Associate Degree in Baking and Pastry: Course Curriculum

Baking and Pastry Associate's Degree Course Curriculum

Associate's degree programs in baking and pastry prepare students for entry- or mid-level positions as pastry sous chefs at restaurants, hotels, country clubs and professional catering services. Programs generally take two years to complete, although some are shorter. Students learn techniques for creating pastries, breads, cakes, confections and other desserts along with food safety, nutrition and kitchen management. Following is a description of typical course curriculum for an associate's degree program in baking and pastry:

• Basic Mathematics: Students use basic math principles for solving business problems as well as for measurement conversions and estimates, recipe scaling and costing.
• Baking Equipment: Courses provide hands-on experience and instruction with the tools and equipment used in the industry.
• Food Safety and Sanitation: Sanitary practices, food contamination issues and workplace safety standards are covered.
• Breads and Rolls: Students learn to mix, shape, bake and store different types of breads.
• Pastry Techniques: Blending, foaming and creaming are discussed, as are various other techniques for creating pastries, sauces and fillings.
• Cookies and Tarts: Students learn to make different types of dough and batters and techniques for creating various types of cookies and tarts.
• Cakes: Mixing batters and baking cakes are covered as well as decorating basic and special occasion cakes.
• Candies and Chocolates: Students learn to work with candy fillings, including jellies, marzipan and ganache, as well as techniques for creating confections by hand or with special equipment.
• Nutrition and Menu Development: Basic concepts of nutrition and how that affects menu development are covered.
• Kitchen Management: Students discover basic management concepts, such as conflict resolution and problem solving. They also learn foodservice management issues, including cost control and purchasing.