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New Workshops: 2010
5-day Workshops
Baking with Ancient Grains
In addition to their appealing history, ancient grains are healthy, interesting, and (when used properly) wonderfully flavorful. As these grains must be treated differently than the flours we use regularly, we focus on techniques to achieve distinctive and gratifying flavors and textures in bread and pastry. A wide range of delicious breads and pastries will be covered, including artisan and pan breads as well as a variety of pastries, including cookies, pies, muffins, and puff. Ironically, our ancient grains workshop is essential for anyone who wants to be on the cutting edge of contemporary baking.
Gluten-free Bread and Pastry
Baking for specific dietary needs, including vegan, diabetic,
gluten-free, and sugar-free, is an area of the industry that is rapidly
advancing. In this course, we pay particular attention to ingredients
and techniques that produce delicious flavors with enjoyable textures.
Products covered include breads, pastries, and frozen desserts. Please note: SFBI is not a gluten-free environment. We have a small amount of flour in the air, which may harm people with allergies or gluten intolerance—do not register for this class if ambient flour may hurt you. People with relevant allergies or intolerance should not eat products made during this workshop, but should apply the knowledge learned to baking in a gluten-free environment.
Pastry Arts: Chocolate, Confections, and Petits Fours
This workshop focuses on the practice and application of tempering chocolate, the preparation of candies and confections, and the delicate process of making petits fours. Products covered include: hand-rolled, dipped, and molded chocolates; marshmallows; pâtes de fruits; brittle; and petits fours made of various creams, mousses, tuiles, and glazes with varying flavor and texture profiles. Thrill your customers and friends with exquisite pastries!
New! 2010 Weekend Workshops
This is the complete schedule for 2010. Check back soon for more details and descriptions.
1/16-1/17: Focus on Puff Pastry
2/6-2/7: Focus on Tarts
2/6-2/7: Baguettes at Home
2/20-2/21: Focus on French Macaroons
3/6-3/7: Sourdough Bread at Home
4/17-4/18: Baguettes at Home
5/15-5/16: Sourdough Bread at Home
6/26-6/27: Baguettes at Home
7/31-8/1: Sourdough Bread at Home
10/23-10/24: Plated Desserts at Home
10/23-10/24: Sourdough Bread at Home
11/13-11/14: Viennoiserie at Home
11/13-11/14: Holiday Pies and Tarts
12/4-12/5: Specialty Breads at Home
Focus on Puff Pastry
Never resort to store-bought puff pastry
again! During this workshop you will gain hands on experience with
classic puff pastry, inverted puff pastry, and blitz puff pastry. We
will explain the basic mixing procedures, lamination by hand versus
machine, storage, and proper use of each type of dough based on the
dough’s characteristics. You will also create and use an assortment of
fillings and garnishes. Products will range from the simple to sublime,
including Palmiers, Herbed Parmesan Straws, Salted Caramel
Millefeuille, and luxurious Brie en Croute.
Focus on Tarts
Explore the world of tarts as never before
during this weekend workshop. You will work your way through a wide
variety of tarts from classic to modern, savory to sweet. Learn how to
make and handle a number of tart doughs, different tart assembly
strategies, and elegant finishing techniques. Tarts will include
Rustic Crostata, Pear Bourdaloue, Salted Caramel and Chocolate, Sarawak
Pineapple, and Quiche Lorraine. After this class you will be able to
make tarts for any occasion–from a casual picnic to an exquisite
display in an immaculate bakery showcase.
Baguettes at Home
Learn how to bake baguettes at home! Explore the nuances of flavor and texture provided by various ingredients and techniques. This two-day workshop teaches the basics of mixing, fermenting, shaping, scoring, and baking baguettes. Every student will make at least 35 baguettes, including five of each of the following: short mix, improved mix, intensive mix, autolyse, sponge, poolish, and wheat germ. You will leave this workshop with bags of baguettes, recipes, and the ability to bake great bread for your family and friends.
Focus on French Macaroons (aka Parisian Macaron)
Discover the secrets of the sophisticated Parisian macaroon in this intensive two-day workshop! Learn macaroons based on both French and Italian meringues as well as valuable techniques such as macaronage, piping, and baking guidelines. A wide variety of fillings will be explored, including ganache, buttercream, and gelée. In addition to creating classic flavors such as Chocolate and Pistachio, prepare to experience unique flavors such as Meyer Lemon-Lavender, Guinness, and Eggnog. After this class you will understand ingredient functionality, be able to troubleshoot common problems, and make exceptionally delicious French macaroons.
Sourdough Bread at Home
Finally you can learn how to bake
good sourdough at home! Explore the nuances of flavor and texture
provided by various ingredients and techniques. This two-day workshop
teaches the basics of mixing, fermenting, shaping, scoring, and baking
sourdough. Every student will make at least 30 loaves of sourdough
bread, in a variety of styles. You will leave this workshop with bags
of sourdough, recipes, and the ability to bake great bread for your
family and friends. Be sure to plan a great dinner party (with soup) to
celebrate your newfound knowledge.
Viennoiserie at Home
Butter-woven sweet dough is spectacular!
Finally you can make delicious Croissant, Danish, Brioche, Cinnamon
Rolls, and Panettone for your family and friends! This short workshop
teaches the basics of yeasted breakfast pastries, including an overview
of lamination theory, mixing, shaping, proofing, and baking.
Specialty Breads at Home
Broaden your baking repertoire with
an exciting array of home-baked breads. Learn key techniques for mixing
with whole grain flour, preferments, and sourdough. Get a basic
understanding of shaping, proofing, and baking a variety of complex
breads, including Ciabatta, Pear Buckwheat, Challah, Finnish Rye, 100%
Whole Grain, 100% Whole Wheat Pan Bread, and the mother of all
breads—the Miche.
Plated Desserts at Home
From homespun favorites to those with
a modern twist, this weekend will cover a wide array of plated desserts
to suit everyone’s sweet tooth. Work with puff pastry, mousse, tuiles,
candied nuts, infused creams, and even the elusive soufflé. Learn the
fundamental concepts in creating original desserts, including
seasonality, balanced flavors, textures, and temperatures,
presentation, and planning ahead. Explore such dishes as No-Bake Chèvre
Cheesecake, Chocolate Mousse with Cherry Gelée and Sesame Tuiles, and
Classic Crème Brûlée Two Ways. After this class, you will dazzle your
dinner guests!
Holiday Pies and Tarts
Learn how to create an array of pies
and tarts – just in time for the holiday season. This course covers a
number of techniques to make classic pie crusts and tart shells.
Produce both traditional and contemporary fillings, from pumpkin purée
to pears poached in caramel. Practice preparing, rolling, baking,
filling, and finishing pie crusts and tart shells to make stunning and
delicious pastries for giving or serving.
SFBI IN THE NEWS
-- SFBI Featured in The New York Times Dining and Wine Section.
See the article: "Better Bread with Less Kneading."
-- Michel Suas will be demonstrating Baking with Whole Grains and Ancient Grains at the 2010 Healthy Baking Seminar in Anaheim, CA on March 11, 2010.
-- Read SFBI’s recent article in Modern Baking, “Modern Uses for Ancient Grains. Click here to see the article.
-- See Michel Suas in this Wall Street Journal video at the Coupe du Monde, discussing the "perfect baguette." Click here to see the video.
05/09 -- The San Francisco Baking Institute was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle in an article about French macaroons on 5/10/09. Click here to see the article.
05/09 -- Michel Suas was interviewed for the cooking blog Stir the Pots. Click here to see the article.
09/08 -- The San Francisco Baking Institute was featured in the San Francisco Chronicle on 9/24/08. Click here to see the article.
09/08 -- SFBI created a work of art to display at the Slow Food
Nation 08 - "Come to the Table" event, August 29-September 1.
See pictures of the "Slow Food Snail" here.
08/08 -- SFBI presented at the 2008 ACF (American Culinary Federation) National Convention. More than
2,000 chefs, cooks and foodservice professionals gathered in Las Vegas
to celebrate the culinary industry and achieve culinary excellence. See the presentation: Beautiful Bread: Create a Variety of Bread Shapes, here (under "Notable Presentations", toward the bottom of the page.)
04/08 -- The San Francisco Baking Institute is pleased to
announce the publication of our first book - Advanced Bread and Pastry: A Professional Approach
Advanced Bread and Pastry: A Professional Approach is a comprehensive guide to bread and pastry, designed as a resource for colleges and universities, private culinary schools, professionals, and dedicated enthusiasts. Balancing a respect for tradition with modern approaches to method and technique, Advanced Bread and Pastry unites appealing presentation and indispensable instruction. It is written to help today’s instructor and baker respond to the recent evolution of ingredients, products, and presentation in the baking industry. The recipes (called formulas) are based on a variety of classic methods and processes. With this strong foundation of knowledge, a baker or pastry chef can develop further skills, experiment with new ideas, and understand any formula.
Advanced Bread and Pastry: A Professional Approach
$60.00, plus $6.00 shipping and handling.
Please allow 5 days for processing, and 2 weeks for shipping. (You may also buy the book in person at the San Francisco Baking Institute.)
Credit cards and checks will be processed immediately prior to shipping.
Order a Limited Edition Today, signed by author, Michel Suas
Clean out your bookshelves. For any baker, at any level - from a home cook to the head chef of a four-star bakery - Michel Suas has written an incredible guide to baking that will be the only book you will need. Advanced Bread and Pastry is a revelation.
- Nancy Silverton, Co-owner and Pastry Chef, Campanile, Los Angeles; Founder and Consultant to La Brea Bakery, Los Angeles; Award-winning Cookbook Author
SFBI has put together a comprehensive and authoritative book covering all aspects of baking and pastry that have been taught for years at their acclaimed baking school - and at the level of excellence that is a trademark of their work.
- Elisabeth Prueitt, Co-owner, Tartine Bakery, San Francisco and Award-winning Cookbook Author
The San Francisco Baking Institute has been a leader in baking instruction in the United States since 1996. To have their curriculum in a textbook form is a great gift for the baking community. Advanced Bread and Pastry is a must-have for students and seasoned bakers alike.
- Craig Ponsford, Chairman of the Board, The Bread Bakers Guild of America; Member of Team USA 1996, winner of Baguette and Specialty Breads at the Coupe du Monde de la Boulangerie
Artisan bakers and pastry chefs, both avocational and vocational, finally have the comprehensive textbook that we have been waiting for. Illuminating all aspects of pastry, viennoiserie, and bread baking and written by the leading master bakers and teachers of our time, this book illuminates both the technology and science of these crafts, with every point clearly and simply explained. Unlike all other textbooks now available, this book focuses on artisan production, with a broad range of masterful formulas and the most up-to-date and accurate science focusing on solely artisan production. This book will be a must for students, teachers, bakers, and passionate home bakers.
- Maggie Glezer, Award-winning Author
I have read many good books on baking and this book is very special. It captures the essence of baking principles and advanced techniques exceptionally well! It is written in a straightforward language that is easy to understand without diluting the content. It speaks to the beginning baker as well as the advanced baking technologist and is supported by good graphs, sketches, and illustrations. Advanced Bread and Pastry portrays the wonderful combination of teaching and problem solving at its best. I recommend this book to anyone with a passion for baking.
- Volker Baumann, CMB (Certified Master Baker), CBS (Certified Bakery Specialist). Baking & Pastry Arts Instructor, SAIT Polytechnic, Calgary, Alberta
