Desserts by Ingredient DeCal

Class: Geography 98/198 -Desserts by Ingredient

Facilitators: Shelly Park

Contact: shellypark@berkeley.edu

Introduction:

Ever wanted to try your hand at making beautiful desserts? This course is an introduction to dessert making, composed of a weekly lecture and cooking lab. We will explore the origins and histories of various ingredients commonly used in desserts. In labs, we will learn to make a dessert that uses the ingredient discussed in lecture that week. Students will acquire a range of skills such as working with pastry, making ice cream, and baking with a water bath.

Lecture:

Lecture will occur once a week. We will cover the origins and history of one ingredient as well as one dessert per week and go over the dessert recipe for the week. We will explain how to make the dessert and any tips based on our experience making it.

Lab:

Cooking Labs will be done in small groups outside of class, in class members’ kitchens. Students will form groups of 3-4 people 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 dessert.

Grading:

Course requirements consist of attending lecture, doing the cooking lab, writing lab reports, giving a short group presentation, short readings, and a final exam. Students may have up to 2 absences. The grade will be based on lab reports, a short presentation, attendance, 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.