Certificate
Baking & Pastry
Certificate, Baking & Pastry
Nowhere else in the world of culinary does art blend so beautifully with technique as they do in pastry and baking. The Baking & Pastry program at the American Academy of Culinary Arts combines the rich pastry training traditions of France, Austria, and Switzerland with contemporary American cuisines. Today’s diners are more and more particular about their artisan breads, desserts, and sweet confections.
To answer that demand, hotels, bakeries, catering firms, and other employers are looking for bakers, pastry chefs, cake designers, and other professionals with the skill, innovation, and creativity to meet the demand.
Career Skills
- Develop knife skills.
- Use bake shop tools including comb scraper, pastry brush, pastry bag, and decorating spatula.
- Assemble and decorate cakes, gateaux, and torten.
- Create chocolate and sugar centerpieces.
- Bake artisan breads, rolls, and quick breads.
- Prepare puff pastries, creams, and custards.
- Develop formulas.
- Temper chocolate.
- Bake soufflés.
- Make ice creams.
- Communicate professionally.
- Meet food handling and sanitation standards.
- Understand purchasing and cost controls.
Employers of PTC Graduates*
When you’re ready to start your job search, our Career Services staff is ready to help. Just as they’ve helped our Baking & Pastry grads, employed as Pastry Chefs and Pastry Cooks, who’ve been hired by companies including:
- Belle Christie and Lil Z’s Sweet Boutique
- Bartram House Bakery
*Background check and drug screening may be required prior to employment
Program Courses
The Certificate, Baking & Pastry consists of three quarters. For course descriptions, visit our catalog.
Program Requirements (41 credits)
- *Baking and Pastry Theory and Principles
- *Artisan Breads and Doughs
- *Basic Pastries and Dessert Presentations
- Cakes, Gateaux, and Torten
- *Basic Professional Skills
- Chocolates and Sugar Techniques
- *Sanitation
- *Basic Knife Skills
- Purchasing and Cost Control
Career Readiness Requirements (2 credits)
- Career Development
*Successful completion of this course requires a grade of “C” or better.
Program Highlights
Certifications
You’ll participate in the ServSafe program as part of the curriculum to earn this essential food safety and purchasing certification.
Memberships
PTC is a member of the American Culinary Federation, Les Amis d’Escoffier Society of Chicago, La Chaine des Rotisseurs, and the Honorable Order of the Golden Toque.
Learning beyond the campus.
Culinary Arts students participate in cooking contests, networking events, chef demonstrations, and community service projects through the AACA Culinary Club.
These opportunities include Light Up Night in downtown Pittsburgh and fundraisers for the Zelienople Library, the Bradley House, and the Pediatric Brain Tumor Ride For Kids; students also create a ginger bread house every year for area hospices. You can also participate in several Chaine des Rotisseurs Young Chef competitions throughout the year, and Culinary Club competitions during each open house.
Accreditation
Our Certificate program in Baking and Pastry is accredited by the American Culinary Federation.
Program Outcomes
The American Culinary Federation Education Foundation (ACFEF) requires institutions to publish graduation rates, job placement rates, and entry-level ACF certification by graduation for each of the previous two-years for all ACFEF accredited programs. Click here to view.
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