Why Learn Baking?

Learning baking is highly popular among households and hobbyists alike. Baking is done by combining multiple ingredients found in most household kitchens such as flour, eggs, milk, sugar, and baking powder, to create tasty confections and treats. Baking has become even more popular since the pandemic because most families were at home and picked up new hobbies such as baking, to make homemade bread and cupcakes. Small bakeries and specialty shops sell baked goods, ingredients, and even kits for beginner bakers. 

Baking is beneficial because it provides a healthy outlet for self-expression and creativity. From selecting ingredients to designing and decorating treats, you have the freedom to explore and experiment with each creation. Baking also provides a sense of accomplishment, stress relief, and relaxation. Enhancing culinary skills and knowledge helps with understanding the numerous different techniques through baking homemade goods. 

What is Baking?

The history of baking can be traced back to ancient civilizations. The earliest evidence of baking comes from archaeological sites in ancient Egypt, with remnants of clay ovens still preserved within households. Ancient Egyptians used clay or stone ovens to bake bread and other homemade goods as part of their diet. Ancient Greece and Rome also developed a wide variety of loaves of bread, with loaf bread and flatbread made with olive oil and cheese. Romans furthered their baking horizons with the creation of large commercial bakeries and the development of more recipes. They also invented the first enclosed ovens, which allowed for more controlled baking.

During the Industrial Revolution, baking techniques continued to evolve with the invention of commercial bakeries and increased production capacity. Spices were introduced, leading to the creation of more diverse pastries and cakes. The invention of electric ovens in the 20th century became a major innovation in the baking industry. Baking competitions, cookbooks, and TV shows dedicated to baking further popularized the art. 

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In contemporary trends, baking has experienced a resurgence in popularity, with a focus on artisanal techniques and healthier ingredients for vegan and gluten-free diets. Decorative cake and cupcake designs have become more popular at social gatherings. The rise of social media platforms has shared their recipes and creations online, inspiring others to try their hand at baking. Today, baking has become a beloved culinary art form and an integral part of cultures. 

Benefits of Learning Baking?

Learning baking offers numerous benefits, from building relationships to making delicious creations and expressing creativity. Many baked goods are made from the comfort of your kitchen at home. More advanced design and decorating techniques are becoming more widely popular. Hobbyists and pastry chefs alike enjoy the benefits of learning baking techniques, from opening small businesses to connecting with local neighbors, friends, and family members to share their delicious creations. 

Baked home goods offer the benefits of better nutrition and wellness. Many specialized diets call for homemade loaves of bread for gluten-free, keto, and vegan diets. Homemade bread is also great for cost-saving, and there’s nothing like the taste of warm bread in the morning. Baking offers a wide array of treats such as muffins, bread, cakes, and bagels. Small specialty shops in villages and towns are also becoming widely popular. Homemade bagels are becoming more popular for eating breakfast and brunch at home. 

There are numerous benefits to learning baking such as for stress-relief, expressing personal creativity, and sharing with others. Many people have picked up baking as a hobby, leading to a sense of accomplishment and creativity while making delicious homemade baked goods. 

Expressing Creativity

Baking can help with expressing creativity and self-expression through homemade creations and delicious treats. Baking requires patience and diligence for measuring ingredients precisely, as well as following a recipe with detailed instructions. The opportunity to explore different flavors, textures, and decorations is a fun experiment. Baking allows you to create unique and personalized treats, showcasing your artistic abilities in the kitchen.

The time commitment involved in baking can vary depending on the recipe and technique, particularly when it comes to cake and cookie decorating. Advanced frosting and decorating techniques demand a significant amount of attention to detail, requiring considerable time and dedication. Techniques like piping and creating buttercream flowers, which are more advanced, necessitate additional time for learning and practice. Furthermore, different frosting recipes such as buttercream, chocolate, and cream cheese, possess distinct textures that call for a delicate touch and require careful handling. 

The Cookie Decorating workshop is a wonderful opportunity to try out different decorating techniques on butter cookies. Cookie decorating techniques offer a world of creative possibilities for transforming plain cookies into editable works of art. From simple designs to intricate details, cookie decorators employ various techniques to achieve stunning results. Piping allows decorators to add fine lines, intricate patterns, and designs. Other techniques such as marbling, stenciling, and airbrushing, offer unique ways to add texture, color variations, and depth to cookie designs. With practice and creativity, cookie decorators can bring their visions to life.

Decorating cakes also experiment with various mediums and techniques to add unique elements to their creations. Various techniques such as edible flowers, sugar sculptures, and handcrafted figurines, add creative flair to wedding and birthday cakes. Choosing different colors to reflect personal style and holidays is another way to express creativity when cake decorating.

Stress Relief and Mindfulness

Learning baking provides ample opportunities for practicing stress relief and mindfulness while creating delicious confections from the comfort of your own kitchen. Baking requires your full attention and concentration. As you measure and pick ingredients for your homemade baked goods, you become absorbed in the present moment. This focused attention redirects your thoughts away from stressors and promotes mindful meditation while measuring and mixing ingredients. 

Baking also engages multiple senses to focus on sight, touch, taste, and smell. Kneading dough, feeling textures, and smelling the aroma of freshly baked goods are wonderful for stress relief. According to psychologists, repeating the steps and mixing ingredients induces a meditative state, which is great for anxiety and depression. Engaging your senses in this way helps to ground you in the present moment and fosters a mindful connection to the baking process.

You can find stress relief in local and online baking classes through CourseHorse. The benefits of learning online and in-person with CourseHorse is the opportunity to learn from experienced pastry chefs and professional instructors with years of experience in the culinary industry. Taking classes also helps connect with classmates with similar interests in baking and creativity. CourseHorse also offers a wide variety of baking courses, from learning to make bagels, homemade bread, pizza, and doughnuts. 

Another workshop available online for the summer is the Summer Pie Workshop, taught by Home Cooking New York. The workshop offers the opportunity to learn the pie-baking process and combine the perfect temperature for making the crust. The workshop teaches making a double-crust summer fruit pie with an all-butter crust. Indulge in the delightful flavors of a refreshing fruit summer pie that embodies the essence of the season. The flaky, buttery crust provides the perfect foundation, giving way to a medley of luscious fruits. 

Life Skills Development

Learning baking equips you with valuable life skills. From mastering precise measurements and following instructions to managing time and multitasking, baking hones skills that are transferable to various areas of life. The baking process also nurtures patience, problem-solving, and attention to detail. Attention to detail and patience are also practical skills to hone when baking. Baking also sharpens mathematical skills through measuring and choosing ingredients.

Baking also requires patience and resilience while creating homemade goods from the comfort of your kitchen. Baking teaches patience while navigating through the step-by-step process of kneading dough and troubleshooting recipe mishaps. The ability to stay calm and troubleshoot is a valuable life skill beyond the kitchen. Baking with family and friends during the holidays helps teach young children a valuable culinary life skill.

Baking also demands precision and attention to detail. Measuring ingredients accurately, following recipe instructions precisely, and ensuring proper baking temperatures are essential for achieving consistent and successful results. Some pastries such as puff pastries, macarons, and croissants, require more delicacy and attention than others. High attention to temperature control regarding delicate pastries is essential for success.

When learning to bake, online courses are flexible and offer learning opportunities. The workshop French Macaron Step-by-Step Class offers an excellent and fun course focused on making beautiful and delicate French-style cookies. If you’ve had the opportunity to make them before, the course offers a fun chance to flavor the cookies inspired by the flavors of some of our favorite fruits such as strawberry, cherry, and lemon. The Good Food Project of Manhattan teaches the workshop, focused on teaching beginners baking basics and delicate techniques while working with these French pastries. 

Cost-effective and Health-conscious

Baking at home allows you to control the quality of ingredients and tailor recipes to your preferences. Many diets require gluten-free and vegan substitutions in the case of gluten intolerance. Basic baking staples such as flour, sugar, eggs, and butter are often more affordable in larger quantities, and they form the foundation of many baking recipes. Local grocery stores often have deals on buying baking ingredients in bulk, especially during holidays and summer sales. Buying ingredients in bulk and selecting economical options like Aldi and Costco can significantly reduce your baking costs.

Learning to bake empowers you to make conscious choices about ingredients, allowing for healthier substitutions and portion control. You can opt for whole wheat or alternative flour to reduce blood sugar spikes and tailor to specific diets such as keto and gluten-free diets. By baking at home, you can also have more control over the amount of sugar, salt, and other additives that go into your creations, enabling you to customize recipes to align with your dietary preferences and health goals.

Baking can also be incorporated into meal planning, helping to reduce food waste and save money. Leftover ingredients or ripe fruits can be repurposed into muffins, bread, or desserts, eliminating the need to discard unused items. Planning your baking endeavors alongside your meal plans allows you to make the most of your ingredients, minimize waste and stretch your food budget further. Additionally, baking in batches, freezing individual portions, and storing them for later consumption can save money by providing convenient homemade alternatives to store-bought treats and desserts. 

How to Start Learning Baking

Learning baking is possible both online and in-person with CourseHorse. Baking classes are taught online through video conferencing platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Booking courses for large groups is also possible and great for team-building. In-person courses provide all needed materials and equipment, while online courses encourage you to utilize your kitchen at home. Experienced instructors and pastry chefs teach classes both online and in-person in your area. 

Attending classes in-person is a great way to network with fellow bakers and instructors. Online courses are also a wonderful option to learn baking through live online interactive classes through Zoom or Microsoft Teams. An upcoming workshop taught by the Food Craft is Cookie Decorating. The workshop costs $850 per person and lasts a full day. The course covers decorating delicious fresh butter cookies for holidays like the Lunar New Year, Valentine’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, and Easter. The price of the course covers the cost of supplies and ingredients. 

Another online course offered is the Chocolate Truffles workshop taught by Food Craft. The workshop is a full day and costs $750 per person. The menu includes honey fig truffles, Oreo coconut truffles, cinnamon coconut truffles, and no-bake truffles. The cost of the course is for a group of 10 people and includes the cost of ingredients such as dried figs, honey, cinnamon powder, coconut milk, Oreo crumbs, sprinkles, and snacks. Create your own delicious truffles from the comfort of your kitchen. 

Indulge in the delightful art of doughnut-making with the Virtual Jelly Doughnut Making Workshop, available through CourseHorse. This interactive online class offers participants the unique opportunity to master the intricacies of creating these sweet treats from the comfort of their own kitchen. Guided by experienced instructors, attendees will learn the step-by-step process of crafting the perfect dough, filling it with delicious jelly, and achieving the ideal fry. By the end of the session, participants will have not only a batch of mouth-watering jelly doughnuts to savor but also the skills to recreate this classic dessert whenever the craving strikes. Perfect for both novices and seasoned bakers, this workshop promises a blend of fun, learning, and indulgence.

Quench your thirst for learning and flavor in the Virtual Brown Sugar Bubble Tea Workshop, presented by CourseHorse. This engaging online experience beckons enthusiasts to dive into the world of the ever-popular bubble tea, specifically focusing on the rich and aromatic brown sugar variant. Participants, under the guidance of a skilled instructor, will be taken on a journey exploring the nuances of brewing the perfect tea base, concocting the signature brown sugar syrup, and preparing the chewy tapioca pearls to perfection. By the workshop's end, students will have the knowledge and confidence to whip up their own refreshing glass of brown sugar bubble tea, capturing the authentic taste and texture that make this beverage a global favorite. It's an invitation to both novices and enthusiasts to immerse themselves in the delightful art of bubble tea making.

Key Takeaways

• Baking is a delightful activity to learn with friends, neighbors, family, and friends. It’s also great for learning baking to cater for family events. It’s a highly popular hobby that is great for creativity and health.
• Learning baking has many benefits such as life skills, understanding nutrition, and eliminating salt and sugar from diets. 
• There are both in-person and online courses available for learning baking. Online courses provide ingredients and the needed items for baking.
• Online courses are great for flexibility and learning many different recipes for baking.
• You can contact CourseHorse directly through their website to book online group events and private meetings.