Series I: Fundamentals of Baking

In the first week of our hands-on series, you will learn all aspects applicable to bread baking. This will become a very important foundation for you to understand advanced levels of artisan baking. You will be familiarized with important steps of baking, including mixing, dividing, pre-shaping, shaping and baking. You will also learn how to operate baking equipment such as spiral mixers and oven loaders.
During the first half of this series, baguettes are used as a medium to experiment with different mixing techniques, and with different types of flour. Functionalities of basic ingredients – flour, water, salt and yeast – are explained in detail, as well as how mixing and fermentation are closely related to each other.

Another important topic covered in this series is preferments, including poolish, sponge and pre-fermented dough. You will learn how preferments have various effects on dough properties, and in the final products.

During the second half of this series, you will work with different types of flours such as whole wheat and rye flour, as well as enriched doughs like challah and egg bread. You will practice on various shaping techniques, starting from boules and batards to intricate braids and French regional shapes. Basic concept of sourdough is explained at the end of this series. You will learn different styles of sourdough, and the impact they have on the final products.

The last day of this series is the practical exam. You will be working as a group to review important concepts and formulas. The instructor will give production assignments to each group, and the products are evaluated at the end of the day.

Course Materials

Listed below are the items you must bring to class.

• Pens or pencils. You will use these to take notes in the classroom and the lab.
• Permanent marker. This piece of “equipment” is invaluable in the labs.
• Hair restraint. For safety and sanitation, you must restrain your hair if it’s long.

Attire

• Closed-toe, comfortable shoes. Your shoes must be closed for safety. They should be comfortable enough to stand in all day.
• For safety, your pants must cover your entire legs. For your comfort, we recommend breathable pants. Checked chef’s pants are popular because they don’t show flour spills or stains.
• White chef’s coat. This is optional item. However, we strongly recommend chef’s coats because they look professional and protect your body and clothing. Most importantly, they keep you warm when it’s cold and cool when it’s hot.