Surprise surprise, I took a few lessons in baking! Well, everyone who knows me knew that I'm not culinary inclined, that I can only do a few simple dishes, and never shown any interest in baking. Actually, I always have this "plan" in my head that, one day when I retire, I will invest in an oven and learn simple baking. I want to bake my own stuff that has all the usual ingredients (such as butter, egg, flour, pandan, chocolate) minus one key ingredient - sugar. See, I like the texture (flour), the smell (butter), the rich taste (egg, milk), of pastries (cakes, breads, pies), except the excessive sweetness.
Anyway, I signed up for one class at Phoon Huat. It cost $55 per session, and the output were one cake and 2 large bread. They have classes everyday; each week one kind of cake and bread. I paired up with an experienced baker, else I would have been totally lost. There's a girl at my table, whose only sec 3. She told us that baking is her interest, that it's her second time learning at Phoon Huat, and that her parents paid for the class. For simple baking, she learn from Youtube. It was a good experience, and the aunty (my partner) encouraged us (the inexperienced ones) to learn at CC.
I searched the PA courses, and found a 4 week bread course at Bukit Panjang CC that was suitable for me. My interest is more in bread than cake.
The 4 week course only cost $60-$70. There was less hand-on for each individual, but everyone still got to participate/try out.
Other than the few basic fundamental in baking, these are 2 things I learnt about baking:
(1) Baking is about practice and experience. Even if we follow the exact measurements in the instruction, the length of time needed to beat the ingredients to a smooth dough are different everytime, depending on the state/condition of the ingredients.
(2) Can't cut out sugar totally. It's not only for the sweetness, it also makes the bread soft.
One day, maybe a long time from now, I shall put my learning into use! Looking forward!
Anyway, I signed up for one class at Phoon Huat. It cost $55 per session, and the output were one cake and 2 large bread. They have classes everyday; each week one kind of cake and bread. I paired up with an experienced baker, else I would have been totally lost. There's a girl at my table, whose only sec 3. She told us that baking is her interest, that it's her second time learning at Phoon Huat, and that her parents paid for the class. For simple baking, she learn from Youtube. It was a good experience, and the aunty (my partner) encouraged us (the inexperienced ones) to learn at CC.
I searched the PA courses, and found a 4 week bread course at Bukit Panjang CC that was suitable for me. My interest is more in bread than cake.
The 4 week course only cost $60-$70. There was less hand-on for each individual, but everyone still got to participate/try out.
Other than the few basic fundamental in baking, these are 2 things I learnt about baking:
(1) Baking is about practice and experience. Even if we follow the exact measurements in the instruction, the length of time needed to beat the ingredients to a smooth dough are different everytime, depending on the state/condition of the ingredients.
(2) Can't cut out sugar totally. It's not only for the sweetness, it also makes the bread soft.
One day, maybe a long time from now, I shall put my learning into use! Looking forward!
