We start with the basics, as well as the fundamental techniques to create a myriad of imaginative desserts. To succeed in the world of pastry, it's essential to learn and practice the basic preparations. That's why I will teach you how to prepare shortcrust pastry, sponge cake with the right softness and baking, and biscuit to create delicious rolls to be filled in a thousand different ways. And then, there’s almond frangipane and pâte à choux to showcase creamy and colorful petits fours... But it doesn’t end here...

In the "Basic Creams" course of the Pastry Academy, we will delve into the heart of pastry making through its fundamental and versatile preparations. From the classic Custard Cream, sweet and velvety, to the refined Crème Anglaise, each lesson is designed to provide a solid understanding of both the theory and practice behind these essential pastry creams. We will then move on to Ganache, a rich and chocolaty preparation, and Namelaka, for those seeking an incredibly creamy and smooth consistency. Bavarian Creams introduce us to the world of light and airy creams, ideal for a sophisticated dessert. Insights into Butter Cream, perfect for filling and decorating, and Mousseline, a more refined and delicate variant, will not be missed. Mousses, in their lightness and versatility, will be explored in all their possible variations. Semifreddos and Pâte à Bombe, or Semifreddo Base, conclude the course by introducing techniques for creating cold desserts that maintain a perfect consistency even at low temperatures. This course will not only equip students with the necessary skills to execute these preparations perfectly but will also offer the ability to innovate and personalize each recipe according to one's taste and creativity. Join us to discover the fascinating world of pastry creams and elevate them to new heights of excellence.

Who hasn't ever filled a cake with Chantilly cream? Well, if you haven't yet, now is the time to start! We'll begin right here, with Italian Chantilly cream, examining its balance, the importance of the level of whipping of the cream - the real star of this preparation, and then move on to making a light cream, on how to best manage gelatin to give it an excellent cutting consistency. We'll discuss blancmange in all its variations and uses, how Chiboust creams are excellent for making caramelized creams, and further, all the characteristics of cooked creams. We'll open a window onto crunchies, from hot to cold, onto creamy fruit and chocolate: white, milk, and dark. We'll arrive at glazes divided into: glazing ganache and extra shiny glazes, flavor enhancers, to end with the category of marzipan and almond paste, their distinction mainly lies in cooking, preservation, and their use in various recipes. I believe that should suffice, or rather, no, we're just at the 3rd course!

We dedicate the fourth course to creamy cakes, ranging from the classics to the more creative ones. We will reinterpret classics with surprising and sometimes Caribbean pairings. We will apply everything we have learned in the basic courses, learning how to assemble, decorate, and glaze a cake. There are many preparations we will face, from jellies to aspic and many others. We will see how to flavor and prepare creamy cut cakes mounted in frames and then shaped into smaller cakes or transformed into individual portions. But above all, we will understand that in pastry, sequences and organization are fundamental to reducing time. In short, you will see that there are many cakes we will prepare on this journey, different in shapes and flavors, but above all, there are many opportunities to learn, improve, and why not, also to give space to your creativity!

In the fifth course of the pastry academy, we enter the world of baked cakes. Respecting leavening times and understanding the importance of baking are fundamental for a recipe's success. There are many recipes for cakes that are always fragrant and tempting, from orange cake to the emulsified version of plum cake, from cremino ring cake to angel cake, a classic of American tradition, and from Caprese cake to the classic grandmother's apple cake. Traditional cakes but with a creative touch in the execution technique or with a more modern and unique look. Garnishing, filling, decorating, and especially how to store them, which molds to use, this and much more will be found in this course. There are many cakes and many techniques for making them. And in the realm of baked cakes, special attention could not be missed towards egg-free products for those who, due to food intolerance or choice, cannot enjoy them.

Miniature pastry is the subject of this sixth course, small jewels of pastry, tiny yet incredibly delicious. Tartlets, cream puffs, jam bites, yoyos, mini bonets, macarons are some of the delights we'll create with preparations like pâte à choux, craquelin dough, shortcrust pastry, and also dacquoise and biscuit. The detail makes the difference, obsessiveness, care, precision, and attention to detail become necessarily meticulous because any mistake is immediately visible, but with the right tools and advice from a master like Luca Montersino, even miniature pastry becomes simple. Achieving perfection in a single bite will be our goal!

A course on a great classic of pastry, "the tart," could not be missing; this is the subject of the seventh course, where we will explore every variation. The tart is a rustic dessert typically homemade but can also take on a more elegant guise. Almond shortcrust, hazelnut, frangipane compotes, whipped masses, fillings – what a blind-baked shortcrust shell is – this is what you can learn in this course. And not only that, tips on how to manage a shortcrust pastry edge to make a more professional tart, how to line tart pans, how to fill them, how to bake and store them. All this will be possible thanks to a Master like Luca Montersino

This course encompasses all the fundamentals we have covered in previous lessons. Once the basics are mastered, it will then be simpler to intertwine and pair them, and the result will be both surprising and guaranteed. Spoon desserts or plated desserts are generally served at the end of a meal. We will cover all the various compositions from creamy to jellies, from mousses to Bavarian creams, with the aim of making spoon desserts. In addition to learning how to construct them, we will open a window on how to plate them in a cup or on a plate. Plating a dessert requires precise rules that go well beyond simply placing a slice of cake on a plate; it means adhering to many rules that can include crunchiness, softness, accompaniments, and not least, presentation.

With this course, we open a window onto savory pastry. Luca Montersino has revolutionized the world of savory pastries by creating recipes that go beyond the usual sandwich, tartine, or puff pastry. The foundations of sweet pastry, such as chantilly, chibouste, Bavarian creams, and biscuit, are magically transformed into the realm of savory. We will apply savory pastry to both miniature pastries and cakes, ranging from tarts and baked cakes to all the small pastries dedicated to the world of appetizers and snacks. With the right management of sugar substitutes, you will be able to make truly tantalizing dishes, sure to impress both yourself and your guests!

The course, "Italian Classic Cakes," represents an extraordinary opportunity to advance after learning the basics of pastry and aims to elevate to a new level of expertise. The focus of this educational experience is on the practical application of previously learned knowledge, with particular attention to the selection of raw materials, the adoption of advanced methods and techniques, and the reception of practical advice to further refine one's skills. This course aims to guide students through the delicate balance of proportions, temperature control, precision in preparation, and effective organization of pastry work. Through a series of targeted lessons, you will have the opportunity to uncover the secrets of some of the most beloved Italian classic cakes, each with its own history, specific techniques, and undisputed charm. Here are the delicious creations we will learn to make together: Mimosa Cake: A delicate and fluffy dessert, perfect for celebrating special occasions. Tiramisù Cake: The famous cake that combines coffee with the softness of mascarpone, in an unforgettable meeting of flavors. Nonna's Cake (Torta della Nonna): A rich and comforting cake, with its creamy filling and a topping of crunchy pine nuts. Monia Meringue Cake with Strawberries or Raspberries: A fruity and fresh variant, topped with a cloud of meringue. Diplomatic Cake (Torta Diplomatica): The perfect balance between the softness of sponge cake and the richness of custard cream, enriched with candied fruit. Ciambellone: A classic of Italian breakfast, soft and inviting. Savarin di Babà: A leavened specialty soaked in an alcoholic syrup, capable of winning over at first taste. This course is designed for those who are not satisfied with theory alone but are eager to get their hands dirty, literally, and take their passion for pastry to a higher level. Prepare to dive into the taste, tradition, and innovation of Italian classic cakes.

The "International Cakes" course will take you on a culinary journey through some of the most renowned and beloved pastry creations from around the globe. This series of lessons is designed to expand your dessert repertoire, introducing you to complex techniques and unique flavors that define global pastry. From the delicacy of fruit to the richness of chocolate, each cake is a window into different culinary cultures and traditions. Here are the captivating cakes we will explore together: - **Berry Charlotte Cake**: An extraordinary combination of softness and freshness, where fruit blends with cream to create a dessert that is a hymn to spring and summer. - **Sacher Torte**: Immersed in Viennese tradition, this chocolate cake with an apricot jam heart will transport you directly to Austria with its intense flavor and fascinating history. - **Lemon Meringue Tart (Tarte au Citron Meringuée)**: The classic French lemon tart with its crispy base, creamy and tangy filling, and sweet, soft meringue topping is a lesson in balance and refinement. - **Paris-Brest Cake**: This dessert, inspired by a bicycle race, celebrates praline and choux pastry, offering a taste experience that exemplarily combines textures and flavors. - **Saint-Honoré Cake**: A tribute to French pastry, this cake combines choux pastry, cream, and caramel for a sumptuous and complex result. - **Flan Cake**: A Latin American classic, this soft and caramelized cake is the quintessence of simplicity and flavor. - **Black Forest Cake**: A deep dive into German tradition, this cake combines dark chocolate, cream, and cherries in a triumph of taste and textures. Through this course, not only will you learn to replicate these iconic international cakes, but you will also gain a deeper understanding of pastry techniques that you can creatively apply in your future creations. Get ready to travel with your palate and bring a piece of the world into your kitchen!

I present to you my course entirely dedicated to "Leavened Goods for Breakfast" through the study and experimentation of techniques and raw materials. We will approach the vast world of leavening to learn how to best manage leavened doughs, from kneading to rising, from baking to storage. We will follow all the various phases of the dough, its temperatures, its resting times, and see how to shape different forms. We will delve into the rules of correct leavening and the techniques of laminating. We will understand the importance of choosing flours and the formation of the gluten network. In 10 lessons, we will range from laminated dough for croissants, the differences with a great and timeless classic, the Italian cornetto, to simple leavened dough for brioches. We will talk about yeasts, fats, and the balances of the main doughs to see all their variations. To complete the course, a careful and detailed research of different fillings, glazes, and aesthetic finishes. Kneading, rising, shaping, laminating, baking, decorating, and as always in my courses, I aim to give you ideas and techniques; I never limit myself to just the recipe. In the hands of Luca Montersino, the world of breakfast leavened goods transforms into a kaleidoscope of shapes, colors, and flavors.

In this course dedicated to Parfaits, I will teach you the precise balancing of these creams. They are creams that are served at -18°C and thus must be structured to be soft and spoonable even at that temperature. It's a comprehensive course on parfaits, covering single servings, stick desserts, fruit-filled creations, and more. Specifically, we will look at hazelnut parfait, orange honey parfait with chocolate and rum sauce, pistachio parfait with sour cherry foam, praline almond parfait, coffee parfait with cognac cream, and semifreddo tiramisu.

The Biscuit Glacé is a composition based on Italian meringue, cream, and flavor. With this trio of ingredients, we can create a plethora of products and many single-serving cakes and more. Specifically, in this course, we will dedicate ourselves to balancing Biscuit Glacé, Italian meringue for semifreddos, Biscuit Glacé with strawberries and its liquid center, Biscuit Glacé with coffee accompanied by zabaglione sauce and corn crumble, eggless lime Biscuit Glacé, a semifreddo ice cream sandwich with cream and chocolate, single-serving macarons with raspberry Biscuit Glacé, and candied mandarins.

We have reached the end of this educational journey, and the last course is dedicated to Italian semifreddos, not because they are of lesser importance, but following a logical order of execution. The core of this course is custard cream, which is skillfully combined with Italian meringue and enriched with a variety of flavors, allowing us to create numerous compositions. Here too, great attention will be paid to balancing and calculating sugars, making this course not just a collection of recipes, but a true technical deep dive. We will explore fundamental lessons on how to prepare a basic chocolate cream for flavoring, lemon cream as a universal flavor enhancer, Italian and lemon semifreddo, and then an irresistible chocolate and hazelnut semifreddo truffle, an English trifle cup in semifreddo version, a coffee-filled meringue with a liquid heart inside, and a passion fruit semifreddo on a stick. Ah, I forgot, I am Luca Montersino, and I look forward to seeing you on Club Academy to share this adventure in the world of Italian semifreddos together.