An Introduction to Patisserie Course

Overview

Learn to master the complex art of patisserie on this course for confident home-cooks. An ‘Introduction to Patisserie’ runs 2 days a week, every Thursday and Friday for 6 weeks and is perfect for those passionate about pastry who want to master the fundamentals of this delicate craft.

You’ll learn how to make a wide range of pastries, cakes and other key elements of patisserie, covering both theory and practical technique. On this fast-paced course, your learning will go beyond just recipes and you’ll master a host of timeless, essential methods that can be applied when creating your own dishes.

The course will suit those who are looking for a solid introduction to patisserie and would combine well with Leiths’ 10-week Chef Skills Patisserie course to further your skillset. It will not include exams or assessment, but students should be aware that the class will run at a professional course pace to allow us to cover as many skills as possible.

Skills covered:

Sweet and savoury shortcrust pastries
Choux pastry
Pate sucrée
French and Italian meringue
Creamed cakes
Whisked cakes
Melted cakes
Rubbed in cakes and soda bread
Small cakes, biscuits and cookies
Buttercreams, icings and curds
Fillings and pastry creams
Using Middle-Eastern pastries: knafeh, filo, brick etc.
Glazing
Using gelatine
Sugar and caramel
Cooking with chocolate
Cooking with eggs
Blind baking
Piping
Time planning
Presentation skills

Example recipes:

Pastries

Chocolate tart
Glazed frangipane tarts
Individual passion fruit meringue pies
Croquembouche
Moroccan spinach and chickpea strudels

Cookies, Cakes and Gâteau

Macarons
Ginger cake
Cherry Swiss roll
Petits Fours such as salted caramels, mini Florentines and pâte de fruit
Ultimate chocolate cake

Stunning Desserts

Glazed fruit tarts
Tonka Bean panna cotta with spiced pineapple

Sample recipes may be subject to change

Course Structure

Cooking with your classmates is an integral part of your Leiths experience. You will cook some of your recipes in pairs, and some independently. Whatever the ratio, there is always more than enough food to go around, and often food to take home too.

Your days will comprise of a mixture of practical cookery and demonstrations performed by the teacher who is running the session. The exact format will vary from class to class depending on the style of cuisine and, in the case of visiting chefs, their individual teaching style. 

Around midday, you will break for lunch. Lunch is not provided by Leiths on this course but there are shops, cafes and restaurants nearby on Askew Road.

Practicalities

What’s included:

2 x Leiths aprons
Refreshments on arrival
A recipe booklet
All ingredients provided and weighed out for you in advance
We do the washing up

What to bring:

Flat soled shoes
Long trousers and a long-sleeved top are advisable
A notebook and pencil

Allergies and dietary restrictions

We are happy to make adjustments where possible. However, some classes are unsuitable for people with particular intolerances as the menu would need to be completely different. We need 10 days’ notice to be able to properly check the class and adjust the order accordingly. Please read our full policy on allergies and dietary restrictions here.