Many people find baking a stress-releasing and fun activity. Something about mixing flour, eggs, and sugar almost feels like child’s play, and seeing how these ingredients combined transform into a scrumptious cupcake or a chewy cookie is satisfying.

Indeed, baking has recently risen in popularity especially during the pandemic when lockdowns forced many people to stay at home and find something to do to keep themselves busy.

The pandemic also saw many professionals who lost their brick and mortar jobs turn baking from a hobby into a home-based business. Baking courses in Singapore became popular, and government support enabled people to reskill or upskill on baking.

To the uninitiated, baking can be intimidating. How does flour turn to batter and batter turn to cake? What does it take to make bread rise? What is the difference between baking soda and baking powder, and what happens if you don’t follow the exact measurements for these ingredients?

If you are asking these questions yourself, then taking up baking courses in Singapore might help you demystify baking, understand foundational principles, and apply techniques to make your attempt at baking a sweet success.

Choosing the right baking course and school in Singapore is an important decision to make, and there are a few things to consider. Here are some of them:

Things to consider when choosing a baking course in Singapore

The class culture

People signing up for a baking class in Singapore might think that the most important consideration when deciding which school to sign up for is how qualified the instructors are.

While this bears weight, at Palate Sensations Culinary School, qualified and highly experienced instructors are a given. Beyond that, we foster a class culture that is supportive, fun, and exciting.

Our instructors have the necessary experience not just in baking, but in teaching baking classes. While it is ideal for the instructors to have received formal training in pastry arts, their experience working at a bakery, restaurant or running their own café counts just as much. The more experienced the instructor, the better equipped they will be not just to teach you how to bake, but how to have fun baking.

The course content

Another key factor when choosing a baking class in Singapore is the quality of content.

Are you looking for baking classes for beginners? Do you want an introduction to basic baking techniques? Or do you want a more advanced course that focuses on cake decorating?

Consider writing up a baking course checklist before you enroll, then find a course that offers exactly what you need.

Recipes are also important in considering a baking class. Unlike cooking, baking requires exact measurements for the ingredients, temperature, and time to bake. There are also aspects of baking that only an experienced instructor would know about.

For example, if you are using a gas oven, what do the numbers on the dial mean in terms of temperature? Is it best to use a gas or an electric oven? How do you achieve cookies that are crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy on the inside? What is the role of a cooling rack and why is it important to aerate baked goods?

All these are details that an experienced pastry chef could answer.

When you enroll in a baking class, create a list of your burning baking questions for the instructor.

Baking is a very practical, hands-on experience. To learn to bake is to do, and not just read from a book or a recipe or watch Youtube. Make sure your chosen school provides you with ample opportunities to practice what you conceptually learn.

Costs and materials                                                                                         

Another important factor is cost - both for tuition fees and materials (or the ingredients). Some courses may include all materials included in the course fees; others might require students to buy them separately at additional cost or to bring ingredients from home. Make sure you know what's included before signing up!

At Palate Sensations Culinary School, course fees for baking and culinary classes are inclusive of all materials. All you need to do is to sign up and show up in class!

Popular Baking Courses in Singapore

There is an endless list of popular baking courses in Singapore. At Palate Sensations Culinary School, our pastry instructor Phyllis Lim will teach the wonderful art of bread making, cake and cake decorating, chocolate tempering, festive bakes, and all sorts of wonderful plated Western desserts.

Learn to make modern soft local breads, sourdough bread, buttery croissants, or even unconventional breads using grains like rye, buckwheat, and whole meal wheat flour.

Learn to bake gluten-free cakes for special occasions, red velvet frosted sponge cake, and yes, even celebration cakes for Easter, Christmas and birthdays.

The benefits are limitless to learning how to bake, and it all starts with taking the right baking course for you.

Conclusion

Choosing the right baking course requires some research and planning. Make sure to choose your baking class based on the culinary and baking school’s experience, and ask your friends for recommendations. Word of mouth is so important for managing expectations.

Factor in your location, cost, and the flexibility of schedules so you can take your baking classes during the weekends (if you’re working weekdays) or in the evenings after work. Get ready to start learning how to bake like a pro! With these tips in mind, you can be confident in choosing the right baking class for yourself or for someone else.

Palate Sensations Culinary School has over 18 years of experience bridging the gap between home gourmands and professional chefs. We have helped thousands of individuals learn to bake as a hobby or enhance their professional qualifications. Our participants have successfully furthered their studies professionally or landed roles in the F&B sector, opened their own restaurants and cafes, or lovingly cooked and baked for their families and friends.

Sign up for our baking class today!

By: Ping Manongdo