Cake Decorating: Back to Basics

When people think of classes that are offered at the International Sugar Art Collection, “Chef Nicholas Lodge” and “professional level” are probably the first words that pop into their heads.  I am here to tell you that yes, Chef Nicholas Lodge teaches most of our classes (of course!), and yes, many of our students are professional cake decorators. However, Chef Nicholas is not our only in house trained pastry chef and not all our classes are aimed at professional decorators! Nope. Who, you ask, is our other pastry chef?

That would be Gretchen! Gretchen works as a customer service specialist in our gallery most days, but she graduated from Johnson & Wales University with a Baking & Pastry Arts degree! Gretchen has worked in pastry kitchens at the Kiawah Island Resort, Ritz-Carlton Atlanta, and Chateau Elan.

Chef Gretchen offers loads of fun classes at ISAC in Studio B, including our popular Ladies Night Out, Spring Flowers, and Fall Fun (taught with ISAC co-worker Molly) cupcake decorating classes!  These classes are for all skill levels, even those who have never decorated any type of delicious dessert before! In fact, if you have never decorated a cake, cupcake, or cookie we have the perfect class for you: Buttercream Bootcamp!  In this class students will learn the basics of how to make and properly use buttercream icing. Chef Gretchen will teach students how to prepare a cooked buttercream icing and a ganache, and demonstrate how to properly apply buttercream to cakes and cupcakes for a flawless finish!  Students will get hands on experience when they pipe the cooked buttercream, ganache, and an American style buttercream onto individual cupcakes. This class is great for not only beginners, but also for the cake decorator who would like to expand beyond simple American Style buttercream. 

If you are a pro with buttercream, but would like to learn more about using fondant in your delicious decorating, Chef Gretchen has a class for that too! In A Taste of Fondant will introduce students to several different brands of fondant that we carry in our retail gallery. Students will be able to sample the taste, texture, and feel of each brand and learn the proper technique for covering a cake in fondant. This class is a wonderful opportunity to familiarize yourself with fondant. 

Both of these classes are two hours long and are being offered on Saturday August 2, 2014. Buttercream Bootcamp will be held in the morning from 9:30-11:30 am, and A Taste of Fondant will be in the afternoon from 12:30-2:30pm. These classes would make a great Ladies Day Out, or a wonderful gift for someone who is interested in learning cake decorating skills. If you have been wanting to take a class with us, but haven’t been sure where to begin, these two classes are your answer!  As always, all supplies needed to participate are included- you just need to show up on time! We take care of the rest!

Sign up for one or sign up for both and make a day out of it! Click the class names (above) to register online, or call us at 1-800-622-8925! 

Sweetly yours, 

Stephanie

PS- If you like caramel apples Chef Gretchen is currently working on a class for late September and early October! Make sure you are subscribed so I can share class updates with you!

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