A unique opportunity for children aged 5-12 to learn how to make traditional French pastry from scratch using simple, natural ingredients – while developing their French conversational skills in a real-life situation.
Sessions are conducted by a trained, bilingual instructor who has selected and tested every single recipe beforehand. Each term features a new selection of popular baked goods from France, including escargots, madeleines, sablés bretons, chocolats fondants (some of our creations are featured below). Sessions take place in small groups (up to 6 students) under the supervision of two adults (le chef et l'assistant!)
Single portion recipes ensure that all kids get to experiment every step of the recipe by themselves – from weighing ingredients using their own scale and selecting the right utensils and bake ware to pouring dough in the mold. Taking responsibility "in the kitchen" is a powerful source of joy and motivation for students: not only does it instill a sense of achievement and pride in every child but it also fosters their natural readiness for language acquisition. To facilitate this process, our instructor shares his savoir-faire either in French or in both languages, providing a step-by-step demonstration for everyone to visualize the ingredients and techniques involved at every stage of the recipe. Our two assistants make sure kids reach the results expected before everyone moves on to the next step.
Upon completion of the recipe, students are presented with hands-on activities or fun games relating to a specific recipe made in class or food in general. This period of time allows them to consolidate the vocabulary presented during the session while the pastries are being baked. The final call “C’est prêt!” always brings a huge smile to every little face - kids can't wait to see and taste the results of their hard work and are thrilled to take their creations home to share with family or friends!
Beyond this exciting experience and the benefits of the language exposure, our program will help kids develop essential, life-long skills and teach them essential notions, in particular:
More importantly, this unique hands-on experience will also promote appreciation for authentic, home-made food while developing concentration and confidence in every child.
These soft butter cookies have gained serious popularity among kids & parents at Ma Classe. They can be given the taste and feel of real biscuits when baked thinner and a couple minutes longer.
This delicious apple cake naturally featured in our selection last fall - its moistness and flavour were to die for! The Moelleux aux pommes can be enjoyed cold or warm with a spoonful of vanilla ice-cream.
These typical French lemon-flavoured pastries have been tested over and over - their taste & texture now nears perfection! Madeleines are typically made with vanilla and lemon zest but exist in a variety of flavours - chocolate chips, a bit of honey or bay fruits to name a few.
This delectable flan-like French treat is traditionally baked with cherries; this one was made with raspberries and apples and just a few drops of natural vanilla extract. We can't wait to have it again and try out different combinations of fruits next term!
This pie dough-based recipe is both simple and fun to do - no wonder it has become one of the kids' all-time favourite! See how appealing these snail-shaped rolls look in this picture with their soft texture and caramelized brown sugar!
Our Bake & Learn program always features one or two savoury dishes and our home-made vegetarian pizza is one of them - this pizza most succulente might not be totally unknown from the kids who attend some our day camps!