Course Syllabus

Desserts by Ingredient Decal

Fall 2008 Syllabus

Facilitators: Shelly Park

Time: Monday 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.

Location: 109 Dwinelle

Contact: dessertdecal@gmail.com

Website: dessertdecal.wordpress.com

Objective:

Our goal for this class is for students to gain hands-on experience in making desserts and gain a greater culinary appreciation about the origins and the history behind each recipe and ingredient. It is important to know where, when, and how these dishes were concocted in order to better understand how it came to be today.

Lecture:

Lecture will occur once a week. We will cover the origins and history of one ingredient per week and go over the dessert lab for the week. We will explain how to make the dessert and any tips based on our experience making it. Lecture topics may be subject to change.

Lab:

Cooking labs will be done in small groups outside of class, in class member’s kitchens. Students will form groups of 4-5 depending on the class size and decide on a mutual time and location at the beginning of the year to conduct the labs. Times should be chosen so that students will not be rushed, therefore weekends are recommended. The labs will take an average of 2-3 hours. Students will be responsible for purchasing the necessary materials and equipment themselves, so there will be no course fee. Upon completion of the lab, students will write individual lab reports about making the desserts.

Grading:

Course requirements consist of attending lecture, doing the cooking lab, writing lab reports, short readings, preparing a presentation for a specific dish originating from a country of your choice and bringing in a dessert to share with the class, and a final exam. Students may have up to 2 absences. The grade will be based on lab reports, attendance, group presentation and a final exam. The lab reports will be turned in weekly after completion of the lab, detailing the student’s experience in making the dessert and the things he or she learned. The final exam will assess the students’ absorption of the class material.

Attendance:

Students may only have 2 absences (unexcused or excused). More than 2 absences will result in a failing grade, regardless of participation and completion of assignments.

Lab Reports:

After each cooking lab, students will write about their experience in making the dessert. Students may include pre-lab expectations, any obstacles encountered, opinions about the lab, and suggestions. Do not just write the recipe procedures. Lab reports should be 300 words minimum and must be submitted by Sunday at midnight via email. Students may miss 2 of the 11 lab reports.

Final Exam:

Final exam will be given on the last day of class.

Readings:

Occasionally, there will be short articles to read. They will be posted online and announced in class.

Group Presentation:

Each group will be assigned to a country. They would bring in a dessert from that specific country to share with the class. Each group will give a 15-20 minute presentation about the dessert’s origin.

9/8 Introduction – Register/Write-up

9/15 Extract – Cranberry Almond Biscotti

9/22 Apple – Apple Pie

9/29 Egg – Cream Puff

10/6 Rice Flour – Mochi

10/13 Cinnamon – Banana Foster

10/20 Cream Cheese – Cheesecake

10/27 Honey and Sugar - Baklava

11/3 Tempura – Tempura Ice Cream

11/10 No Class – Field Trip

11/17 Gelatin – Mango Mousse

11/24 Coffee – Tiramisu

12/1 Tiramisu Contest

12/8 Final