pie making classes is one of many ways to learn pie making skills. Enrolling in an online pie making class can be just as effective for learners.
Virtual pie making classes are convenient. Traffic in Los Angeles can be brutal. Instead of fighting across the city to get to an in-person class, enrolling in an online class removes the stress of commuting. Participants can take a class in the comfort of their homes or any location if it has a reliable internet connection. Plus, the many online classes offered open up more options for individuals. It’s more likely that an individual will find the perfect class.
However, online classes require some leg work before the class starts. Participants must gather their supplies and materials. Instructors typically send out ingredient and materials lists. Online shopping can deliver these to your doorstep that same day. If you enjoy the pie making process, having materials like a rolling pin and a pastry mat will ensure that future pie making goes well.
Summer fruit will soon be at its peak. Take advantage of vine-ripened fruit by signing up for a Summer Pie Workshop virtual class offered by Home Cooking New York. The pie made in this class may change depending on the available fruit. The instructor teaches students how to make a classic pie crust, a flaky all-butter option that pairs well with any fruit. Home Cooking New York believes in the importance of culinary skills. So, a portion of the class is devoted to building, for example, proper knife technique.
Longing for the cooler fall days and the fresh apple pie that pairs well with them? Sign up for Eve Bergazyn’s Virtual Apple Pie & Apple Martini class. Learn how to make a perfect buttery crust to line the pan, delicious apple filling to add to the prebaked crust, caramel sauce to drizzle over the finished product, and a complementary apple martini to sip while waiting for the pie to come out of the oven. You’ll have to purchase ingredients in advance; however, the complete list is located under the course description. Revel in the joy of fall with the skills taught in this course.
Learn how to make pies and tarts–little pies without a top. Sign up for the Virtual Cook Along: Pies and Tarts class. This class, taught by The Chopping Block Lincoln Square, guides enrolled students to make Blueberry-Lemon Hand Pies with a Cream Cheese Pastry and a Chocolate-Raspberry Ganache Tart with Hot Butter Pastry Crust. As a bonus, they cover making fresh whipped cream to top off any pie.
New online pie making classes are added every day. Add your name to the wishlist if you see an entire intriguing course. Once the course is offered again, you will be among the first to know.
Private Group Pie Making Classes in Los Angeles
Schedule a team-building event for your business or organization: a private group pie making class for Los Angeles businesses. CourseHorse has live online group classes that they can deliver to you.
One private course is their Virtual Apple Pie Workshop (with optional Appletini) group class. In 2.5 hours, an instructor will guide the group to make buttery pie dough, lightly spiced apple pie filling, and two different toppings—caramel sauce and apple cider whipped cream. The price includes up to ten participants, but the class can be customized for up to 255 people. Each participant must purchase the ingredients listed in the course description, such as flour, butter, and apples. Also, participants will require supplies to make the pies; some supplies they may already own and can bring to the event.
CourseHorse has thousands of options for group experiences. If you cannot find what you envision, you can reach out through the contact form on their site to learn about the options available. Or, contact them and describe what you want. They will work with you to create the ideal course. As always, booking with CourseHorse has many benefits. The group size can be changed after booking if needed. They will send a confirmation within 24 hours and do not charge booking fees. Reach out to CourseHorse today to plan a different group experience that will surely bring people together.
Made in NYC
