Dear pingkanpd

Thank you for your review. We appreciate that you have taken time to contact us and all opinions are helpful to us. We are pleased that you felt that the course was productive in that not a minute was wasted as we try hard to ensure that that happens. I will attempt to respond to the points that you raise one by one and address each of the issues in an attempt to clarify the reason for you feeling that the course fell short of your expectation.

At Cookery School the aim is for our student to leave us having learnt as much as is possible about each of the topics that they cover so that they can replicate recipes at home on their own with ease. To this end we use teachers that are trained by Cookery School and are good at what they do and that there is plenty of time to learn and to ask questions.

Each class has a running order schedule to ensure that we cover all that we promise to do and our teachers use this a basis for every class. Because we cover so much in each session it allows students to learn rapidly about a particular topic so that they can go home to practise it and to hone the skills that they have picked up at Cookery School. As each individual class is packed with recipes to be made, some of it has to be by demonstration and all recipes with essential cooking skills fall into this category and everyone makes these individually. Sometimes in demonstrating a particular dish, the teacher will ask the class to assist. In the case of the course that you attended, because it was a small group, everyone assisted a good deal in preparing the various dishes for baking.

You are correct that a few of the breads were higher baked in parts than others but definitely not burnt. However none of them were inedible and everyone that tasted the darker left overs from the class enjoyed them.

The quiche fillings of fried onion, veg and the milk and egg mix were prepared in advance as was the chicken filling. By doing this we are able to spend time on the main topic of the class i.e. the pastry and not spend time on making the filling, where you simply mix together the ingredients. The tricky part of a quiche is the pastry and knowing when the filling is cooked so we spent time on these to make the most of the time available. As you rightly say, everyone is told how these are made and recipes are given for all fillings so that they can be easily made at home. Things like meringues and profiterole were made communally with the mixture being demonstrated and everyone either piping or dropping the mix off a spoon onto a tray.

I have spoken at length to the teacher of the class and I popped into some of the classes to see what was being made and whenever I did, everyone was very busy cooking. Because the group was a small one, even on those recipes that would normally simply be demonstrated, the teacher shared the making with the students.

At the end of each day, everyone took home all that they had baked. These items were baked by the students and not by the teacher. However on the cake baking day, everyone had a choice of 2 cakes to bake with one of them being an essential Victoria sponge - and the teacher had made a few cakes in advance for everyone to taste as these were ones that merely required quick mixing and were not technique heavy as were some of those made in the class. Anything that is made in advance – and these are few and far between – is very carefully explained so that everyone understands what is involved in the making. Throughout the demonstrations, you are encouraged to ask questions and you pick up plenty of tips and tricks, many of which you then put into practice during the hands-on sessions - something you would not get from watching a YouTube video. In your case, as the class was so small (just four people) the teacher was able to give virtually undivided attention to each of you and you could experience most of the baking first hand.

All students made the macarons themselves but some of them were more highly coloured than recommended by the teacher. We believe that one of the strongest ways of learning is to learn by mistakes. The teacher explained what pitfalls had been encountered and why some of the macarons were a wee bit softer than desired. Armed with knowledge of how to correct small errors, the next time you make macarons, they ought to be much better.

Your comments are baffling us because you – and the rest of the class – hugged and kissed the teacher and told him that it was the best course ever. Some of the class members said that they would be returning to do further courses. You had four days of time within which there was ample opportunity to express any concerns that you may have had.

For clear communication, I am giving below the contents of each class and would be grateful if you could let us know more precisely where we fell short as this would be useful in future planning if this is the case.

Despite all that you say, we do hope that you left us learning more than you think that you did and will find that as you practise, much of what you did at Cookery School will come flooding back and the results of your baking will be good.

This is the content that was covered over the four day course :

You will learn to make:
Session 1 : Cakes
• Victoria sponge cake
• Lemon cake
• Devil’s food cake
• Olive oil & sauternes cake
• Honey & spice cupcakes
• Carrot cake
• Basic sponge
• Gluten free orange cake
• Chocolate ganache and a variety of icings

Session 2: Shortcrust and choux pastry
In this session you will learn to make and use shortcrust, sweet shortcrust (pate sucree) and choux pastry. At the end of the session you will eat what you have made and take home a quiche or apple pie.
You will learn to make:
• Shortcrust pastry
• Sweet shortcrust pastry (pate sucree)
• Choux pastry
• Cornish pasties
• Quiche
• Chicken and mushroom pie
• Fruit tart
• Apple pie
• Profiteroles & eclairs

Session 3: Puff Pastry
You will learn to make and use puff pastry. At the end of the lesson you will take home the pastry you have made to use it at your leisure.
You will learn to make:
• Provençal seasonal tart
• Sausage rolls using organic British chicken sausage
• Parmesan cheese straws
• Palmiers

Session 4: Quick bread and yeast breads
In this session you will learn to make quick breads and yeasted breads. You will sit down to eat the pizza you make at the end of the session and take home the dough that you have made in the class to bake at home.
You will learn to make:
• Cinnamon buns
• Cornbread
• Granary cob
• Wholemeal loaf
• Flat bread
• Focaccia
• Pizza
• A traditional plaited chollah
• Cinnamon buns
• Cornbread
• Granary cob
• Wholemeal loaf
• Flat bread
• Focaccia
• Pizza
• A traditional plaited chollah

Session 5: French breakfast pastries
Learn traditional techniques for two classic dough recipes – croissants and brioche, using delicious organic butter. These two techniques can take years to perfect but are both very versatile doughs that can be extended to a number of recipes. You will take home the croissant dough that you make in class to use at home at your leisure.
You will learn to make:
• Croissants
• Pain au chocolat
• Pain aux raisins
• Brioche

Session 6: Scones, pancakes, waffles and muffins
Learn how to whip up wonderful breakfasts or teas using our foolproof recipes. In addition you will learn a few flavoured butter recipes to enhance these dishes.
You will learn to make :
• Plain muffins
• Plain scones
• Cheese and herb scones
• Banana muffins
• Apple spice muffins
• Plain pancake (crepe)
• Griddle cake (American pancake)
• Waffles

Session 7: Meringues and macarons
Understand your egg whites and make delicate meringues and macarons. This session is devoted to teaching you how to make perfect meringues and macarons and a variety of fillings for them. You will take away a small box of professional looking macarons.
You will learn how to make:
• Mini piped meringues
• Meringues to be used in a Mont Blanc
• Chocolate macarons with a ganache filling
• Other macarons of choice with a butter cream filling
Session 8: Cake decorating
In this class you will learn how to make a perfect butter icing and learn how to pipe to perfection. You will take home a box of beautifully decorated cupcakes.
You will learn how to:
• Make a perfect butter icing
• Ice and decorate cupcakes professionally
• Use a piping bag and pipe different shapes onto cupcakes
• Use fondant, colour it, cover and smooth a cake and decorate it.
• Slice cakes evenly across

Best wishes
Rosalind

Dear SPL201

Thank you for the lovely review! We are always pleased when even experienced cooks take away new skills and when people go home and practise what they have made in class. We'll be sure to pass on your feedback to Stefan too and we look forward to welcoming you back in the future.

Best wishes,
The team at Cookery School