SOURDOUGH MASTERCLASS WITH DAN LEPARD
Join award-winning baker and food writer Dan Lepard at this hands-on sourdough masterclass. Under his expert tuition, you’ll learn how to mix, knead, shape and bake the perfect loaf, and achieve the crust and crumb, taste and texture you’ve always aspired to, using Dan’s tested and proven recipes.
Dan is celebrated for his practical and innovative approach to baking: author of several books, including The Handmade Loaf and Short & Sweet: the best of home baking, he was also the baking columnist for The Guardian for eight years. He was the judge on the first series of the Great Australian Bake Off and has written for the BBC, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s Magazine, and The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald in Australia, amongst many others. Head to our blog to find out a bit more about him.
This will be a full-day class, so we ask you to arrive in time to start the day with a light Cookery School breakfast, before diving straight into the baking at 9am. We’ll take time later for a delightful Cookery School lunch, enjoyed with a glass of organic wine and bread baked for you by Dan. There’ll also be an afternoon tea break and Q&A session before the class finishes at around 4-4:30pm. You will leave with your loaves, flour, a pot of leaven and a lot of new skills that will inspire your baking at home.
In this Sourdough Masterclass, you will learn to make:
- Dan’s white and wholemeal sourdough loaf
- a superb sourdough focaccia
- a sourdough loaf made with enriched dough
You will also learn how to:
- make a sourdough starter from scratch and how to keep it thriving at home
- shape, plait and “finish” bread dough, for impressive results
- work with different types of dough, and develop you confidence in the kitchen
- create steam in the oven for your bread baking
This class will be limited to no more than 14 people, to ensure that you all get Dan’s personal attention.
“It was excellent. Have been baking sourdough for a while now but Dan was able to simplify some of the techniques whilst retaining the principles of sourdough baking” – Chris
We try to accommodate dietary requirements as best we can and do our best to provide alternatives where possible. However, some classes are simply not designed to accommodate special dietary requirements, for example, we can not make entire baking classes gluten free or make croissants without butter.
If you have any questions about what we can provide, please call us before making your booking on 0207 631 4590. Please put a note in the “dietary requirements” box at the checkout if you have any requirements or allergies at all, even if you do not think it it is relevent!
We do not have individual hobs for every person but rather a group of hobs at one end of the kitchen. In most classes you will be working in small groups to create the recipes. As a whole class you will make everything listed on the website but the only way we can cover the huge variety of dishes listed is by dividing the class into smaller groups. When there are key skills that need to be learned by the whole class, the teacher will pause the group and gather everyone together to explain/show it so by the end of the class everyone understands how each dish was made.
We are happy for anyone of any age to attend. If they are very young, an adult needs to work with them, in which case we would only charge for one space. We aren’t a creche service though so no dump-and-runs while you go shopping! Teenagers may like to join our Summer Cooking Camp where they will be with other kids the same age.
Sustainability has always been part of our ethos which is why we made the decision not to print recipes for students to take home with them, except when printed recipes are specifically requested. Instead, we email the recipes to students shortly after the class.
You may transfer to an alternative class if you give us notice not less than 21 days before the date of the class. In this case, we will rebook you on to your selected class or issue a voucher valid for one year from date of issue. Transfers or issuing of a voucher will be subject to an administration fee of £15. Confirmed bookings are not eligible for refunds or cancellations under any circumstances. If you cannot attend a class you may send someone else in your place, just let us know the name of the attendee in advance of the class, where possible.
At the end of most classes you will sit down around the Cookery School table and enjoy the food that you have made. Any food that is leftover from this is kept for staff lunches so nothing goes to waste
The exception to this is that you are welcome to take home the chicken that you de-bone in the meat & poultry class provided you bring a chiller bag with you and we provide you with a freezer block. Additionally, many of the items in our baking classes and courses are low risk and safe to take home so you will need a carrier bag of some sort.
We have very little waste as we order based on the number of people in the class. We generally do not allow people to take food home because we have found that many people come into central London, do a class at Cookery School and then go off to the theatre, cinema, clubbing or shopping. During that time the food that left Cookery School in good condition, deteriorates and can cause illness.
Absolutely! If you have been cooking a bit already at home then you are welcome to skip the Beginners course.
Our six week professional cooking course, Cook’s Certificate, is the only accredited course we run. You will receive a Cook’s Level 3 Training certificate from OCN London at the end of this course.
If you would like a certificate of attendance from any other class or course, we are happy to provide one. Just make a note of this in the ‘notes’ section at the checkout.
You do not need to bring anything with you to most classes. However, if you are taking the Ultimate Meat & Poultry Class you should bring a chiller bag for your de-boned chicken and for any baking class or course, please bring a carrier bag to take home some of the items you make.
Please make sure you are wearing closed toe shoes.
Not at all! The majority of our students come alone. We pride ourselves on having friendly staff and our kitchen is very un-intimidating and relaxed so you don’t need to feel scared of attending alone.
Induction hobs use electromagnetic technology which may interfere with cardiac pacemakers or electrical implants, such as insulin pumps. We use induction hobs in our kitchen so recommend that if you use a cardiac pacemaker or electrical implant you remain a safe distance from the hobs.
Upcoming Classes
- At Cookery School London
near Oxford Circus
Class Snapshot
- Teaching and guidance from a world-renowned expert
- Get set on the path towards perfect sourdough bread making
- Work with different types of dough
- Learn to mix well, but knead gently
- Try shaping and plaiting techniques you can apply to your future baking
- Get a real “hands-on” baking experience
- No washing up – we take care of that for you!