Discover the Best Pastry Classes Online
Since ancient Egypt, pastries have been a staple of the diet. Building on this tradition, Greeks and Romans used almonds, flour, honey, and seeds to make them. With the introduction of sugar into European cooking, a new wave of pastries spread across the continent, with several main nations taking center stage in baking, including France, Italy, Spain, and Switzerland. Pastries we love today originate from one of these countries and their early baking traditions.
Pastries use different techniques to create their uniqueness. When you make pastries, you make dough from flour, fat, and water to use as a base or covering. Several pastries, including choux, filo, rough pastry, viennoiserie, puff pastry, hot water crust, and shortcrust, originated from different countries as a major baking form. The basic ingredients of all pastries are flour, water, and fat. You can add additional ingredients to bring it a new and unique taste.
Making your pastries has become increasingly popular in recent years, bringing old traditions back into the hands of artisans. You no longer have to settle for those day-old pastries you find on store shelves when you can make them yourself.
Why You Should Learn to Make Pastries Online
In recent years, hobbyists have learned various techniques to perfect pastries in their homes as baking has become increasingly popular. During the pandemic, people sought comfort in baking bread and other pastries. Making pastries at home allows you to control the ingredients to your liking while adding varying ingredients to make unique combinations. This was a stressful time for many people, and they found stress relief in taking on a new hobby. Besides relieving stress and bringing community through a fun hobby, baking pastries provide a great way to maintain nutritional value and save money on baked goods.
A homemade pastry tailored to your diet and preferences can be healthier than a store-bought one. Celiacs and people with gluten sensitivity can use gluten-free flour to eat the same pastries as everyone else without worries. Additionally, you can choose the fat you use, although shortening has traditionally been used in pastries. To make healthier options, pastry chefs use vegetable or coconut oil.
There are many types of baking communities across social media, including professional and amateur bakers willing to teach you their techniques and methods, depending on what type of pastries you want to make.
While making pastries may be a fun hobby at home in your spare time or a way to build a community, it may be a professional passion for others. Learning different pastry techniques can help you land pastry chef jobs. On average, pastry chefs earn $32,000 to $47,000 a year. There are a variety of jobs available to you when it comes to pastry, from small pastry shops and cafes to large corporations like hotels and restaurants.
Virtual Pastry Classes
Classes aren't always available everywhere, even with a popular hobby like baking pastries. Virtual courses can be taught from anywhere worldwide, allowing you to learn from professionals from all over. Some students may prefer to work in a comfortable environment, making live online pastry classes a great way to learn the complexity of making pastries.
Most online classes will require you to gather supplies on your own. Instructors will provide a list of materials or a recipe for gathering ingredients. You can purchase ingredients at your local grocery store. For other materials, you may need to order them online. You can find various online pastry classes at CourseHorse.
The Good Food Project offers a Sweet and Savory Cream Puff class. In this class, students will learn to make various pastry recipes. They will watch the instructor's demonstrations and then make two batches. Students will turn one batch into cream puffs and eclairs and the other into cheese puffs. During this course, you will gain confidence in the kitchen.
The Taste Buds kitchen offers a Fresh Donuts class. This course teaches students to make yeast donuts, pastry cream, and glaze. The course should prepare you to make these pastries by the end.
Virtual Croissant Making is a comprehensive banking course from Eve Bergazyn. Students will work through the entire process of folding, rolling, turning, and shaping croissants. Students must also gather their materials and ingredients when working in their kitchen. This virtual course meets in two sessions.
Home Cooking New York offers a Virtual Cream Puff Workshop. This course will cover traditional techniques. Students will make the pastry, pastry cream and a dark chocolate ganache.
Students who don't live in Chicago can still attend The Chopping Block for their online courses. One online class they offer is the Souffle Workshop. Students will learn the fundamental techniques of making souffle. They will select chocolate and follow along with the demonstration learning the techniques step by step.
Private Online Group Pastry Classes
Are you looking for an activity to do with your friends or coworkers for a birthday party? CourseHorse offers pastry courses for private groupsonline or straight to your location.
Learn how to make a classic Swedish pastry, the cinnamon roll, in the Virtual Cinnamon Rollcourse. You will learn to make the yeast dough, fill it, slice it, and bake it. You will receive tips from the instructor throughout the course on simplifying the recipe and preparing the rolls in advance so that you won't have to do everything in the morning to enjoy fresh breakfast pastries.
Your group will receive yeast, cinnamon powder, vanilla extract, gluten flour, brown sugar, sugar, and powdered sugar from CourseHorse. A gift card for perishable ingredients will be included in the package, so you may pick up the eggs, butter, and cream cheese before class starts. A gluten-free option is available upon request. CourseHorse will send a gift card for gluten-free flour after you notify them which participants are gluten-free.
The materials you need may already be in your kitchen. Additional materials are required for the course such as a large bowl and spoon, a stand mixer, a fork or whisk, a cookie sheet, plastic wrap, a brownie pan or cake pan, a rolling pin, and a spatula. Some participants may want to bring their materials.
With CourseHorse, booking a private course is easy. If you are unsure of the exact size of a private course, you may book with your best guess and then add or subtract people up to one week before the event. You will receive your event confirmation 24 hours before your reservation. If you cancel the event, you may be charged a cancellation fee. There are no hidden booking fees.
You can customize the course by adding a game or a second event for $150. It can be customized to fit the energy of the group with specialized games or additional events with materials included. For virtual courses, CourseHorse recommends using Zoom to attend the course; however, they can accommodate other teleconferencing platforms like Google Meets, Microsoft Teams, and WebEx if needed. Some courses can come to your office or home if desired.
Online Vs. In-Person Pastry Classes
In-person pastry classes and online courses both have their benefits. When you take a live course, you'll learn faster. An in-person class lets you meet other bakers in your community. The instructor can demonstrate each step and answer your questions. It is difficult for many people to attend in-person classes near their homes. While you could learn through a book or tutorial, you are alone when you need help. You can fill this gap with online classes guided by expert teachers. Plus, you'll meet bakers from around the world.
If you are choosing a pastry class, consider the instructor's experience level, if the materials are provided, if you must buy them yourself, and if the time is convenient for you. Make sure you have a workspace at home where you can work on a messy project without interruptions from children or pets. You also need a web-connected device so you can participate online.
Can I Learn to Make Pastries for Free Online?
It's easy to get started with pastry-making with online instruction. You'll find free resources like tutorials and videos to help you get started. You can take a pastry class with an expert pastry chef to learn faster and more thoroughly. If you need assistance or someone to answer your questions, attend a pastry class.
