Discover the Best Dessert Classes in Los Angeles
When was the last time you indulged in a satisfying dessert? What if you could make your favorites and enjoy them at home whenever you want?
People have enjoyed sweets basically forever, although they’ve gotten notably sweeter over the years. Desserts used to be mostly nuts, fruits, grains, and the like versus the sugary creations we think of today. Technically speaking, any sweets eaten after a meal are considered desserts, which leaves much room for interpretation. They can be seasonal, cultural, or simply a way to try new recipes with flavors you enjoy.
The professionals who specialize in dessert making are called pâtissiers or pastry chefs. They go through formal training and often travel all over the world to gain a wide understanding of the often delicate processes for making desserts. Even if you aren’t looking for a new career, dessert making can be a rewarding hobby. There are plenty of places to learn and enthusiasts to connect with along your dessert making journey.
Why You Should Learn Dessert Making in Los Angeles
Are you looking for a new hobby? Or maybe a way to burn off stress from a busy day in the office? Dessert making could be just what you’re looking for. It’s one of those hobbies that feels good because it’s productive but also enjoyable. If you take in-person or online courses, there’s the potential to connect with a whole new community of fellow dessert connoisseurs. It’s never a bad idea to make a new friend, right?
Dessert making could also give you a new way to show appreciation to family and friends. After all, baking someone’s favorite sweet treat shows that you care and you listen when they share their thoughts with you. It’s a way to give back to the people you love.
There are many benefits to dessert making as a hobby, but there could also be the potential to create a “side hustle” if you find you love what you’re learning. Almost 40% of Americans have a side hustle, so you’d be in good company.
If you’re interested in learning about professional training and organizations in the dessert making industry, consider looking into the Pastry & Baking Arts Program at the Institute of Culinary Education, Professional Baking at Los Angeles Mission College, and the Baking Professional Program at Los Angeles Trade-Technical College. Some professional organizations that may interest you are the American Society of Baking (which offers learning opportunities of its own) and the Home Baking Association.
If you like to give back to the community, you might enjoy volunteering your newly acquired dessert making skills to organizations like For Goodness Cakes. Their flagship location in Los Angeles provides cakes to kids in LA County who otherwise wouldn’t have one. Bake Back America began during the pandemic to serve first responders, essential workers, and those in need with baked goods prepared by volunteers. They’ve delivered baked goods to nursing homes, shelters, fire stations, and more.
In-Person Dessert Classes in Los Angeles
On the West Coast, there are plenty of options for dessert making, especially near Los Angeles. Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom offers Decadent Desserts in their West Los Angeles kitchen. The course includes dessert favorites such as chocolate banana cream tarts, apple pie, and pumpkin pie. A delicious dessert begins with the perfect crust, which Chef Eric will show you how to make during class.
Chef Eric’s Culinary Classroom also offers Heavenly Cupcakes. This class is for people who want to learn how to bake, frost, and fill the ideal cupcake. You’ll experiment with flavors like coconut cream cake with Swiss meringue frosting and red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting. Chef Eric will guide you through how to mix flavors and make flavored fillings and frostings. After class, you’ll have bakery-level recipes to experiment with when making your own heavenly cupcakes.
A little outside the city in Glendora, Cakery by Syd hosts fun cake classes like Love Dad Fondant Tire Cake. During this class, you’ll learn how to make lifelike cakes and properly cover them with fondant. You’ll also work on airbrushing, which allows you to create texture on the smooth fondant.
If you’re more interested in flowers, you might enjoy Gum Paste Dahlia on Ruched Fondant, also by Cakery by Syd. Working with gum paste, you’ll discover how to craft delicate, edible flower petals and paint them. The chef will also show you how to create a ruching effect in your fondant to add a little elegance to any cake you might want to decorate.
Virtual Dessert Classes
If you can’t locate an in-person class about what you want to learn, or you’d simply rather be comfortable in your own spaces, there are plenty of virtual classes you can take. When you choose to learn online, there’s likely to be more options, you can attend from anywhere, and you won’t have to worry about being late because of traffic.
While you may have to provide your own materials and/or equipment, virtual classes make learning accessible to many people who may not otherwise be able to attend. Looking for online dessert classes? Try searching on CourseHorse. There’s a category for cooking, and an option to filter specifically for dessert making classes.
One fun course to consider is Candy Making: Truffles & Brittle. During class you’ll learn to craft brittle with delicious mix-ins of your choice and dark chocolate truffles. After registering, you’ll receive many primary ingredients in the mail - items like hazelnuts and cocoa powder. Some necessary supplies you’ll need to have on hand are sugar, salt, baking powder, and cookie or baking sheets.
If you like making your desserts beautiful, you might enjoy Food Craft’s Cookie Decorating course where you’ll learn foundational cookie decorating techniques. Cinnamon sugar palmiers and chocolate glaze are also on the tasty agenda. Before class, you’ll receive your supplies, including round cookies, icing, and other ingredients you’ll need during the workshop. You’ll just need to provide scissors and paper towels.
Private Group Dessert Classes in Los Angeles
Do you want to schedule a dessert making class as a fun event for your business or organization? Maybe you’re leading a birthday celebration or team-building exercise for your department. CourseHorse has many private group dessert making classes for Los Angeles businesses.
During Candy Making: Truffles & Brittle, your group will learn the ins and outs of creating delectable dark chocolate truffles and brittle with everyone’s favorite mix-ins. The class can accommodate up to 250 people, which means there will be goodies for everyone to share and enjoy together. CourseHorse ships most of the main ingredients to each participant, but you’ll need to provide some basic baking ingredients like sugar, salt, and mixing bowls.
The Virtual Ice Cream Making Workshop could be your organization’s next favorite activity to bond over. The chef will guide the group step-by-step on how to make traditional sweet cream ice cream. You’ll also learn the popular New York Times recipe for ginger ice cream. When you get done with the workshop, you’ll know the basics for making your own ice cream at home.
Before the course, each participant receives an ice cream making kit shipped directly to their address.. The kit includes ginger syrup, crystallized ginger, cookies, and bags. Up to 100 people can take the class at one time, and the only ingredients participants will need to bring is their own milk or cream, sugar, and ice.
Booking a group through CourseHorse has many benefits, including being able to customize the workshop (for a $150 fee). There are no booking fees, and you’ll receive confirmation for your group within 24 hours of signing up.
There is a group minimum of ten people; however, if you don’t have a final headcount for your group, you can still sign up. You’ll select the minimum number of attendees, and you can update the roster when you know how many people will be there for sure.
CourseHorse recommends using Zoom for the video platform, but it can support others like Microsoft Teams and WebEx as well.
Interested in how private groups work? Have additional questions? Reach out to CourseHorse via the contact form on their website to get answers to your questions or schedule a demo.
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