Got your croissant and Danish doughs down pat? Layer on some new skills (pun intended!) with master pastry chef Colette Christian as she walks you through a range of advanced laminated dough techniques. Discover how to use whole-grain flours, starters and preferments to develop rich flavor in your pastries. Along the way, you'll learn to make Kouign Amann, the beloved Breton pastry, as well as savory croissants and old-fashioned coffee cakes, plus experiment with creative variations and fillings. With Colette's step-by-step guidance, you'll soon achieve French pastry perfection!
Advanced Flaky French Pastries
Layer on some new pastry skills with master pastry chef Colette Christian as she walks you through a range of advanced laminated dough techniques.
Trailer
01: Kouign Amann
Meet baking master Colette Christian and begin with an introduction to kouign amann, a round crusty cake. Then follow along as Colette shows you how to mix the dough, incorporate the butter and bake this beloved Breton pastry to flaky perfection. After that, experiment with various fillings such as jam and lemon curd.
32 min
02: Whole Wheat Croissant Dough
Add a rich nutty flavor, and some extra nutrients, to your croissants by incorporating whole grains into the dough. See how to mix and shape whole-wheat croissant dough using a pre-ferment to make a mouthwatering pizza margherita croissant.
34 min
03: Tasty Croissant Variations
Once you've mastered the basic whole-wheat croissant dough, mix it up (pun intended) with some fun variations! Colette shares her list of flavoring suggestions, including candied orange peel, black pepper and more, then shows you how to add them to your dough and butter block.
7 min
04: Danish Pastry Coffee Cakes
Learn how to make a Danish coffee cake dough using a biga pre-ferment, which adds a slightly sweet and acidic flavor. See how to fill your cake and shape it three different ways: ladder, maple ring and Russian twist. Then proof, bake and garnish to finish it off.
32 min
05: Inverted Puff Pastry
Ready for a challenge? In this lesson, tackle an inverted puff pastry dough with butter on the outside! First form the exterior butter block, then make, incorporate and laminate the interior dough. Plus, find out how to shape delicious "conversation" tartlets.
26 min
06: Butter Basics
As a pastry baker, have you ever wondered: Sweet cream or cultured butter? Salted or unsalted? Does it really matter? In this bonus lesson, Colette has your answers.
2 min
07: Bicolored Croissants
You've got the recipes and techniques down; now add a little flair to your baking toolkit with two-toned croissants. This visual tutorial will show you how to make them.
2 min
Overview Course No. 70140
About
Colette Christian is a graduate of the New England Culinary Institute. In 2004 she began teaching at Le Cordon Bleu in Pasadena, California, and now offers classes throughout the U.S. She has extensive training in baking and pastry and is a certified executive pastry chef as well as a certified executive chef through the American Culinary Federation.
