For the first time ever, the chocolate and pastry experts at Valrhona are proud to offer a series of online demonstrations. Enjoy the same expertise you expect from L’École Valrhona in a convenient, virtual format. Renowned L’École Valrhona Executive pastry chef, Guillaume Roesz will lead students through six demonstrations from Valrhona’s professional pastry kitchen in Brooklyn. A culinary degree and experience in a professional kitchen are not necessary, but a foundation of basic pastry techniques will help students be successful.
Chef Guillaume will take time to answer questions during and after the live session for an interactive learning experience that will help students bring their skills and confidence to the next level. Students will also gain access to an online forum to share ideas and discuss the content of the class after it has ended.
The cost to enroll in each course includes a digital class recipe book, an apron, and a selection of chocolate for an interactive tasting. Each student will receive a diploma to certify completion of the course. All classes will be conducted via Microsoft Teams without any download required.
Because we are only able to ship aprons and gift boxes within North America, we are happy to offer a 10% off discount for international guests. A 30% off discount is also available for chefs who are members of the Valrhona Cercle V loyalty program. To benefit from thoses discounts, please email ecolebrooklyn@valrhona-selection.com to enroll.
Click here to sign up and learn more about the objectives that will be covered in each class. In order to ensure timely delivery of all class materials, please register at least two weeks in advance.
Mastering Alternative Ingredients: Vegan, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Desserts
Register for one of two sessions:
July 7, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST
July 8, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST
Enrollment fee: $275
Food allergies and special diets have become a major focus in the food industry. Accommodating dietary constraints and food allergies such as gluten-free, dairy-free, and vegan can be challenging, but it is essential. In this innovative class, after more than three years of R&D on this topic, we break down pastry techniques, trends and recipes to help you adapt to these needs.
Chef Guillaume will discuss the key substitutions for the ingredients that need to be replaced and explain how to rebalance recipes with innovative ingredients to achieve unmatched taste and texture in your desserts. He will teach you how to rethink pastry concepts with dietary restrictions in mind and how to use alternative flours and accessible vegan substitutions in your desserts. Not only will these desserts satisfy guests with special diets, they will also appeal to everyone!
Travel Cakes
Register for one of two sessions:
July 21, 10:00 am to 12:30 p.m. EST
July 22, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST
Enrollment fee: $275
Take this class to enhance your pastry case and baking repertoire with travel cakes. Loved because of their longer shelf life and transportability, travel cakes, madeleines and financiers have become popular
among customers on the move in hotels, bakeries, and pastry shops.
Elevate your travel cakes by learning new filling recipes such as caramel, compote, confit and ganache. Of course, appearance matters too! You will explore the different possibilities to add attractive looks to your products including different glazes, and chocolate décor. In this open demo, Chef Guillaume will demonstrate how to temper chocolate and properly apply glazes to ensure consistent shine, thickness, and shelf life. He will also discuss various preservation techniques to maximize the shelf life of your travel cakes.
One Recipe, Three Desserts: Versatility in Pastry
Register for one of two sessions:
August 26, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST
August 27, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST
Enrollment fee: $275
10% discount for international students
30% discount for North American Cercle V members
This class is designed for all professionals and experienced home gourmets with the desire to dive deeper into chocolate and pastry. It will give you the skills to quickly and efficiently modify your desserts to accommodate guest needs. You will have the opportunity to learn the basics of working with chocolate and cross utilize ingredients in different preparations and textures.
Chef Guillaume will show you techniques to optimize your time by utilizing dessert elements in multiple ways and eliminating unnecessary dessert components. You will learn how to build plated desserts, verrines and petits gâteaux, starting with the high-quality ingredients, and gain an understanding of the importance of choosing seasonal ingredients available in your market. Chef Guillaume will show you his techniques for creating stunning plated desserts without the use of added colors or special molds.
He will also discuss the current industry trends and their impact on flavor and presentation.
About Valrhona Inc. (Groupe Savencia)
A partner of artisans of taste since 1922, and a pioneer and reference in the world of chocolate, Valrhona defines itself today as a company whose mission, “together, good becomes better” declares the strength of its engagement. Founded as a small chocolate manufacturer in the French village of Tain l’Hermitage, Valrhona oversees every aspect of its chocolate’s sustainable production, from bean to bar, in more than 30 terroirs and 20 origins. These expertly cultivated and crafted chocolates are used in over 70 countries. Valrhona has remained on the cutting edge of chocolate production and innovation by maintaining, in philosophy and practice, that pastry chefs make the best products for pastry chefs.
With its employees, chefs and cacao producers, Valrhona imagines the best in chocolate, both to create a just and sustainable cacao sector, and to inspire gastronomy that is delicious, esthetic and does good. Building direct and long-term relationships with producers, searching for the next innovation in chocolate and sharing expertise all bring Valrhona to life on a daily basis. Because what happens in the cacao plantations determines the sector’s future, Valrhona is dedicated to developing the well-being of producers’ local communities and practicing sustainable cacao cultivation.
Valrhona supports chefs by sharing the artisanal expertise of the company’s L’École Valrhona pastry chefs and by continuously pushing the limits of creativity, helping chefs to find their individual style and voice in the culinary industry. Valrhona’s ranges of couvertures, chocolate bonbons, decorations and tasting chocolates open new horizons for pastry professionals, who can count on consistent quality and flavors from a responsible partner who is committed to the environment.
In January 2020, Valrhona earned the demanding B Corporation® certification, which distinguishes the most committed companies in the world who consider social and environmental impact equal to economic performance. This distinction is recognition for Valrhona’s Live Long sustainable development strategy, characterized by the aspiration to join forces with producers, employees, taste professionals and chocolate amateurs to build a model that has positive impact for the world.
Choosing Valrhona means being committed to a chocolate that respects people and the planet. 100% of the company’s cacao can be traced to the producer, which means knowing where the cacao came from, who harvested it and that it was produced in good conditions. For more information about Valrhona, visit www.valrhona-chocolate.com and follow us on social media at @ValrhonaUSA.
