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Sweet Baking for the Holidays with Michael Kalanty
November 17, 2023 @ 12:00 pm - 4:30 pm
Rich with butter, doused with sugar, and sometimes studded with dried fruits, nuts, or chocolate, Sweet Doughs are no strangers to holiday celebrations and big Sunday breakfasts with guests. They have the most tender crumb of all yeasted breads. They’re easy to bite and deliver a melting texture on the palate.
But sweet doughs can pose some challenges for the baker. Honey and sugar weaken the gluten structure. Butter further relaxes the protein network, making the doughs difficult to handle and shape.
Here’s a hands-in dough experience where you’ll learn the bench skills and professional dough make-up techniques to guarantee a successful crumb with uniform cell structure, tender bite, and satisfying taste balance.
What You’ll Make
Babka: Named for the quintessential Eastern European grandmother, this swirled bread is more like a coffeecake. It’s filled with sweetness, love and in this case, apples and mascarpone cheese.
Chocolate Panettone: Not the sourdough original from Italy, but a winning stand-in I learned in Brasil where it’s filled with chunks of dark chocolate.
Philly Sticky Buns: The Amish classic goes light and airy with optional raisins and nuts, but always lots of Goo.
Health & Safety Protocol
Incidents of Covid-19 are currently on the rise, and we would like to encourage everyone to take an abundance of caution in regards to exposure of any communicable disease or illness.
Although masks and proof of vaccination are not currently required to participate in any courses at the Artisan Baking Center, masks are encouraged for any participants who wish to use them in order to stop the spread of infectious illness. Please stay home if you’re experiencing any symptoms of illness. Email us at [email protected] if this occurs to speak with a class coordinator.
The Artisan Baking Center and Keith Giusto Bakery Supply are subject to the current COVID-19 Health Orders and Guidance as set forth by the County of Sonoma in regards to face covering requirements or proof of vaccination. If there are any changes in this policy, all students will be notified immediately.
Instructor Bio
Michael Kalanty is a professional bread baking instructor. He’s written baking curriculums for culinary schools across the country, in Italy and in Brasil. His textbooks have won awards like “Best Bread Book in the World”® at the Gourmand Cookbook Awards in Paris and have been translated into Portuguese. When he was the Director of Boulangerie for the Le Cordon Bleu schools in North America, he was awarded “Best Instructor of the Year”.
His breads won TWO first place awards at the Tiptree World Bread Awards at the International Bakery Expo in Las Vegas recently. You can find him teaching online at The Great Courses.com and Craftsy.com.
Categories: Baking Class, Beginner, Bread, Chocolate, Cooking Class, Demonstration, No Experience Necessary