What you'll learn

  • 👩‍🍳 Boost your baking confidence to create delicious pastries with ease! 🎂
  • 🍴 Master the use of essential baking equipment like a pro! 🥄
  • 📜 Learn to read and execute recipes flawlessly for perfect results every time! 🍰
  • 🥢 Gain a deep understanding of ingredients and master the art of cooking measurements! 🧑‍🍳

Course Content

Introduction

3 lectures
Welcome to Home Baking Made Simple
Baking Basics : Equipment

For most of the recipes included in this course I use a stand-mixer.  However, when I first began baking I had neither a stand-mixer nor a hand blender.  Everything was done by hand back then, and everything on this course can be done by hand (although when it comes to whipping meringue or royal icing these requires some serious muscle power).  If you don't have a spatula, use a spoon.  If you don't have a cup measure then use a tea cup (not a mug).  There are ways around most things and your batter is not going to tell you off if you use a wooden spoon instead of a paddle attachment on a stand mixer.

Baking Basics : Ingredients

Remember:  Use the best and freshest ingredients you can afford.  At all times when baking I do prefer to use butter rather than margerine.  It makes a distinct difference to the taste and texture of baked goods.

Beginner Baking - easy, quick bakes

2 lectures
Tea Scones

Super quick, super easy - sweet or savoury - breakfast or tea.  These could not be simpler.

Butterless Blueberry Muffins

Easy and butter-free.  You can substitute the yoghurt (full cream or double-cream) with buttermilk.  Add strawberries instead of blueberries or chopped up apple and a touch of cinnamon.  Super delicious fruity muffins.

Comfort food baking - scrumptious bakes to feed the soul

6 lectures
Killer brownies

Simple baking chocolate works in these gooey brownies.  You do not need top of the range 99%, super-expensive chocolate, but use dark chocolate rather than milk chocolate.  Add some toasted nuts or cherries to give them some extra appeal.

Sumptuous Cinnamon Rolls

Sticky and delicious, these cinnamon rolls are a delight to make and eat.  Sprinkle some chocolate chips, or chopped roasted nuts, toffee bits or raisins and sultanas over the dough before rolling it up to give your cinnamon rolls an extra - haha - twist.

Cinnamon Roll Topping - Vanilla Glaze

This is a quick and simple glaze with a multitude of uses, e.g. pour over cakes, petit-fours, doughnuts, tea breads etc.  Different flavourings and colours can be added, to your own personal tastes and wishes.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

A snack cupboard staple - scrumptious!

Sugar Cookies

These cookies are crisp and addictive.  They are huge fun to bake and decorate and, if stored in an airtight container, remain fresh for up to two weeks (not that they will not have disappeared long before that).  These can be stacked and stored and make amazing gifts for holidays and celebrations if iced and packaged nicely.

Sugar Cookies - Royal icing

Easier than you think.  This icing dries fast and dries hard.  Remember at all times to cover your icing with clingfilm when you are not using it, to prevent it drying out.  Any excess icing can be stored in the fridge.  After a few days storage it may separate and you will need to give it a short whip with a whisk before using it.  You can make the most amazing decorations with this and it is pretty addictive fun.  There are recipes on Pinterest for the meringue powder version of this icing, but I prefer the old fashioned way of making it with eggs and I think it tastes better.

Something a little different

2 lectures
Lemon Meringue Pie - Base

This streusel-like base is very quick and easy to make.  I like to add little bits of citrus peel to the mix because I think it adds some superior flavour, but of course it is not entirely necessary.  Please try to use butter rather than margerine for this recipe as it really does make a huge difference to the flavour.  This base can be used for many pies or crumbles and can be filled with chocolate mousse, apple pie filling (sprinkle some of the streusel over the top), berry pie filling .... The list is only limited by your imagination.

Lemon Meringue Pie - Filling and baking

As a baker I am guilty of one small bakerish-type sin ... I am not a fan of cake.  There I said it.  But, I am a huge fan of pies and this is one of my favourites.  It is fabulous no matter the time of the year.  It is fresh and light in Summer and comforting in Winter.  The main difficulty with this pie is letting it cool completely before you cut into it.  So tempting.

Breads - so much easier than you think

2 lectures
White sandwich bread

Baking bread is therapeutic.  It's very easy, when you are in a rush, to throw the mix into the mixer and let it do all the kneading for you.  However, if you are feeling low, frustrated or even in a temper making bread by hand is the best therapy.  If you have the time or inclination, then try kneading by hand.  It is tremendously satisfying.

Aniseed Rye Bread

This is my "healing" bread.  I cannot describe the amazing smell and taste of this bread.  I have made hundreds of these loaves and I love it more each time I make it.  

Something More Challenging

5 lectures
Chocolate Decadence - Chocolate Cake

This one takes a bit more time, but is worth the effort.  I have included a mirror glaze as an extra, but you can stop at the buttercream and the cake would still be yummy.  The order of the lectures is :  Mixing and baking the cake, making the buttercream and then, if you are going to do the glaze, put the cake in the fridge to chill while you assemble the glaze (Part 3).  The cake must be properly cool before you put any buttercream near it or the icing will simply melt and soak into your cake.  Also the buttercream frosted cake must be properly fridge chilled before you pour over the glaze.  It looks complex, but is very easy.  I have not trimmed and neatened the cake and I have only half iced the cake with buttercream to show you the difference between having a crumb layer and not.  

Buttercream Frosting - Chocolate Cake Part 2

Before adding buttercream icing, make sure the cake is cooled properly.  If you want a perfect shape then using a sharp knife, trip the rough edges off, then layer by layer you will spread the buttercream on your cake.  The first layer is known as a crumb layer (to seal in the crumbs).  Once you have done this then chill the cake in the fridge for five minutes.  Now you can add your second layer and so on.  If you happy with your buttercream as your final frosting, add some flourishes, decorations, sprinkles, edible flowers, etc and enjoy.  If you want to give the mirror glaze a go, then move on to the next lecture once you have finished the buttercream layer.

Chocolate Mirror Glaze - Chocolate Cake Part 3

Easy, peasy and it really makes a glossy, fabulous looking cake.

The Final Touches - Chocolate Cake Part 4

How to add the glaze to your cake and time to add the finishing touches.

Before you go - a final word

Description

🍰 Ready to transform your home baking skills without breaking the bank or requiring any prior experience? Look no further! This course is perfect for aspiring bakers who wish to build confidence in their baking abilities.

Our easy-to-follow recipes are designed to be both quick and cost-effective. We provide a downloadable recipe and a comprehensive video tutorial for each lesson, ensuring a step-by-step learning experience that will have you baking like a pro in no time! 🥐

In this course, you'll master:

  • ✨ Decadent brownies
  • ✨ Delightful cinnamon rolls
  • ✨ Homemade bread
  • ✨ Classic lemon-meringue pie 🍋🥧

Begin your baking journey and discover how to create delicious desserts and treats right in your own kitchen. With each bake, you'll find yourself becoming more confident and skilled! 👩‍🍳👨‍🍳

👨‍⚕️ Who this course is for: 👩‍⚕️

  • 🏠 Homemakers
  • 🍽️ Beginner cooks and bakers
  • ❤️ Food lovers seeking to improve their baking skills

Course Reviews

  • 😐 Meltem Oktay
    3
  • 😀 Kim
    5
  • 😀 Marti Drost
    5
  • 😀 Lorraine Phillips
    5

    Lovely experience! I am definitely going to try most, if not all, the recipes :)

  • 😀 Yashdeep
    5
  • 😀 M Sunil Jaiswal
    4

    Good and easy to follow instructions. The mixture being mixed is not visible in the stand mixer to understand the consistency needed while mixing. The camera to focus inside the stand mixer bowl for us to see the mixing part in all the sessions.

  • 🙁 Kaustub Vinod
    1.5
  • 😀 Priyanka Biswas
    5

    Yes, Of Course, the course was beneficial for me as a Homebaker. I would love to go ahead with something related to eggless baking courses.

  • 😀 Yashmita Sudhir
    5
  • 😀 Emma Joy Lee-Goh En
    4
  • 😀 Raghavendra Y K
    5
  • 😀 Manpreet Kaur
    5
  • 😀 Tessa
    4.5
  • 😐 Alfred Spiteri
    3
  • 😀 Kay Gibbs
    5

    explains well, really enjoyed the course

  • 😀 Brandon Shoupe
    5
  • 😀 Gnr
    3.5
  • 😀 Kati Short
    5
  • 😀 Patricia Myers
    5

    Great class...very easy to follow

  • 😀 Malcolm Dewey
    5