During our Modern Level, students will learn the most current trends in cake decorating and plated desserts. This section is revised yearly to reflect popular and cutting edge techniques in pastries. Students will also have the opportunity to express their creativity and artistic capabilities. In addition they will also work with our guest food photographer. They will not only learn how to create the composition of a plate but how to capture the perfect photo using a DSLR or a smartphone. Live shots of students in action as well as their final plates will be added to their school portfolio.
Wk1: Modern Entremet & Chocolate Applications
- Advanced chocolate work and applications
- Create stabilized mousses, cakes, and fillings
- How to properly assemble entremet using various silicon molds
- Glaze and finish cakes with various decorating techniques
Wk2: 3D Carved Cakes & Cupcakes
- How to build and create a three dimensional cake
- Color and tining buttercreams
- Various piping techniques with multiple piping tips
- Pastillage and fondant decorations and applications
- Colored airbrushing techniques
Wk3: Tiered Cakes & Decorated Sugar Cookies
- How to build and assemble a stacked cake
- Color and tinting fondant
- Rolling and applying fondant to a built cake
- Various piping techniques and applications with royal icing
- Creating themed cakes and cookies based on a client’s budget and requests
Wk4: Plated Desserts
- How to compose a plate presentation based on taste, texture, temperature, and visual appeal
- Current classic and modern plating techniques
- Incorporating molecular components such as liquid nitrogen and other chemicals
Wk5: Plated Desserts
- Plating for the camera vs. the customer – The shoot you need
- Basic set design – more than just a kitchen counter
- Lighting for the amateur photographer – shadows, highlights, and lux
- Shooting with a DSLR and smartphone – how and when to switch
- Live shoot of students in action as well as plated dishes – the portfolio shots
Wk6: Review & Exit
