For the first time ever, the chocolate and pastry experts at Valrhona will offer a series of online demonstrations, featuring the same expertise found at L’École Valrhona in a convenient, virtual format. L’École Valrhona executive pastry chef Guillaume Roesz will lead students through six demonstrations from Valrhona’s professional pastry kitchen in Brooklyn.

Chef Guillaume will answer questions during and after the live session for an interactive learning experience that will help students take their skills and confidence to the next level. Students will also have access to an online forum to share ideas and discuss the content of the class after it has ended. A culinary degree and experience in a professional kitchen are not necessary to take these classes, but a foundation of basic pastry techniques will be beneficial to students.

Included in the enrollment cost of each course are a digital class recipe book, an apron and a selection of chocolate for an interactive tasting. Classes will be conducted through Microsoft Teams without any download required, and each student will receive a diploma to certify completion of the course.

Individuals can sign up and learn more about the objectives that will be covered in each class at Valrhona’s website. In order to ensure timely delivery of all class materials, students are encouraged to register at least two weeks in advance.

The classes offered in this series include:

Mastering Alternative Ingredients: Vegan, Dairy-Free and Gluten-Free Desserts ($275)

July 7, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST

July 8, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST

Chef Guillaume will break down pastry techniques, trends and recipes to help you adapt to dietary constraints and food allergies such as gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan. He will discuss the key substitutions for the ingredients that need to be replaced and explain how to rebalance recipes with innovative ingredients to achieve unmatched taste and texture in your desserts. He will teach you how to rethink pastry concepts with dietary restrictions in mind and how to use alternative flours and accessible vegan substitutions in your desserts.

Travel Cakes ($275)

July 21, 10:00 am to 12:30 p.m. EST

July 22, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST

Students will be able to elevate their travel cakes by learning new filling recipes such as caramel, compote, confit and ganache. They will explore the different possibilities to add attractive looks to products including different glazes and chocolate décor. Chef Guillaume will demonstrate how to temper chocolate and properly apply glazes to ensure consistent shine, thickness and shelf life. He will also discuss various preservation techniques to maximize the shelf life of travel cakes.

One Recipe, Three Desserts: Versatility in Pastry ($275)

August 26, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EST

August 27, 2:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST

This class is designed for all professionals and experienced home gourmets with the desire to dive deeper into chocolate and pastry. It will give students the skills to quickly and efficiently modify desserts to accommodate guest needs. They will have the opportunity to learn the basics of working with chocolate and cross utilize ingredients in different preparations and textures.

Chef Guillaume will show students techniques to optimize their time by utilizing dessert elements in multiple ways and eliminating unnecessary dessert components. They will learn how to build plated desserts, verrines and petits gâteaux, starting with the high-quality ingredients, and gain an understanding of the importance of choosing seasonal ingredients available in their market. Chef Guillaume will show his techniques for creating stunning plated desserts without the use of added colors or special molds. He will also discuss the current industry trends and their impact on flavor and presentation.