Faculty Syllabus

PSTR-1301 Fundamentals of Baking


Ellen Sternau


Credit Spring 2026


Section(s)

PSTR-1301-003 (18299)
LEC Th 9:00am - 10:40am HLC HLC2 1302

LAB Th 10:50am - 2:10pm HLC HLC2 1302

Course Requirements

COURSE DESCRIPTION: Fundamentals of baking including dough, quick breads, pies, cakes, cookies, tarts, and doughnuts. Instruction in flours, fillings, and ingredients. Topics include baking terminology, tool and equipment use, formula conversions, functions of ingredients, and the evaluation of baked products.


Readings

Professional Baking: Edition: 7th Publisher: Wiley:ISBN: 978-1-119-14844-9 Optional - The Pastry Chef’sCompanion Edition: 9 th Publisher: Wiley: ISBN: 97804700095


Course Subjects

 

Week

Date

Class

Lecture

Assigned Reading 

Lab Recipes

Week 1

Thurs.

1/22

Basic Principles

Introduction, Course Outline, Kitchen Tour,

Product ID

None

Recipes for next week will be assigned

Week 2

Thurs.

1/29

Basic Mixing Methods – Quick Breads

Learn basic mixing methods (creaming, biscuit, muffin) and chemical leaveners.

Chapter 4: 

Ingredients (pp. 53-90) 

 

Chapter 10: 

Mixing Methods

(pp. 211-216)

Creaming Method:

Date Nut Bread

(½ recipe) p.223

Sub pecan nuts

 

Pumpkin Muffins

(½ recipe) p.225

 

Double Chocolate Muffins 

(½ recipe) p.226

 

Almond Poppy Seed Muffins 

(½ recipe) p.224 

 

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (Lemon Variation)

(½ recipe) p.224 

 

Orange Blackberry Muffins (Almond Poppy recipe omit poppy seeds and almond extract. Add zest of 1 orange and 1.5-2 cups blackberries)

(½ recipe) p. 224

 

Muffin Method: 

Zucchini Carrot Nut Muffins (½ recipe)

Recipe in Black Board

 

Lemon Blueberry Muffins (Plain Muffin variation)

¼  recipe) p. 218

 

Bran Muffins (Plain Muffin variation)

(1/4 recipe) p. 218

 

Bran Muffins with Raisins (Plain Muffin variation)

(1/4 recipe) p. 218

 

Banana Bread Recipe in Black Board

 

Morning Glory Muffins

Recipe in Black Board

Week 3

Thurs.

2/5

Scones, Biscuits, and Pie Dough

Learn rolling pie dough, storage, and differences between creaming and biscuit methods.

Chapter 13:

Pie Doughs 

(pp. 280-282) 

Rolling Out Pie Dough

(p. 285) 

Types of Doughs 

(p. 312)

Biscuit Method: 

Scones 

(½ recipe) p. 221

Use ½ milk & ½ cream

Pie Dough (U.S. Measure)

(Full recipe)  p. 283

Pate Sucre 

(full recipe)

Recipe in Black Board

 

These will be prepared and saved for pie/tart week.

Week 4

Thurs

2/12

Cookies and Brownies

 

Quiz #1

 

Homework #1 due next week. Definition words in Black Board.

Types of cookies, mixing methods, cookie textures, and dough storage.

Chapter 18:

Cookies (pp. 475-484)

Spritz Cookies 

(½ recipe) p. 495

Use 3oz. Butter and 4oz. Bread flour

 

Earl Grey Tea Cookies 

(Recipe in Black Board)

 

Brownies

(Recipe in Black Board)

Week 5

Thurs. 2/19

Foaming and Hi-ratio Methods 



 

Homework #1

Due 

(Definitions)

Learn foaming methods, whipped cream stages, and cake types

Chapter 12:

Basic Foams, Whipped Cream & Meringues 

(pp. 255-259) 

 

Chapter 16:

Angel Food Cake 

(p. 382)

Two-Stage Method

(p. 378)

Angel Food Cake

(½ recipe) p. 403

Swiss Roll 

(½ recipe) p. 402

Whipped cream

(Chef demo)

 

Yellow Cake

(Recipe in Black Board)




 

Week 6

Thurs. 

2/26

Custards & Creams

 

Quiz #2

Stirred vs. baked custards, uses, storage, and shelf life

Chapter 19: 

Custards (pp. 511-515)

Custard Sauces (p. 260)

Crème Brûlée

(½ recipe) p. 517

(Use fresh egg yolks and a cinnamon stick)

 

Crème Anglaise

(½ recipe) p. 261

Use ½ milk & ½ cream (fresh yolks)

Week 7

Thurs. 3/5

Pâte à Choux & Pastry Cream

Types of pâte à choux and puff pastry, piping techniques

Chapter 14:

Eclair Paste 

(pp. 329-330)

Pâte à Choux

(Full recipe) p. 330

 

Pastry Cream 

(½ recipe) p. 263

 

Practice piping for eclairs, cream puffs.

Week 8

Thurs. 3/12

Midterm Exam

Presentations

Students present projects, followed by midterm. (Midterm taken in ACCelerator)

None

 

Thurs.

3/19

Spring Break 

No Class

   

Week 9

Thurs. 

3/26

Pies, Tarts & Quiche 

Handling, rolling, and shaping dough for pies and tarts, pie finishes.

Chapter 13: 

Pies

(pp. 284-291) 

 

Chapter 15:

Rolling out tart shells 

(p. 351)

Fresh Fruit Tart

p. 352 for procedure

 

Apple Pie with Streusel Topping 

(Full recipe per person) p. 294 - 

Use Old Fashioned Method p.295

 

Quiche Lorraine

(Recipe in Black Board)

Week 10

Thurs. 

4/2

Lean Doughs

 

Quiz #3

Yeast types, mixing methods, storing dough

Chapter 5: 

Basic Baking Principles

(pp. 93-101) 

 

Chapter 6: 

Understanding Yeast Dough 

(pp. 117-125)

Italian Bread

(Full recipe) p. 127

 

Bagels 

(Full recipe) p. 136

Week 11

Thurs. 4/9

Enriched Breads

 

Homework #2 due next week. Definition words in Black Board.

Differences between puff/croissant/danish dough and enriched vs. laminated dough

Chapter 9:

Rich Yeast Doughs 

(pp. 181-183) 

Laminated Doughs 

(pp. 188-189)

Rich Sweet Dough

(Full recipe)  p. 184

Milk Bread

(Full recipe) p. 132

Week 12

Thurs.

4/16

Field Trip to Central Market & Whole Foods Market

 

2nd Assignment due!

 

None

Write a 1-page paper on the field trip (due the following week)

Week 13

Thurs. 

4/23

Phyllo & Puff Dough/ Leek Tart

 

Field trip papers due

Handling puff pastry and phyllo dough

None

Turnovers

p. 322 for method

 

Palmiers 

p. 326 for method

 

Phyllo Apple Strudel

(½ recipe for filling)

p. 339 

p. 338 for assembly method

 

Leek and Mushroom Tart

(Recipe in Black Board)

Week 14

Thurs. 4/30

Cake Decorating

 

Quiz #4

   

Swiss Meringue

(Recipe in Black Board) per student

Week 15

Thurs.

5/7

Practical Exam

Students will demonstrate learned techniques

Study for Final Exam

Practical exam: Students will work individually

Week 16

Thurs.5/14

Kitchen Cleaning & Final Exam

Final Exam will be given in person

None

Clean kitchen

 


Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

·   Identify and explain baking terms, ingredients, equipment, and tools

·   Scale and measure ingredients; convert and cost recipes

·   Safely operate baking equipment and tools

·   Prepare yeast products,quick breads,pies,tarts,cookies, various cakes,icings,and demonstrate decorating techniques

·   Produce commercially acceptable baked products 

LEARNING OUTCOMES

Upon completion of this course students will be able to:

●   Describe properties and functions of the basic ingredients used in baked goods

●   Weigh and measure ingredients used in baking

●   Resize recipes to meet production needs and equipment capacities

●   Prepare typical American chemically leavened products.

●   Scale, mix, proof and bake yeast raised goods.

●   Prepare cookies using various common dividing and panning techniques; American home style crumb topped and two crust pies; high ratio, chiffon cakes and genoise; product finishes such as washes, glazes, icings, frostings and fillings.

●   Demonstrate proper storage techniques for all baking products.

 


Office Hours

M Th 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM HLC Building 2000 Rm 1317.04

NOTE Friday - 8am-9am or by appointment

Published: 01/15/2026 12:44:34