Access At CVUHS

The exquisite éclair. The classic profiterole. The addictive gougère. All of these famous French snacks have something in common; they’re made from choux pastry. The strange, gummy dough resulting from water, flour and eggs mixed together and cooked twice creates a wonderfully airy and crunchy casing begging to be filled with chocolate, pastry cream, cheese or anything the heart desires. These wonders of the pastry art can seem as daunting as building a croquembouche, but with practice and the right technique, delicious crunchy treats are only an oven away. Learn how to perfect your choux dough and assemble classic pastries, how to use craquelin to make your creations even crunchier, and practice famous fillings such as crème légèar, beurre au chocolate, and of course cheese. Join us for an evening of choux pastry delight and bring home the joys of a French Patisserie to your own home kitchen. This is a participatory cooking class. A small group of 3-4 students will work together at each cooking station to complete the recipes on the night's menu. "Jacob is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and good with cooks of all skill levels. He really exemplifies what CVU Access courses are all about!"

Soufflé is a delicious treat rarely seen in kitchens these days, relegated to the dessert menus of fancy french restaurants. Few if anybody still makes them in their home kitchen. They are considered a dish best avoided, seen as too finicky, too time consuming, and too hard to make. A dish lost to time, still suffering from the stigma of bygone years. Yet these difficult delectables still have the sophistication to impress, and with the right knowledge and equipment, soufflés become quick and easy to make. Come and learn the art and science behind how to turn simple eggs into an elegant dinner. You'll learn about stabilizing egg foam, the soufflé base, and you'll practice making both sweet and savory soufflés, before getting to try the finished product. Use the skills you learn to impress family and friends next time you host dinner. This is a participatory cooking class. A small group of 3-4 students will work together at each cooking station to complete the recipes on the night's menu. "Jacob is knowledgeable, enthusiastic, and good with cooks of all skill levels. He really exemplifies what CVU Access courses are all about!"