What Will I Learn?
Ignite your passion and lay the foundation for a rewarding career in the baking and pastry industry. This comprehensive, hands-on certificate blends essential baking knowledge with practical skills, guiding you through the core principles of culinary professionalism, baker’s math, and food safety and sanitation in the professional kitchen. In our catering kitchen, you will gain experience preparing a wide range of baked goods and desserts—from quick breads, cookies, and laminated doughs to enriched and sourdough breads, pies, and tarts. Explore ingredient functionality, proper use of kitchen tools and equipment, mise en place, and the everyday science that turns simple components into extraordinary results. As your skills progress, you will move into advanced techniques including cake baking and decoration using custards, icings, creams, and sauces. You'll be introduced to the art of working with chocolate while learning to prepare tortes, petit fours, entremets, and traditional confections. Finally, you will earn your ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certification demonstrating your proficiency in responsible food service measures. Whether your goal is to pursue a professional baking career or elevate your home baking to new heights, this class delivers a solid foundation built on classic techniques and industry best practices.
How Will I Learn?
Through a combination of lectures and extensive hands-on time in our professional catering kitchen, this class will immerse you in a fast-paced baking environment. You will learn to apply time management, multitasking, and critical thinking skills as you prepare a variety of baked goods simultaneously. By the end of the class, you will learn to manage tasks as a solo baker as well as part of a team. The class culminates in a final showcase—an opportunity to demonstrate your talent, creativity, and new skills.
Why Choose KSU CPE?
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You will receive instruction from industry professionals with years of baking, pastry, and restaurant experience.
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A ServSafe® Food Protection Manager Certification test voucher, both required textbooks, and a white KSU-embroidered chef coat is included in the tuition fee.
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Access to our professional catering kitchen and equipment for class.
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Our curriculum focuses on hands-on learning with recipes from multiple cultural backgrounds and preparation methods.
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You will learn about the importance of plating and how to make desserts for special occasions, such as weddings and birthdays.
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Create, feed, and maintain your own sourdough starter.
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Spotlight your Baking and Pastry skills through an official digital badge from Kennesaw State University that can be displayed on your LinkedIn page. You will also earn a certificate of completion from Kennesaw State University.
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You will graduate with the skills and confidence to pursue an entry-level baking, pastry, or dessert role in the restaurant industry, expand your knowledge for your own small baking business, or advance your career with your current culinary employer.
Upon Successful Completion, I Will Be Able To:
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Apply ServSafe® safety and sanitation guidelines to prevent cross-contamination and food-borne illnesses.
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Utilize formulas and measurement systems to measure ingredients accurately.
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Recall baking techniques, methods, and ingredients used to produce breads, muffins, and cookies.
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Identify the qualities of well-crafted breads made with preferments and natural starters.
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Form and bake a variety of pies and tarts.
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Assemble and decorate cakes using a variety of techniques.
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Identify and use alternative ingredients to meet special dietary requirements and address food allergies and intolerances.
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Describe and use various methods for tempering chocolate.
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Design and plate desserts professionally by applying the basic principles of plate presentation, composition, and design.
What Do I Need To Take the Class?
Textbooks are required and are included in the cost of the course. One ServSafe® Manager Exam voucher is also included.
Working knowledge of computers, access to a laptop or desktop computer, and the Internet are required. Please note that there will be strict rules regarding personal hygiene, jewelry, and attire for student and food safety. You will need to bring the following to every class session taking place in the kitchen:.
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Comfortable non-skid shoes (Shoes for Crews, Dansko, Dr. Scholl’s, Genuine Grip)
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Comfortable, non-baggy pants (jeans, khakis, or tech pants)
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A beard net (if applicable)
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A small kitchen notebook
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A sharpie and a pen
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A cake carrier and some airtight containers to take food home from class
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Your KSU-provided chef coat
You will be creating and feeding a starter to make sourdough bread at home for homework. A straight-sided 32 oz plastic or glass container with a lid, a stainless-steel mixing bowl, a rubber spatula, plastic wrap, a sheet pan, a spray bottle, and access to an oven will be needed for homework use. Access to a mixer with a dough hook is optional. The instructor will provide a list of any needed food ingredients for this homework assignment.
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