In this class, students will learn how to make beautiful flowers, elegant borders, and get an introduction to working with royal icing and gumpaste. You will learn how to work with color design, make a gumpaste button flower and pansy, royal icing flowers (which is an icing that creates hard-drying, long-lasting decorations) including the Rose, Rosebud, Apple Blossom, Primrose, Daffodil, Lily and the Violet. Borders covered include the reverse shell, the basketweave . You will also learn how to balance a cake design, such as creating clusters and sprays. The course concludes with you creating your own masterpiece!PRE REQUESITE: Course 1. Click HERE to see recent samples of Course 2 cakes completed by students.
COURSE 3: Gumpaste and Fondant
In this class, students will learn how to work with fondant and gumpaste to make beautiful flowers and designs and embelishments for your cakes. You will learn how to make a bow, cover a cake board with fondant, elements of fondant cake design, create geometric designs using fondant cut-outs, overlays and inlays. You will also learn how to make fancy borders such as the rope, eyelet ruffle and ball border. Flowers you will learn include the Mum, Carnation, Calla Lily, Rosebud, Rose, Carnation, Calyxes and Leaves, The course concludes with you creating your own masterpiece! PRE REQUESITE: Course 1. Click HERE to see recent samples of Course 3 cakes completed by students
COURSE 1: Decorating Basics
Discover cake decorating with this first introductory class. Here you will learn the fundamentals, and see how easy and rewarding it is to decorate wonderful cakes and desserts. All the basics are covered including: how to use cake decorating equipment, how to level, fill and ice a cake, how to make icing, making colors, pattern transferring a picture onto a cake, writing on a cake, figure piping, basic borders such as the star & shell and making flowers such as the drop flower, swirl flower, rosette, pompom flower, shaggy mum, ribbon rose, and leaf. The course concludes with you creating your own masterpiece! Click HERE to see recent samples of Course 1 cakes completed by students
Basic Chocolate Candy Making
In this class, students will learn how to work with chocolate. Techniques include using materials, molding, painting colors, mix ins, lollipops, etc. It is designed for the beginner who wants to learn how to use basic equipment and be successful at making beautiful chocolate favors, gifts and create delicious chocolate treats.
From time to time I offer classes on making a doll using the Wilton Wondermold doll pan.
PRICING SEMINAR
Setting a price structure is one of the most difficult parts of any business. As with real estate, the price of cakes varies widely by location and is largely determined by your local market. Finding the right price point requires research of your competitors' prices, and a solid understanding of your own costs.
As artists, it is hard to know what value to place on our work. We don't want to sell ourselves and our talents short, but neither do we want to shock our customers with high prices, leave them feeling like they paid too much, or even worse - have a customer argue with us about the price of our cake. In this Seminar I will address some of the most frequently asked and common questions, including:
Pricing issues – How do I charge? Am I charging too much or too little? Per serving?
Grocery Store/discount chain stores vs. me - How do I compete with their cheap prices?
Charging more for wedding cakes vs. party cakes?
Charging for friends and family?
Cost of ingredients and time – how to calculate and figure in?
How much do others pay for cakes in my vicinity or geographical area?
COURSE 4: Gumpaste Flowers - COMING FEB 2012
In this class, students will learn how to work with gumpaste to make beautiful flowers and and fancy floral sprays. Lessons include: gum paste fundamentals, wiring flowers, forget me not blossom flowers, gerbera daisy, sweet peas, ivy leaves, stargazer lily, briar rose, stephanotis, calyxes for all flowers, and finishing touches, such as using petal and luster dusts to create realistic flowers! Please note, this course does NOT involve baking a cake...it is strictly gumpaste flowers and design only!
Click HERE to see samples of some of the flowers completed by students
PRE REQUESITE: Course 1 and it is strongly suggested you complete Course 3.
WILTON BASIC COURSES
SPECIALITY COURSES (non-Wilton)
FUNDAMENTALS OF BAKING
Are you ready to move from box cake mixes to homemade scratch baking? Are you a current scratch baker but frustrated with constantly getting the wrong results? Do you love baking and want to learn the "basics" to getting started successfully? If you have answered yes to any of these questions, this seminar is for you!
This class will provide a basic knowledge of the "Fundamentals of Baking" which will include purpose of ingredients, mixing techniques, baking methods, and measurements/calculating how to increase or decrease batter. Also some important tips and tricks on getting the right results you want vs. some you may have gotten and not been satisfied with.
Recipes for the class will include: Apple Crumb, Molten Chocolate Lava Cake, Basic White Birthday Cake, and Carrot Cake or Red Velvet Cake
This class will give you a complete understanding of baking from every aspect and is sure to guarantee an improvement in your skills and results.
ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Kim Gallagher is currently attending Johnson & Wales University as a Senior studying Baking & Pastry Arts/ Food Service Management. She has earned her associates degree in Pastry Arts and is working towards her Bachelors. Over the years has completed a range of courses from Classical French Desserts to Baking Science and even Sugar Artistry. This past year she developed and successfully ran an after school baking program at a middle school that she volunteered at. She always enjoys the opportunity to teach people about Pastry Arts.
