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What is Baking?

Baking is a method of cooking where you use dry heat to cook food. In most cases, it is done in an oven, but it can also be done on hot stones or in hot ashes. Bread and bakery products like pies and muffins are some of the most common types of baked goods. These items typically contain flour, water, and some type of leavening agent. Other ingredients can include milk, butter, eggs, sugar, and salt.

People have been baking for hundreds of years, and some historians believe that this is one of the oldest cooking methods. According to Britannica, the Egyptians developed the first ovens for baking. In its “Baking” entry, it says, “The earliest known examples are cylindrical vessels made of baked Nile clay, tapered at the top to give a cone shape and divided inside by a horizontal shelflike partition. The lower section is the firebox, the upper section is the baking chamber. The pieces of dough were placed in the baking chamber through a hole provided in the top.” The Egyptians are also believed to be the first people to use leavening agents in baking.

Why Learn Baking?

Many people bake because they find it to be a relaxing and rewarding activity. In a LinkedIn post, titled, “5 REASONS WHY BAKING IS GOOD FOR YOU, ” one Los Angeles chef explains, “Baking achieves the act of ‘mindfulness’. This is not simply a good technique to ease stress but also helps keep negative thoughts away. How? By concentrating on your task and discovering new smells and flavors generated by the wide variety of ingredients used in baking.”

Baking can also be financially rewarding. You can save a lot of money by making your own baked goods rather than buying them from the store. You can also make money by turning your hobby into a lucrative side job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, which tracks and reports on U.S. labor market activity, over the next ten years, baking jobs will grow by 5 percent, which is faster than average. The agency explains, “Population and income growth are expected to result in greater demand for a variety of commercial and retail specialty baked goods, including cupcakes, pies, and cakes. As a result, more bakers are expected to be needed.”

What You’ll Learn in a Baking Class?

When you take a baking class, you’ll learn how to use a variety of baking tools. This is likely to include tools for measuring such as measuring cups and spoons, and scales. You’ll also need tools for mixing your ingredients such as bowls, spatulas, and whisks. Baking pans are another important part of baking. There are numerous different types of pans, in different shapes and sizes and made from a variety of materials, all intended for different types of baking.

You’ll also need to learn baking techniques. There is a specific way to do many of the things involved in baking such as creaming, whisking, folding, and kneading. In addition, you’ll learn about the importance of measuring and following recipes. Unless you’re an experienced baker, most people advise sticking closely to the recipe if you want your baking to be a success, since baking involves chemistry. By using the correct techniques and measuring your ingredients precisely, you have a better chance of the chemical reactions happening the way they are supposed to happen.

When you learn to bake, you’ll also develop your mathematical skills. As explained in the LinkedIn post, “One of the ways we use math every day is in the kitchen! Reading recipes, baking, and cooking is full of important math concepts.” The author says, “As you learn and practice the art of baking you will have to read the data of a recipe, calculate the quantities, and keep track of timing. Numbers will always be part of this creative experience.”

How Long Will It Take to Learn Baking?

The amount of time it will take to learn baking depends on what level of mastery you’re trying to achieve. You could take a short baking course and learn to bake a specific item–like a pie or a loaf of bread–within only a few hours. If you want to learn more skills, you could take a longer, multi-session class, where you’ll learn how to make a larger number of items. However, if you want to become a professional baker, you’ll need a comprehensive baking education, and you’ll also need to spend a lot of time practicing your skills. Most professional bakers say that it took them years to master their skills. In addition, many bakers say that the learning process is ongoing and that as a baker, you’ll always be learning new skills.

What Are the Advantages of Taking a Baking Class?

There are several advantages to learning baking by enrolling in a formal class. One is that you’ll get instruction and inside knowledge from an expert. Baking can look like a simple process, however, in reality, it involves a lot of specialized techniques and specific knowledge. You can learn all this by taking a class. In a class, you’ll be guided by a professional baker who can teach you the fundamentals, and also share tips and tricks, and warn you about common baking mistakes so that you can avoid them.

Another benefit of taking a class is that it can be a great way to become exposed to new baking ideas. For example, when you take a class you can learn a new style of baking or learn about a new type of baked goods. There are a wide variety of different baking techniques out there, and whether you’re a beginner or a more advanced baker, you can always benefit by learning something new.

Best Baking Classes in All Areas

Many different cities offer baking classes. In New York City, you’ll find classes at Home Cooking New York, including “Great British Bake Off” Classics. In this hands-on class, you learn the techniques for making Victoria Sandwich Cake (with raspberry jam or lemon curd), Classic Swiss Roll (chocolate genoise roll with whipped cream), Savory Scones with British Condiments and Sharp English Cheddar, and a pot of English Breakfast Tea. You’ll receive a complete recipe packet to take home and will also enjoy a sit-down meal at the end of class.

NY Cake Academy also offers baking classes in New York City including Cake Decorating 101. This first part of the class covers the foundations of cake decorating. You’ll also learn several piping techniques including stars, shells, rosettes, and zig-zag. The second part of the class is focused on creating a professional-looking buttercream cake. You’ll learn how to crumb coat and how to work with American Buttercream.

If you’re based in Los Angeles, one option is Bread Baking Fundamentals, which is offered by Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom. This class is focused on creating quick baked goods. You’ll learn how to make Pain de Ménage, Brioche Bread, Baguettes, and Focaccia Bread. You’ll also pair your breads with jams and oils.

In Chicago, the Chicago Botanic Garden runs several different hands-on baking classes including Hands-On Baking: Make-Ahead Pies. In this class, you’ll learn to prepare and store three different pies that can be made ahead of time. You’ll make and take home a Dutch apple pie, a maple cream pie, and a dulce de leche pumpkin pie.

In Atlanta, CocuSocial Cooking Classes runs a class called The Art of French Pastry. You’ll be guided by a pastry chef instructor in learning to make French Choux pastry. There will be a detailed demonstration, then you will be guided step by step in making choux dough, piping, baking, and filling to make Eclairs and Cream Puffs. No experience is required.

Live Online Baking Classes

You can also learn baking by taking a live online class from home, or any location of your choosing. The Good Food Project offers many live online baking classes such as The Very Best Cinnamon Rolls. In this class, you’ll learn how to make cinnamon rolls in your home kitchen. You’ll be guided through the process of mixing, kneading the dough, filling, forming, and baking the rolls. You can fill them with traditional brown sugar and cinnamon, or create your own filling.

Another live online class option is Sweet and Savory Scones, offered by Teaching Table. In this class, you’ll learn the foundational techniques for baking flaky and tender scones, and also the scientific knowledge behind making them. You’ll make savory cheddar and chive scones, oat cream scones with your choice of dried fruit, and fresh fruit spread. No special equipment is needed. You’ll receive a list of suggested materials and ingredients before class.

Taste Buds Kitchen also offers a variety of live online cooking classes. For instance, in Fresh Bagels, you can learn how to make bagels at home. You’ll learn how to make the bagels and pick the flavor. While your bagels are rising, you’ll also learn how to make a compound herb butter that you can pair with your bagels. This is a vegetarian class.

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Learn More About Baking Courses

What is Baking?

Why Learn Baking?

What You’ll Learn in a Baking Class?

How Long Will It Take to Learn Baking?

What Are the Advantages of Taking a Baking Class?

Best Baking Classes in All Areas

Live Online Baking Classes

Baking Corporate & Onsite Training Noble Desktop

Baking Training Map & Top Locations

38 Courses Available in NYC

Baking Topics

Pizza Making

Bread Making

Baking
Corporate & Onsite Training