If you don’t know how to cook desserts at all, and the hardest thing you’ve ever cooked is charlotte, then it’s time to start learning. Fortunately, now it can be done at any age and without even leaving home.
Content
First, decide what you want to learn. If you are just starting to cook, it is better to start with free ones. It is likely that at first you will have to spoil a lot of products before you can bake a beautiful cake, make air cream or marshmallows with the right texture.
You can buy paid programs if you already have some skills and want to gain new knowledge.Usually on such resources they give the basics of photography and explain to home confectioners how to turn a page on social networks into a full-fledged sales tool.
It is worth studying the curriculum - if the organizers promise to teach you how to cook all kinds of desserts, cakes and pastries in two weeks, then it is better to look for another one. During this time, it is unlikely that it will be possible to study the theory, such as which ingredient is responsible for what, what fat content cream whips well. Check if you can definitely find a step-by-step video tutorial and a recipe for red velvet cake, cupcakes, meringues on free resources. If so, why pay more.
When choosing, pay attention to reviews - organization, feedback (otherwise, it makes sense to pay if there is no one to ask what went wrong), how clear the information is given, what ingredients are used. You can ask about this in a chat or send a request by e-mail - at the same time, check how quickly administrators respond to questions.
Why you need to ask about components. A simple example - if you live in a small town, then it will be difficult to get some passion fruit puree, the right brand of cocoa, rum (for sweets, for example), chocolate or dyes. Ordering online is of course not a problem now, but delivery will take time, plus it's an extra expense.
By the way, it is better to look for reviews on third-party resources - there users share complete information, tell in detail what they liked and what they didn’t. Is the certificate of completion of training valid (many often overprice, explaining that the diploma received is quoted in employment) or is it just a useless piece of paper that can be hung in a frame as a reminder of wasted money.
Another point - check in advance for how long access to paid lessons is available. Some schools give unlimited, others - for a period of 30 days to six months. If you perceive information well, take the economy version without feedback. Such courses are usually cheaper by 30 percent. If you understand that you don’t understand anything, it’s better to take a premium package with feedback, a chat with other program participants.
It's great if the organizer provides simple recipes for free, gives useful tips on choosing the same inventory, and what it can be replaced with. Novice confectioners usually enthusiastically buy silicone mats, molds, pastry bags for cream with hundreds of nozzles, of which 5 will be used at best. And then it turns out that all this mountain of unnecessary things for a decent amount is gathering dust in cabinets.
Ideally, all you need to start learning is a mixer (an ordinary small one), a mixing bowl, products from the nearest supermarket and that's it.
It is better to look for copyrighted courses, preferably from pastry chefs, and not on educational platforms that sell everything from copywriting, marketing, programming. It is quite possible that they also provide basic knowledge, but, firstly, they cost an order of magnitude more (even with super discounts), and secondly, the groups are large, and often the curators do not have time not only to answer students' questions on time, but also check homework.
It makes sense to buy training on such resources if a state certificate is offered - it is better to clarify this point in advance, before paying for the course.
Advantages of online courses:
Flaws:
Certificates are a different story. It is assumed that the student will send the curator a photo of the finished work, after which he will receive a certificate of completion of the training. As soon as the curator understands that the biscuit turned out to be airy, the texture of the cream corresponds to the recipe, it is tactfully kept silent.
The only course that issues certificates after passing the exam costs 400 euros. And to show what the user has learned, you will have to go to another country - it is easier to take full-time training at some paid school near your home.
Good site, easy to navigate, beautiful photos. There is a lot of useful information, free master classes with a detailed, step-by-step description (registration is required to gain access).
You can choose a paid lesson on cooking one dessert, lasting 45-60 minutes, or buy a full course. Here they will teach you how to bake cupcakes, make chocolates, macaroons and mousse cakes.
Strong teaching staff with links to social media accounts, responsive curators and prompt feedback. Plus a lot of free recipes, tips on choosing household appliances, shapes and even food photography, promoting your services as a confectioner in social networks.
Prices - from 900 rubles per lesson to 36,000 for the course, however, there are often discounts.
Website: https://coupdecoeuronline.com/
Beautiful design, paid lessons and free recipes - everything for beginners and pastry chefs with experience. Here they will teach you how to work with chocolate, how to cook beautiful gingerbread, New Year's cookies and healthy low-calorie desserts.
Students receive a personalized certificate of course completion, supplier contacts and, accordingly, discounts on orders (useful for home confectioners who want to monetize their hobby and bake cakes for sale), tips on branding and promoting a small home business.
Teachers are confectioners with extensive experience who know exactly how to make a real masterpiece out of an ordinary eclair.
Before buying, you can read the detailed description of the lessons (pre-registration is not needed). In fact, this is a detailed lesson plan for every day. You can go through theory and practice at your own pace. After each lesson of theory - practice, a photo of the results of which must be sent to the teacher.
Price - from 199 rubles for a paid video lesson to 21,000 - for a full-fledged course with the support of a personal curator.
Website: https://bonbon-school.ru/
The name speaks for itself. Here they will tell you how to cook delicious cakes, make glossy icing, decorate desserts with flowers, fruits, and berries. Several programs to choose from - for beginners and experienced confectioners. As well as:
There is a free calculator on the site that will help you calculate the weight of the ingredients depending on the size of the mold (for example, the recipe indicates a diameter of 15 cm, and a mold with a diameter of 30 cm is available).
The blog has a lot of useful information and answers to popular questions, such as whether it is possible to replace honey with sugar, or wheat flour with corn flour. There are free recipes from ordinary products. The site has a lot of photos of cakes and desserts of the course students with links to Instagram profiles.
Prices are adequate, from 3950 rubles without the support of a teacher, a thousand more expensive with a curator and unlimited access to lessons.
Website: https://thecake-school.ru/
Anastasia Lazareva Confectionery School - Pastry Chef.There are face-to-face workshops and online courses. Teachers will teach novice confectioners not just to blindly follow recipes, but to understand cooking technology, the principle of interaction of components (real chemistry).
There are no free lessons, as well as no recipes. But the prices are quite reasonable. There is a subscription that gives users bonuses and 10% discounts on any lessons.
The price of the basic course is 9000 rubles.
Website: https://make-cake.net/
Courses of Anna Galich, confectioner of the 6th category, mother of 3 children, and author of books on confectionery art. Simple components, accessible presentation of the material (for those who want to watch the format of video tutorials, there are small video cuts on the site).
During the course, users will learn:
Plus vegetarian recipes and working with chocolate. There is a blog in which the author shares recipes for making glaze, eclairs, gives useful tips on choosing inventory.
Prices - from 2350 rubles for all courses (for the duration of the promotion) for self-study.
Website: https://annagalich.ru/
An online school that, according to pastry chef Yegor Kozlovsky, will teach you how to think, and not blindly mix ingredients according to a recipe. There are 21 courses to choose from, from detailed, for beginners (100 lessons, theory plus practice), to programs for experienced confectioners. Here they will teach:
And also take beautiful photos of your masterpieces and post them on Instagram. In general, it is strongly advised to maintain pages on social networks. Firstly, the approving feedback from friends is great motivating and makes you achieve the perfect result in case of failure, even if previous attempts ended in complete failure. Secondly, if you decide to organize your own small business, then an advertising platform with a whole gallery of cakes will already be ready.
There are free lessons, webinars on various topics are regularly held. Users from 40 countries study at the school, photos of their work can also be found on the site.
Price - from 15,000 rubles for the basic (100 lessons).
Website: https://w.egor.team/
Here are collected free video lessons, lasting 15-20 minutes, on how to prepare simple desserts, like tartlets, various types of cookies, marmalade and pancakes. As well as advice on choosing a confectionery school (for those who dream of becoming a professional in this field), ideas for decorating cakes.
Website: http://startlovecook.ru/
These are not courses, but a YouTube channel with 46,000 subscribers. The recipes are a little outdated, but you can learn how to bake a magnificent biscuit, make Prague cakes or Napoleon, beloved by many. Plus, there is a detailed description of the main types of creams, from cottage cheese to charlotte, and useful tips on how much to evaluate your work for home confectioners.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/c/azbukakonditera/
Lots of recipes, from classic honey cake to sponge cake, mousse cakes and gingerbread cookies. Good quality, without camera jerking, loud background music, simple and understandable, even for beginners, explanation of the cooking steps. Plus ideas for decorating desserts and many interesting ideas for the home. No additional fees, over 1.7 million subscribers and only positive reviews.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UClTIwWZu3b9CzgzLU5Tr9Ng
So, it's never too late to learn something new. Look at the descriptions of the courses, ask the administrator questions, read reviews and choose the most convenient learning format for yourself. After that, it remains to purchase products and start preparing your first dessert.