Christmas Patisserie

Recipes learnt & taken home with you

• Black Forest layered delice, with layers of chocolate sponge, cherry compote, chocolate mousse and decorated with tempered chocolate shards & chocolate cherries. A showstopping dessert for you to take home & freeze.  (Mini chocolate cherry loaf cakes made with the additional sponge cake mixture).
• Spiced Plum, Mincemeat and Almond Tart, a crowd pleasing and delicious tart packed with flavour & techniques
• Rum & Raisin Chocolate Truffles, rolled in spiced coco powder
• Mont blanc kisses – mini coco meringues sandwiched together with a chestnut cream served with a chestnut cream for dessert on the day or chocolate mousse

These recipes are designed to give you some bakes that you can take home & enjoy immediately or pop in the freezer and enjoy over the Christmas period with friends and family.   The Christmas courses with Will are always a fun day to get you into the Christmas spirit.  Lunch will be provided during the day, and you will have time to stop & enjoy the surroundings in our dining room. It will be the perfect opportunity to share your favourite cooking experiences & baking fails.

Techniques learnt

• How to make a multi layered sponge cake with compote & mousse layers and give this a professional finish
• How to make a chocolate mousse
• How to make a large tart, frangipane & delicious spiced fruit
• How to make meringues
• Making handmade truffles
• Presentation techniques for beautiful bakes

The aim of the day is for you to go home with some delicious bakes that will become your Christmas classics.

Your chef tutor

Chef for the day is Will Torrent, one of UK’s most well known pastry chefs in the UK, who trained under Heston Blumenthal. After gaining a first degree honours, Will went on to win a range of awards, including World Skills UK Outstanding Achievement Award & the first Medallion of Excellence for a British Pastry Chef.

Alongside Will’s achievements, he has featured on a variety of TV programmes, including This Morning & Sunday brunch. Will also has three absolutely fabulous books, of which contain a huge manor of recipes. In each of Will’s book, the importance of baking at home is huge, which makes him the perfect person to teach this course.

About your day

Our cookery courses take place on the Catton Hall Estate. On the picturesque Derbyshire and Staffordshire border, we are only minutes from the A38. We also have plenty of free parking.

You’ll have the support of our “kitchen fairies” who’ll ensure you have everything you need. We’ll provide an apron for the day, and all the equipment and ingredients.

Our Patisserie courses run from 9:30am to 5pm. Join the team for early morning refreshments from 9:15am.

Book your place

If you’ve ever dreamed of creating your own patisserie, this course is perfect. Will’s eye for detail will encourage you to push your baking boundaries. You will go away feeling confident to recreate the recipes over and over again. Gift vouchers are available for this course, treat yourself or your friends to a fun filled & educational day.

We look forward to baking with you.