Baking Essentials Semester Overview

Unit 1: Intro to Baking & Pastry 

• List and describe key stages in the development of the professional restaurant and bakeshop 
• Explain the organization of the professional kitchen brigade 
• List the attributes a student needs to become a successful culinary professional 
• Establish and maintain a safe and sanitary working environment

Unit 2: Tools & Equipment for Bakeshop

• Choose quality kitchen tools and equipment that meet NSF standards 
• Identify a variety of knives used in the bakeshop 
• Identify a variety of hand tools used in the bakeshop 
• Identify a variety of measuring and proportioning devices used in the bakeshop 
• Identify the types of cookware and bakeware used in the bakeshop 
• Identify safety equipment used in the bakeshop

Unit 3: Bakeshop Ingredients

• Identify different types of flours and discuss the importance of gluten 
• Identify and correctly cook sugar and different types of sweeteners 
• Identify different types of fats 
• Describe the functioning of milk and dairy products in baking 
• Describe the function of eggs in baking 
• Describe the function of thickeners in baking 
• Describe the function of bakeshop flavoring ingredients

Unit 4: Mise en Place

• Explain the importance of formulas and recipes in a bakeshop 
• Apply measurement systems and measure ingredients accurately 
• Convert formulas and sue baker’s Percentage
• Prepare equipment needed prior to cooking 
• Prepare ingredients needed prior to cooking

Unit 5: Principles of Baking 

• Describe and use various mixing methods, and explain the importance of gluten and moisture in mixing 
• Describe the three primary forms of heat transfer and explain how heat affects batters and doughs 
• Describe the various baking and cooking methods employed in a bakeshop 
• Describe the stages of the baking process

Unit 6: Quick Breads

• Use chemical leavening agents and fats 
• Prepare a variety of quick breads using the biscuit method, the muffin method, and the creaming method 
• Prepare a variety of griddlecakes

Unit 7: Basic Yeast Breads 

• Select and use yeast properly 
• Describe and carry out the 10 stages involved in yeast bread production 
• Prepare a variety of yeast breads, bagels, flatbreads, and other bread varieties 
• Identify the qualities of well-crafted bread

Unit 8: Perferments & Natural Starters 

• Describe, prepare, and use preferments and natural starters 
• Mix yeast doughs using the old dough, sponge dough, and poolish methods 
• Describe how the use of preferments and natural starters impacts the techniques bakers employ 
• Identify the qualities of well-crafted breads made with preferments and natural starters

Unit 9: Enriched Yeast Breads

• Mis and handle enriched yeast doughs 
• Prepare brioche, challah, donuts, and a variety of enriched yeast dough products 
• Prepare a variety of specialty breakfast pastries made with sweet dough

Unit 10: Laminate Doughs

• Describe and use the steps and techniques for preparing and baking laminated doughs 
• Prepare puff pastry 
• Prepare a variety of pastries using laminated doughs

Unit 11: Cookies & Brownies

• Prepare a variety of cookie doughs and batters, use a variety of make-up methods for cookies, and bake, cool, and store cookies properly 
• Use a variety of make-up methods for brownies, and bake, cool, and store brownies properly

Unit 12: Pies & Tarts 

• Prepare a variety of pie and tart crusts 
• Prepare a variety of pie and tart fillings 
• Form and bake a variety of pies and tarts 
• Store pies and tarts properly

Unit 13: Pastry & Dessert Components

• Prepare a variety of pastries using eclair paste 
• Prepare a variety of meringues 
• Prepare strudels 
• Prepare a variety of specialty pastries and phyllo doughs 
• Prepare crepes

Unit 14: Cakes & Icings

• Describe the functions of ingredients used to make cakes 
• Prepare a variety of cakes using the creaming, two-stage and egg foam mixing methods 
• Pan, and bake and cool cakes properly 
• Store cakes properly

Unit 15: Cakes & Icings 

• Prepare a variety of icings, fondant, and ganache 
• Describe and use a variety of basic cake finishing, decorating, and assembling techniques 
• Assemble and decorate specialty cakes 
• Cut and portion assembled cakes properly 
• Store assembled cakes properly

Unit 16: Custards, Creams, & Sauces

• Prepare a variety of custards, cheese cakes, and souffles 
• Prepare a variety of creams, mousses, and other fillings 
• Prepare a variety of dessert sauces

Unit 17: Ice Cream & Frozen Desserts 

• Describe and use the churning method to prepare ice cream and sorbets 
• Describe and use the still-freezing method to prepare frozen desserts

Unit 18: Chocolate 

• Identify a variety of chocolate products 
• Describe and use the various methods for tempering chocolate 
• Prepare a variety of chocolate decorations and make and use modeling chocolate 
• Prepare a variety of chocolate candies 
• Prepare chocolate showpieces