London, a city that pulsates with creativity and a love for good food, is a true haven for baking enthusiasts. From the charming neighborhood bakeries to the world-renowned culinary schools, the city offers a diverse range of baking classes to suit every skill level and interest.
Whether you’re a novice eager to learn the basics or a seasoned baker seeking to refine your techniques, London’s vibrant baking scene has something to offer.
This guide will serve as your compass, navigating you through the exciting world of London’s baking classes. We’ll explore the various types of classes available, from beginner-friendly workshops to intensive professional programs.
You will discover renowned institutions like Le Cordon Bleu and Bread Ahead Bakery School, each with its unique approach and specializations. We’ll also delve into the different styles of baking you can learn, from classic French pastries and artisanal bread to contemporary cake decorating and vegan baking.
Whether you’re a resident or a visitor seeking a unique culinary experience, this guide will empower you to find the perfect baking class to ignite your passion and elevate your baking skills.
So, put on your apron, gather your ingredients, and get ready to embark on a delicious journey through London’s vibrant baking scene.
Table of Contents
The Sweet and Savory World of Baking
Baking is a culinary art with remarkable diversity. Here are a few of the major branches:
Bread Baking — This encompasses the art of creating yeast-leavened dough, from rustic sourdoughs to fluffy dinner rolls.
Pastry Baking — This delicate art involves crafting flaky masterpieces like croissants, puff pastry, and delicate tarts.
Cake Baking A world of sweetness — This includes everything from light and airy sponges to dense and rich chocolate cakes.
Cookie Baking — Simple yet endlessly versatile, this category covers everything from classic chocolate chip cookies to intricate sugar cookies.
Pie Baking — A timeless tradition, this involves crafting flaky crusts and filling them with sweet or savory delights.
This is just a taste of the diverse world of baking!
The list of Best Cooking Classes and Courses in London Includes:
Advanced Breakfast Baking
The Advanced Breakfast Baking is a one-day cooking class in London that will equip you with intricate knowledge about breakfast baking techniques. Le Cordon Blue offers this class, and you can take up their breakfast baking course if you need more knowledge.
You will learn how to create advanced breakfast-baking products such as:
- Flower shaped brioche feuilleté
- Raspberry pâte levée feuilletée dough
- Raspberry croissants
- Small and large loaves
- Brioche and pains aux raisins
The duration of this class is six hours and what is amazing about this class is that you get to take all items made in the class home. The instructors of the class will make sure that you learn how to use fresh yeast in the production of laminated and enriched doughs, straight dough mixing, rolling, and cutting.
You will also learn how to appropriately chill, prove, and bake a variety of laminated products, the correct uses of frozen to thawed cream fillings, and how to correctly apply washes, glazes, and decorations to viennoiserie products.
In-Person Workshop
This course is offered by the Bread Ahead Bakery School which is located in the heart of London, this course is not limited to beginners, a seasoned baker can still take up this course to broaden their knowledge about baking and also learn new baking techniques
The baking classes are held in London, they have a variety of options you can choose from, like evening workshops, half-day workshops, full-day workshops, two and three-day workshops, tea masterclasses, and group bookings, you can choose what is effective for you.
Taking up the In-Person Workshop will expose you to interested expert bakers who have years of experience in the baking and teaching industry, you will be able to learn from their guidance and experience in making use of effective techniques and skills that have been acquired throughout the years.
Cake Decorating Workshop
The Cake Decorating Workshop is a two-hour course that is open to experts and beginners in the baking niche. The class usually starts with a 15-minute introduction and ends with a 15-minute wrap-up for photos and final touches on your masterpiece.
This course costs £49 – £55 (an Earlybird price of £49 applies if you book into a public session 7+ days ahead), you will learn how to decorate a five two-layer bento cake using various piping and decorating techniques. You will be able to take home your products and enjoy your meal.
This course is led by an expert chef who is passionate about her students and is genuinely ready to hold their hands through any difficulty they may encounter. People who have completed this class in the past left wonderful reviews and how the class contributed to their baking and decorating journey.
Easter Baking
The Easter Baking is one of the best cooking classes in London offered by Le Cordon Bleu in London, this particular program is known for cakes and chocolate treats, making this Easter-themed baking course perfect for you to learn some recipes and techniques that will add some flair to your Easter holiday.
To avoid crowds which will reduce the student’s ability to grasp different baking techniques efficiently, the maximum number of students allowed to be in a class is sixteen, each class has a workstation that makes hands-on learning easier and educative because the students will be able to practice.
You will be guided by the expert teaching chef who will expose you to a mixture of in-kitchen demonstrations and hands-on practical cookery, the price of the course is 220.00 Euros and the duration of the class is six hours, you should bring flat-soled shoes and Tupperware to transport your products home.
Services that are included in the price:
- Recipe booklet
- Apron
- Tea towel
- All ingredients
- All cooking equipment and teaching resources are provided in our kitchen for use on the day.
The Ultimate Baking Couesre (Intensive)
The Ultimate Baking Couesre (Intensive) is a four-day intensive baking class that will take you through fundamental baking principles and techniques, for example, cakes, pastry, breads, macarons, meringues cake decorating, and plenty of tips and tricks to assist you in future baking adventures.
At the start of each session in this baking workshop, you will be welcomed with breakfast. After this, you’ll roll up your sleeves to start baking. In the afternoon, you will sit down to enjoy lunch with organic wine before diving straight back in.
After each class, you will take home what you have made, so be sure to bring along a container to every lesson, You can pay for this in up to three installments, with the final payment made at least one week before the course starts. If you want to do this, please call us to book your place.
In the course you will learn to make the following products:
- Shortcrust pastry
- Sweet shortcrust pastry (pate sucre)
- Choux pastry
- Cornish pasties
- Quiche
- Chicken and mushroom pie
- Fruit tart
- Apple pie
- Profiteroles & eclairs
Ultimate Chocolate Cake Baking and Decorating Class
This is one of the best cooking classes in London, this class will cost you 180 Euros, to attend this class you have to be sixteen and above, the class is suitable for everyone whether you are a professional or you just want to learn how to bake products for you and your family.
The Ultimate Chocolate Cake Baking and Decorating Class will provide instructors who have in-depth knowledge about baking, these instructors help with your journey in the baking industry.
You will learn how to make the products below:
- Baking chocolate cake sponges
- Preparing chocolate buttercream and ganache
- Leveling, filling, and crumb-coating cakes
- Top coating cakes with ganache
- An introduction to chocolate tempering
- Cake pops/balls/truffles
- Making Chocolate decorations
What will you get to take home?
- 1 cake to serve 12-14 people, iced by you, boxed, and bagged for a safe trip home
- Full list of equipment used in the class
- Printed recipes for everything covered in this class
- Discounts for online suppliers
- Discount towards a future class
- Refreshments and snacks throughout the class
Boulangerie Techniques Essentials
Boulangerie Techniques Essential is one of the best baking classes in London offered by renowned culinary schools with many branches worldwide. This school is Le Cordon Bleu. They offer baking and non-baking culinary courses for students who want in-depth knowledge.
This is a two-year course that will serve as an introduction to key baking techniques by exploring the use of fresh yeast in bread doughs, mixing methods, the process of shaping a variety of classic French bakery items, and understanding the process of fermentation.
After completing this course you should be able to recreate the following:
- Understand how to use fresh yeast in the production of a variety of bread doughs.
- Select and use a variety of flours to produce artisan bakery products.
- Understand how to use the straight dough mixing method and use it for yeast doughs.
- Understand how to use and maintain a poolish pre-fermented starter in the production of bread dough.
- Use professional equipment to achieve artisan finishes in bakery products.
- Understand how to use delayed fermentation to achieve flavorsome breads.
- Scale, process and shape a variety of classic French bakery items.
- Apply the appropriate chilling, proving, and baking steps to a variety of classic French bakery products.
- Understand the traditional 12-step process applied to yeasted bakery products.
- Understand how to use the bassinage technique for high-hydration dough
This course is a combination of a mixture of in-kitchen demonstrations performed by the chef who is running the session and hands-on practical cookery. At the end of the course, you will be able to take your product home. Products you can take home include:
Sesame baguettes, pains de campagne, focaccia, seeded multigrain loaves, fruit pave loaves, rye bread with oats and apple and minimal mixing pave loaves.
Professional Baking Course
This class is a professional baking class with instructors who are passionate about the culinary arts and are ready to train the next generation of professional bakers through theory and practical education and assessment, as well as the opportunity to apprentice in the Bread Ahead Bakery.
The Professional Baking Class has a curriculum meticulously crafted by industry experts and seasoned Bread Ahead bakers, they offer a comprehensive learning experience tailored to equip students with the skills, knowledge, and confidence needed to thrive in today’s dynamic baking landscape.
It is a rigorous professional program designed to equip students with the skills and knowledge to succeed in the baking industry and the key features include an Industry-focused curriculum, experienced instructors, and potential for apprenticeship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Cost of these Baking Classes?
Prices vary significantly depending on the class, duration, and provider. Costs can range from a few pounds for shorter workshops to several hundred pounds for intensive professional programs.
Do I Need to Bring any Equipment to Class?
Most classes provide all the necessary equipment, but it’s always best to check the individual class requirements.
You may need to bring a container to take home your creations.
Where can I Find more Information and Book Classes?
Visit the websites of the respective schools (Le Cordon Bleu, Bread Ahead Bakery School) or search online for “baking classes London” to find a wide range of options.
Conclusion
London offers a wealth of exceptional baking classes, from introductory workshops to intensive professional programs. Whether you’re a passionate home baker or aspiring to a career in the culinary arts, you’re sure to find a class that suits your interests and skill level.
The excitement of transforming simple ingredients into delectable treats awaits you in London’s vibrant baking scene. And what better way to immerse yourself in this vibrant food culture than by rolling up your sleeves and creating culinary masterpieces of your own?
Disclaimer — This information is for general knowledge and informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice.
Note — This information is based on publicly available data and may be subject to change.
I hope this comprehensive guide helps you find the perfect baking class in London!