Fall 2023 After School Baking Classes
Register here!!
*Please read all of the information below before registering.
- Classes will meet from 3:05 - 4:30 pm the following EIGHT Mondays in room 601 (Luther's kitchen): September 11th, September 18th, September 25th, October 2nd, October 9th, October 16th, October 23rd, and October 30th.
- As a business, I must provide the District with liability insurance coverage and pay the District an hourly fee to use the facilities at Luther. I also purchase all the necessary materials.
- The price for this session of eight classes is $250 and includes all the bars your child will be preparing and bringing home.
- Registration deadline is Friday, August 25th. These classes typically fill up within a week of announcing registration. I cannot accept more than 21 students so if you want to secure a spot, register here.
- BARS is the theme and during these classes students will make the following items: lemon bars; oat jam bars; pineapple-coconut bars; apple pie bars; raspberry-lemon bars; salted caramel blondies; and pumpkin-swirl cheesecake bars.
- NO artificial flavors or colors are ever used in my classes.
- Kitchen safety and cleanliness are my top priorities. Therefore if your child does not maintain a clean kitchen and/or acts in an unsafe way in the kitchen, parents will be notified and students (if posing a safety risk) may not be allowed to return for other classes.
- I will start classes ON TIME. So please remind your child to honor the start time. Additionally, students will not be free to leave until their kitchen is left clean.
- Most of the recipes we make in class will be available on my website: www.myclasscancook.com under the tab Favorite Recipes.
- Refunds are not available for missed classes (even for sickness). I can only issue a refund for the course if another student will take over the spot - otherwise no refunds are possible. *with the exception of possible COVID related facility/school closures.
- Payment can be made by cash or check (to My Class Can Cook and turned into Ms. Raluy) or by VENMO to @Lisa-MARTINEZ-0 In order to secure your registration spot payment must be made within one week from completing the registration form. Because of the popularity of the course, if payment isn't made within a week, your child's spot will be available for another baker.
- If you have any questions, please call me (818) 652-1650 or email me at myclasscancook@gmail.com.
Culinary Arts Instructor at Luther Burbank Middle School
Register here!
Scroll down below to see previous after school baking class activity.
Fresh Peach Muffins
I call these "fresh" peach muffins, but really you can use jarred or canned peaches too. I played around with this recipe for a while trying to cut down on the oil and sugar to make them a bit more "healthy". They taste wonderful and are a nice addition to a muffin basket for a spring or summer time brunch.
Click on the recipe below to get a printable view.
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Triple Berry Trifle
This dessert takes many parts. Most people cheat and buy components already done at the grocery store and assemble it themselves. You can do that too, but there is so much satisfaction in knowing you made all the elements yourself. The pastry cream and sponge cake can be made a day ahead. Make sure to plastic wrap the sponge cake well. I've even made whip cream the day before a dinner party and left it in a pastry bag on a plate in my fridge. That way I can assemble the elements before guests arrive but don't have to wash too many dishes before they arrive.
Click on the recipe below to get a printable view.
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Salted Caramel Brownies
The brownie part is easy. Everything goes in one bowl and you can mix it all by hand (no appliance needed!). The caramel sauce can be tricky. You have to stay by the stove and watch it the entire time as sugar can easily burn. In that case you have to start all over. Fleur de Sel (or sea salt) makes these brownies pop.
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Click on the recipe below to get a printable view.
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Banana Cream Pie
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This is the first time I have ever made a cream pie. Not sure what took me so long. It's not complicated but it does take time to make all the elements. The finished product was well worth it and such a show stopper of a dessert. You won't be disappointed!
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Click on the recipe below to get a printable view.
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Apple Enchiladas with Cinnamon Cream
Apples are readily available at any time of the year. They are super versatile in desserts and are so popular. These "enchiladas" are the perfect dessert after a light dinner. And they are so easy to make:)
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Click on the recipe below to get a printable view.
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Luther's Famous Vanilla Bean SconesWe make these easy scones all the time. Usually scone recipes call for butter to be cut-in to the flour mixture. These, however, just call for super-cold heavy cream. I love making these because they are so simple and taste oh-so-good!
Get the recipe here. |
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Gingerbread with Orange Frosting
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The smell of gingerbread baking is truly a holiday season delight. The orange frosting on this cake (which could easily be a gingerbread loaf) is divine. Sugary, yes, but tangy too. Made into smaller paper loaf pans these would make ideal holiday gifts.
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Click on the recipe below to get a printable view/copy.
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Chocolate Vanilla Sandwich Cookies
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Click on the recipe below to get a printable copy/view.
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Blueberry Scones with Lemon Glaze
These scones are lovely. They are a bit tricky to make as you need to ensure that the butter stays cold and the blueberries stay whole. It's very easy to mush them as you work them into the dough. It doesn't affect the flavor - just the esthetics. These are a great addition to a Sunday brunch.
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Click on the recipe below to get a printable view/copy.
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Tiramisu *School Friendly:)
Tiramisu is a favorite Italian dessert. It's not too heavy which makes it the perfect touch of sweetness after a carb-heavy Italian meal. It's traditionally made with ladyfinger cookies which I find at Italian specialty shops like Monte Carlo (in Burbank). I am sure they are available on line as well.
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Click on the recipe below to get a printable view/copy.
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Pumpkin Spice Cookies
These cookies are so moist and fluffy that they are almost like eating pumpkin cake. They are easy to make and make the house smell like fall. These are wonderful with tea or coffee.
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Click the recipe below to get a printable view.
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Apple Hand Pies
These apple pastries are easy to make and make the kitchen smell like fall. I like using pumpkin pie spice to flavor the apples. You can always use puff pastry dough (from the grocery store) instead of making your own dough. But, if you have the time, homemade dough is extra special.
The left two are hand pies using puff pastry. The pies on the right side are made from the dough recipe including on the recipe below.
Napoleons
These are super fancy looking but are not that complicated to make. It just takes time. The hardest part is getting the consistency of the icing correct so it's not running down the top of your pastry. All of the parts can be made a day in advance and then assembled before serving. I like to use small squares of parchment paper ("patty pack paper") to move them from my work surface to a platter.
Petite Quiche
These quiche are super cute! They make a great appetizer and would enhance a brunch buffet. They are easy to make and will keep for a day once baked (in the refrigerator). You can vary the fillings too which makes this even more versatile. I found three-inch aluminum pans on Amazon but you could use muffin tins as well.
Calzones
These are a little more work than a single pizza, but not hard to make. Calzones are fun and switch up the Friday night pizza routine that we have at home. I like calzones without sauce on the inside as I find the sauce makes them soggy as they bake. I prefer to have a small bowl of sauce on the side to dip. Calzones can be filled with lots of different ingredients. My favorite calzone has Italian cheeses, Italian chicken sausage and sauteed mushrooms. Once assembled, these freeze well. Just thaw on a sheet pan and bake!
Focaccia Bread
Focaccia is a type of Italian bread, similar to pizza dough, that has olive oil and is usually sprinkled with herbs. If you make it thick enough you can slice it length-wise and have a delicious sandwich bread. Warm focaccia is pretty spectacular and baking it makes the house smell amazing. It's great as an accompaniment to soup or salad.
Lemon Meringue Cupcakes
Seriously, how cool do these look? To get this look I used a small kitchen torch but you could put these under a broiler briefly after the frosting is applied and get a similar effect. It's imperative to use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. These cupcakes have amazing flavor and the meringue topping makes them feel special.
White Chocolate Raspberry Mousse
This is an impressive-looking dessert and it's fairly easy to make. I found inexpensive silicone molds on Amazon (shown below). The molds make excellent edible cups for the mousse.
**It's important not to stir the whipped cream and raspberry mixture as it will deflate.
** If you don't have a pastry bag you can always use a gallon-size Ziploc bag.
**It's important not to stir the whipped cream and raspberry mixture as it will deflate.
** If you don't have a pastry bag you can always use a gallon-size Ziploc bag.
Cranberry-Orange Scones
The glaze on these scones is insanely delicious. With it, there is no need for butter and jam. If you don't want to roll these out and cut them with a biscuit cutter, you can always just use a disher (small scooper) and scoop it out like cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet pan.
Pumpkin Loaf with Cream Cheese Frosting
This pumpkin bread recipe is easy. I like to add crushed spiced pumpkin seeds on top for crunch if not using a frosting. If applying a frosting you can top it with the crushed pumpkin seeds and chopped candied ginger. Yum! We are baking these in paper mini-loaf pans which make them easy to give as gifts for Thanksgiving.
Chocolate Granola Bars
These are spectacular for two reasons: they are homemade so you can control all the ingredients and sugar AND you do not need to bake them. Win, win!! Next week I want to try to tweak this into a PBandJ granola bar but for now, this one is super.
Apple Tarts
These pastries are perfect for a special brunch or a dessert (with whip cream - yum!). Using puff pastry eliminates the need to make dough from scratch. Firm apples such as Fuji and Granny Smith are the best to use for this recipe as they won't turn to mush in the oven. Brushing the tops with strained jam gives these a very professional look and taste.
Berry Cheesecake
Our first class of the new school year is here! We begin with an easy dessert that can be made in advance and is so cute to take on the road. You'll need some mason jars and fresh berries. The filling is light and pairs well with the tart berries and the crumbly graham crust.
Chocolate Raspberry Cake
Valentine's Day is approaching and what could be better than a moist chocolate cake! This recipe is easy and the frosting is not too sweet. It can be modified into a cupcake easily too. Enjoy!
Chocolate Granola Cereal
Packaged cereals have so much sugar, fat and salt that it seems almost natural to want to make your own. This cereal is super simple and the ingredients can vary as you experiment with different tastes. It's full of protein (with the chia seeds and almonds) and has tons of fiber from the oats. It keeps well went stored in an air-tight container and best of all my kids LOVE it!
Pumpkin Cupcakes
Fall is all about pumpkins. These are moist cupcakes that will make any fall holiday feel extra special. They can be bake ahead of time and wrapped well then frozen. They defrost quickly and can be frosted and served immediately. You can make this into a tiered cake and add shaved chocolate curls on top for a special Thanksgiving dessert.
Apple Poptarts
I remember eating pop tarts from a box as a kid and being completely in love with the filing but not so much the crust. They also didn't taste as good straight from the box as they did fresh from the toaster. These homemade apple poptarts and amazing. Like a hand-held apple pie but with crust that is flaky, rich and a little sweet. They aren't hard to make but they do take time. You can make a bunch ahead of time and freeze them before baking. Then when you'd like a sweet breakfast treat, bake them frozen.
Strawberry Shortcakes
This week students will create strawberry shortcakes with a citrusy whipped cream. These are easy to make ahead of time. The dough can be cut out and frozen on a sheet pan then removed to a freezer bag. You can take them out and bake them frozen for an easy, homemade dessert anytime. You can also change up the berries and use a mix, or use just blackberries or blueberries. Be careful with using just raspberries as the berry will break up when mixed with sugar.
Ranch Dressing