BAK 100 Want to be a Pastry Chef? (2 Credits)
This course serves as an introduction to the field of baking and pastry arts. It is designed for students considering declaring Baking and Pastry Arts as a major; or those taking courses to enhance your placement scores to enter the next Cascade Culinary Institute cohort start. This course will enable students to experience an introduction to baking and pastry arts with a demonstration and hands on class that covers the basics of baking techniques and flavor profiling. Students will "get a taste" of the baking industry, while learning the secrets of being a successful pastry professional.
BAK 101 Introduction to Baking & Pastry (4 Credits)
This introductory level course covers the basic theory and skill sets used throughout the field of baking and pastry. Topics covered include the use of hand tools and equipment found in a bakeshop, as well as the exploration of baking and pastry ingredients and their functions. Students will gain a working knowledge of the major methods such as creaming, blending, foaming, meringues, pre-cooked, cut-in, lamination, straight dough, custards, frozen desserts, chocolates, and sauces. Students will also taste and evaluate products they create in class to enhance their understanding of the course material.
BAK 110 Baking and Pastry Foundations I (4 Credits)
Learn about the baking industry, nomenclature, equipment, kitchen operations, knife skills, baking techniques, science, ratios, and standardized recipes. Covers how to produce fruit desserts; cookies; meringues; pate a choux and basic custards.
BAK 130 Nutrition and Baking for Special Diets (3 Credits)
Learn applied baking techniques for people with allergies and special dietary needs such as gluten-free, vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, egg-free, Kosher, and low-sugar diets. Prepare healthier baked goods using the principles of nutrition. Learn about current dietary guidelines, along with the function of nutrients within the body.
BAK 140 Baking and Pastry Foundations II (4 Credits)
Covers basic pastry dough production, the textural complexity of each dough, and their role in creating delicious pastries and desserts. Includes tart and pie dough, puff pastry, pâte a choux, crêpes, biscuits, shortbread, fritters, sweet yeasted doughs, strudel, phyllo, and cookies. Create a variety of products in each of these categories.
BAK 170 Baking and Pastry Foundations III (4 Credits)
Produce quick breads and dessert foundation sauces, make and bake cake layers, and assemble classic cakes. Topics include menu planning and balancing flavors and textures in desserts.
BAK 181 Custards and Frozen Desserts (4 Credits)
Prepare and present a variety of custards, puddings, Bavarians, mousses, still-frozen, and churn-frozen desserts, ice creams, granitas, sorbets and sherbets.
BAK 199 Selected Topics: Baking and Pastry Arts (1-6 Credits)
Provides a learning experience in baking and pastry arts not currently available; this course is in development to be proposed as a permanent course.
BAK 210 Modern Sugar and Chocolate Decor (4 Credits)
Prepare a variety of chocolate and sugar decorations and develop sculpting techniques. Learn tempering chocolate, use of molds, and transfer sheets. Practice various sugar techniques including pulled sugar, blown sugar, piped sugar, and poured sugar in addition to airbrushing techniques to create a variety of showpieces.
BAK 215 Laminated Dough and Viennoiserie (4 Credits)
Learn the basic principles of laminated dough and the art of viennoiserie. Prepare European and American enriched yeasted doughs including classic and contemporary varieties of brioche, croissants, Danish, yeasted coffee cakes, doughnuts and sweet rolls. Learn ingredient selection, product identification, retail merchandising, formulation, shaping, proofing, and baking quality laminated products.
BAK 220 Wedding Celebration and Specialty Cakes (4 Credits)
Learn the history of making celebration cakes including baking, assembly, and decorating. Bake sponge cakes, make buttercream, gum-paste flowers, royal icing piped decorations, and rolled fondant.Produce wedding and celebration cakes incorporating all of these elements, from design, baking, assembly, covering, and decorating.
BAK 225 Entremets (4 Credits)
Learn principles and techniques of creating entremets. Lecture and lab topics include: the history of entremets, European design, technique, and assembly. Utilize a variety of techniques to create layers of flavor and texture while incorporating multiple finishing and decorating styles. Apply traditional and modern applications of glazing, and sugar and chocolate decor.
BAK 230 Plated Desserts and Presentation Capstone (5 Credits)
Learn to be a restaurant pastry chef! Explore principles and techniques of plated, banquet, buffet, and table-side desserts. Study purchasing, costing, flavor, presentation, bread service, and design sweet and savory desserts. Covers back of the house skills including high-volume production, and expediting. Create a final dessert incorporating all topics, including individual design, flavor, and decor. Includes hands-on learning with Elevation Restaurant to create and serve desserts and mignardise, as well as preparing, transporting, and serving desserts at the the annual COCC Meal of the Year event.
BAK 235S Classical French Pastries (4 Credits)
Produce a variety of classical and modern French cakes or “entremets.” Decorate using printed logos, chocolate, and sugar. Utilize updated methods of traditional French recipes using fresh ingredients. Prepare classic French tarts, practicing different types of crusts, doughs, and fillings.
BAK 240 The Craft of Artisan Breads (4 Credits)
Apply principles and techniques of preparing lean yeasted, rich, and sourdough bread including flatbreads, baguettes, brioche, bagels, pretzels, sourdough, and rye bread. Emphasizes regional and international bread, natural fermentation, and the use of various flours and grains. Practice and apply traditional and innovative baking, shaping, and finishing methods.
BAK 250 Petit Fours, Candies and Classical Mignardise (4 Credits)
Make individual mini French pastries and petit fours such as éclairs, fruit tartelettes, macarons, and madeleines. Practice French pastry elements such as pastry cream, buttercream, glazes, cream-based, fruit-based, and chocolate-based fillings, and doughs. Create petit fours displays; make sugar confectioneries such as pâté de fruit, guimauve, praline, caramels, nougats, lollipops, and gummies. Learn how to package and display candies.
BAK 255S Artisan Breads with Heirloom Whole Grains (4 Credits)
Make a variety of specialty breads such as multigrain, rye, flax seed, organic baguette, and organic spelt. Make products with multiple flours, mixed fermentation techniques, and various production processes. Analyze different flours and the health and nutritional benefits of the breads made from them.
BAK 260 Advanced Wedding, Celebration, and Specialty Cakes (4 Credits)
Practice advanced principles of baking, assembly, piping, and decorating of specialty cakes and wedding cakes. Learn design theory; including theme, color, texture, and flavor. Learn basic cake business practices such as selection of ingredients, equipment, tools, retail pricing, consumer trends, delivery, on site construction and client consultation. Produce several single layer and tiered cakes, incorporating advanced techniques; including buttercream, rolled fondant, pastillage, royal icing piped decorations and gum paste flowers. Utilize other techniques such as over-piping, bridgework, stringwork, smocking, painting, embossing, airbrushing, applique and stenciling.
BAK 265 Comprehensive Retail Baking Operations (5 Credits)
Learn business concepts for building a successful bakery enterprise and apply those concepts in a real-world setting. The instructor guided lab is ideal for students wanting to start their own retail bakery and test ideas in a secure setting. Create and sell products in the bakery kiosk using current baking production methods and equipment. Apply baking production techniques and business theory in the retail arena.
BAK 280 Baking and Pastry Arts Industry Internship (1-10 Credits)
Provides supervised work experience designed to expand career knowledge and experiential confidence while increasing knowledge, speed, timing, organization, and the ability to execute industry skills repeatedly. Includes a diverse work experience designed on a systematic rotation of different stations in the kitchen, dining room, and general operations positions. Graded Pass/No pass.
BAK 298 Independent Study: Baking (1-6 Credits)
Individualized, advanced study to focus on outcomes not addressed in existing courses or of special interest to a student. P/NP grading.
BAK 299 Selected Topics: Baking and Pastry Arts (1-6 Credits)
Provides a learning experience in baking and pastry arts not currently available; this course is in development to be proposed as a permanent course.
