Baking Classes
A few years back I was approached by Different Drummer’s Kitchen to see whether I would be interested in teaching a bread baking class or two. Since then I have been sharing my passion for bread baking with anyone wanting to get their hands sticky in dough. The classes I teach are currently all set up through Different Drummer’s Kitchen but I am available for private, in-home group classes as well. You can select from some of my past classes or I will build a custom class to suit. Contact me anytime for more information.
Scheduled Classes:
9/17/11 – Breakfast Breads (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Northampton, MA)
Cream Scones – These flaky and buttery scones will be the perfect compliment to afternoon teatime or breakfast.
Brioche – A perfect breakfast treat, Brioche is rich and buttery, yet very light in texture. We will learn how to knead this dough to create a delicious accompaniment to homemade preserves or a slathering of creamy butter.
Muffins – We will learn how to create tasty bakery-style muffins at home. We will learn the creaming method, which produces a light and high rising muffin. An assortment of muffins including Pumpkin, Banana Crumb and Maple muffins will be demonstrated and will be ready for sampling.
9/24/11 – Breakfast Breads (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Northampton, MA)
Cream Scones – These flaky and buttery scones will be the perfect compliment to afternoon teatime or breakfast.
Brioche – A perfect breakfast treat, Brioche is rich and buttery, yet very light in texture. We will learn how to knead this dough to create a delicious accompaniment to homemade preserves or a slathering of creamy butter.
Muffins – We will learn how to create tasty bakery-style muffins at home. We will learn the creaming method, which produces a light and high rising muffin. An assortment of muffins including Pumpkin, Banana Crumb and Maple muffins will be demonstrated and will be ready for sampling.
10/11/11 – Wild Yeast Breads (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Albany, NY)
Peasant Bread (Pain de Campagne) – This is the quintessential French Sourdough with a thick dark crust and a moist interior crumb. The use of a levain or sourdough imparts a slight tang and helps to bring out the natural flavor of the wheat.
Raisin-Nut Levain (Pain au levain aux noix et raisins) – This wonderful bread has a crisp crust with an open interior crumb that is laced with sweet raisins and toasted nuts. It pairs wonderfully with mild cheeses.
Baguette a l’Ancienne – An artisanal baguette made utilizing delayed fermentation and a levain, with a slightly thicker crust and a dusting of rye flour on the exterior, this bread has more character than the standard baguette.
Cultivating our own sourdough or wild yeasts – We will learn how to cultivate our own sourdough at home. We will learn how to care for and how to use our sourdoughs for baking all sorts of breads. Everyone will go home with their own bit of sourdough culture.
10/15/11 – Flatbreads Class (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Northampton, MA)
These quick and easy breads utilize the straight dough method of kneading and preparing. We will discuss proper kneading, long-slow fermentation, and the use of seasonal ingredients to impart new flavor profiles to these breads.
Focaccia – A close cousin to the pizza, this bread is excellent served plain or lightly adorned with toppings. We will brush ours with a garlic sage oil and top with roasted butternut squash.
Pizza – This everyday dough has many variations, but I will show you a version that yields a crispy, yet chewy artisan crust.
Pita Bread – A classic bread that can be stuffed with sandwich fillings or dipped in hummus. I will show you how quickly and deliciously they can be baked at home.
10/27/11 – Breakfast Breads (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Albany, NY)
Cream Scones – These flaky and buttery scones will be the perfect compliment to afternoon teatime or breakfast.
Brioche – A perfect breakfast treat, Brioche is rich and buttery, yet very light in texture. We will learn how to knead this dough to create a delicious accompaniment to homemade preserves or a slathering of creamy butter.
Muffins – We will learn how to create tasty bakery-style muffins at home. We will learn the creaming method, which produces a light and high rising muffin. An assortment of muffins including Pumpkin, Banana Crumb and Maple muffins will be demonstrated and will be ready for sampling.
11/29/11 – Multigrain Breads (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Albany, NY)
Sourdough Raisin Rye Bread – This wonderful sandwich bread is studded with plump raisins and has a hint of cinnamon added to the dough. This bread is perfect for someone looking to make the switch to whole grains because it is made with a mix of white bread flour and a healthy proportion of rye flour.
Oat Bran Bread – Oat Bran gives this sandwich bread a lovely sweetness while packing in the health benefits of lots of whole grains.
Seeded Whole Wheat Boule – Baked directly on a baking stone, this free-form loaf is packed with seeds and made with stone ground whole wheat flour. It has a nutty flavor profile and a crisp crust.
7/28/11 – Sweet Doughs and Fillings (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Albany, NY)
Sweet breads are a wonderful treat. With commercial yeast and the straight dough method, students will make a dough that is enriched with sugar and eggs and then transform it into decorative or filled loaves and cinnamon buns. Melissa will cover proper dough texture and how to shape and fill loaves.
Challah Bread – This sweet egg bread is extremely versatile and can be formed into many shapes. It makes excellent bread for French toast or bread pudding.
Cinnamon Buns – Using the same sweet dough from the challah we will fill it with butter, cinnamon, sugar, nuts and raisins to create gooey cinnamon buns, topped with a cream cheese and butter icing
Apricot Filled Pastries – We will use the same basic sweet dough, but add extra layers of butter to the dough. These tasty pastries can be prepared in advance and baked before serving.
7/9/11 – Flatbreads (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Albany, NY)
These quick and easy breads utilize the straight dough method of kneading and preparing. We will discuss proper kneading, long-slow fermentation, and the use of seasonal ingredients to impart new flavor profiles to these breads.
Focaccia – A close cousin to the pizza, this bread is excellent served plain or lightly adorned with toppings. We will brush ours with a garlic oil and top with fresh herbs.
Pizza – This everyday dough has many variations, but I will show you a version that yields a crispy, yet chewy artisan crust.
Pita Bread – A classic bread that can be stuffed with sandwich fillings or dipped in hummus. I will show you how quickly and deliciously they can be baked at home.
6/25 – Croissants Workshop (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Albany, NY)
Who can resist the crisp buttery exterior and soft melt in your mouth of a homemade croissant? In this hands-on workshop you will learn the technique of incorporating layers of butter into rich yeast dough to create the classic French croissant. Talented baker, Melissa Langenback will also explore with students the many sweet and savory fillings that can be used with this classic dough.
You will also learn a quick puff pastry recipe that can be ready in just hours with very little work. This is great dough for other pastries such as turnovers and palmiers.
6/18/11 – Sweet Doughs and Fillings (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Northampton, MA)
Sweet breads are a wonderful treat. With commercial yeast and the straight dough method, students will make a dough that is enriched with sugar and eggs and then transform it into decorative or filled loaves and cinnamon buns. Melissa will cover proper dough texture and how to shape and fill loaves.
Challah Bread – This sweet egg bread is extremely versatile and can be formed into many shapes. It makes excellent bread for French toast or bread pudding.
Cinnamon Buns – Using the same sweet dough from the challah we will fill it with butter, cinnamon, sugar, nuts and raisins to create gooey cinnamon buns, topped with a cream cheese and butter icing
Apricot Filled Pastries – We will use the same basic sweet dough, but add extra layers of butter to the dough. These tasty pastries can be prepared in advance and baked before serving.
6/4/11 – Croissants Workshop (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Northampton, MA)
Who can resist the crisp buttery exterior and soft melt in your mouth of a homemade croissant? In this hands-on workshop you will learn the technique of incorporating layers of butter into rich yeast dough to create the classic French croissant. Talented baker, Melissa Langenback will also explore with students the many sweet and savory fillings that can be used with this classic dough.
You will also learn a quick puff pastry recipe that can be ready in just hours with very little work. This is great dough for other pastries such as turnovers and palmiers.
5/21/11 – Sweet Doughs and Fillings (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Northampton, MA)
Sweet breads are a wonderful treat. With commercial yeast and the straight dough method, students will make a dough that is enriched with sugar and eggs and then transform it into decorative or filled loaves and cinnamon buns. Melissa will cover proper dough texture and how to shape and fill loaves.
Challah Bread – This sweet egg bread is extremely versatile and can be formed into many shapes. It makes excellent bread for French toast or bread pudding.
Cinnamon Buns – Using the same sweet dough from the challah we will fill it with butter, cinnamon, sugar, nuts and raisins to create gooey cinnamon buns, topped with a cream cheese and butter icing
Apricot Filled Pastries – We will use the same basic sweet dough, but add extra layers of butter to the dough. These tasty pastries can be prepared in advance and baked before serving.
5/7/11 – Croissants Workshop (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Northampton, MA)
Who can resist the crisp buttery exterior and soft melt in your mouth of a homemade croissant? In this hands-on workshop you will learn the technique of incorporating layers of butter into rich yeast dough to create the classic French croissant. Talented baker, Melissa Langenback will also explore with students the many sweet and savory fillings that can be used with this classic dough.
You will also learn a quick puff pastry recipe that can be ready in just hours with very little work. This is great dough for other pastries such as turnovers and palmiers.
4/6/11 – Flatbreads (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Northampton, MA)
These quick and easy breads utilize the straight dough method of kneading and preparing. We will discuss proper kneading, long-slow fermentation, and the use of seasonal ingredients to impart new flavor profiles to these breads.
Focaccia – A close cousin to the pizza, this bread is excellent served plain or lightly adorned with toppings. We will brush ours with a garlic oil and top with fresh herbs.
Pizza – This everyday dough has many variations, but I will show you a version that yields a crispy, yet chewy artisan crust.
Pita Bread – A classic bread that can be stuffed with sandwich fillings or dipped in hummus. I will show you how quickly and deliciously they can be baked at home.
3/9/11 – Sweet Doughs and Fillings (Different Drummer’s Kitchen Albany, NY)
Sweet breads are a wonderful treat. With commercial yeast and the straight dough method, students will make a dough that is enriched with sugar and eggs and then transform it into decorative or filled loaves and cinnamon buns. Melissa will cover proper dough texture and how to shape and fill loaves.
Challah Bread – This sweet egg bread is extremely versatile and can be formed into many shapes. It makes excellent bread for French toast or bread pudding.
Cinnamon Buns – Using the same sweet dough from the challah we will fill it with butter, cinnamon, sugar, nuts and raisins to create gooey cinnamon buns, topped with a cream cheese and butter icing
Apricot Filled Pastries – We will use the same basic sweet dough, but add extra layers of butter to the dough. These tasty pastries can be prepared in advance and baked before serving.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I took your breakfast class at different drummer, but couldn’t find my copy of the cream scone recipe, so I thought I would use your website.
They are cooking now, but your blueberry scone recipe has a typo. In the recipe it refers to adding chocolate, not blueberries.
If you want I am happy to be more specific about the typo, but it looks like a really easy fix from a cut and paste.
Your recipes have been fantastic!
Beth
Thanks Beth, I have made the correction. The recipe we did in class is the same as the blueberry scone recipe on my site, obviously with blueberries instead of the chocolate we did in class. Happy Baking!