This combined program is designed to help learners connect theoretical principles of baking and pastry with practical application. Learners are offered the opportunity to become skilled bakers and pastry cooks by learning in-depth knowledge and skills to troubleshoot errors and manage product outcomes, thereby making positive contributions to their employers and their trade. International students are not eligible to register in apprenticeship courses at VCC beyond those included in their program.

Graduate Outcomes Baking and Pastry Arts graduates may find employment in retail bakeries, supermarkets, department stores, artisan bakeries, hotels, camps, and other food-related businesses in roles such as commercial baker, pastry cook, artisan baker, and retail bakery salesperson.

What you will learn

Health, sanitation, and safety
Use of bakery equipment including scales, mixers, proofers, and ovens
Knife skills
Theoretical baking principles and processes
Ingredients and methodology
Biscuits and muffins
Pie dough and straight dough
Aeration and emulsification
Cookies, pies, tarts
Croissant, Danish, and puff dough lamination
Cakes, cookies, sponges
Butter creams, glazes
Dessert plating and presentation
Composition, use of colours and textures
Pastries, slices, and squares
Quick breads and loaf cakes
Deep-fat frying
Yeast doughnuts, cake doughnuts, French crullers
Fermentation, leavening, gluten development
Wild yeast, sourdough starters
Hearth baking
Grains and flours
Shaping and molding
Mixing and portioning
Gluten-free baking and ingredients
Meat and vegetable pies
Sausage rolls, Cornish pasties, calzones
Asian buns and tarts
Pita breads and flat breads
Sandwiches
Consistency and accuracy
Environmental conditions
Daily production planning
Standard math functions
Retail bakeshop management
Professional etiquette and personal hygiene
Troubleshooting and problem solving
Ingredient and equipment suppliers
Merchandising, inventory, and cost control
Waste management
Catering
Effective communication

What to expect

Eleven months of full-time study over four terms:

Introduction to Baking
Applied Baking
Artisan Baking
Capstone