According to the Oxford Dictionary, the word “advanced” is defined as “far on, or ahead in development or progress” and with much the same expectation, students on the ICA 3-year diploma course entered the ICA Pâtisserie training kitchen. They were to start a voyage of discovery into the world of Advanced Pâtisserie, raising the bar to meet skills that will ensure success in an ever-changing and highly competitive industry.

The broader spectrum of Advanced Pâtisserie includes mastering the delicate task of kneading, proving, and shaping perfect laminated yeast dough and sweet yeast artisan products like croissants, brioche a tête, pain de Champagne and beautiful Danish pastries, to name but a few. With each practical demonstration, the recipes would differ, but the formula inevitably stayed the same – persistence, precision and patience would ultimately lead to true perfection. As sculptors with clay, or artists with paintbrushes, each student used both their tools and their sound theory to build layer upon layer of first and second year knowledge with a tad of experience and flair, to produce pâtisserie masterpieces.

Students are eagerly awaiting their next advanced practical block where they will explore a world where sugar has a vocabulary, and chocolate has a temperament.