The Everyday Gourmet: Baking Pastries and Desserts

Understand several basic techniques and methods you can then expand on to make a wide range of unforgettable desserts. Here, focus on organizing your workspace, methods for proper measuring, and ways to cream butter, sugar, and eggs to the right consistency. Then, watch as Chef Durfee makes cookies and pound cake and shows you what can go right-and what can go wrong as well.

Regardless of what cake you’re making, they all revolve around several basic mixing methods. What are they? And what are their secrets? Chef Durfee takes you step-by-step through baking a rich devil’s food cake and several egg foam cakes (a chiffon cake and an angel food cake), the latter of which helps demonstrate the right-and wrong-way to whip eggs and cool your cakes.

Learn everything you need to know about flaky dough, which can be intimidating even for an experienced baker. First, gain confidence in making a pie crust by learning how to mold it with your hands or pastry tools, how to blind-bake it, and even how to make an latticed top. Then, explore some of the secrets to making tender, flaky biscuits and beautifully golden-brown scones.

Cream-puff pastry is unique in that it’s a twice-cooked pastry dough. In this lesson, master the art of baking and experimenting with puff pastry and use it to create some unbelievably decadent desserts. Among these: chocolate éclairs, cream puffs, and deep-fried Mexican churros. Along the way, you’ll also get tips on making pastry cream, chocolate ganache, and caramel topping.

Vanilla-infused crème anglaise. Butterscotch pudding. Crème brulée (complete with a blowtorched sugar topping). Learn tips and tricks to wowing your dinner guests with these delectable egg-based custards, all the while strengthening your confidence in the sometimes tricky art of baking with eggs on the stovetop or in the oven.

Whip your more advanced baking skills and techniques into shape in this final lesson devoted to light and luscious mousses and creams. After learning how to make your own whipped cream, chocolate mousse, dessert sauces, and vanilla bean panna cotta, you’ll watch Chef Durfee as he demonstrates the best ways to unmold, plate, and present your desserts with flair and your own unique touch.