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Buttery, crisp choux pastry. Silky smooth, rich chocolate ganache. And a glaze so perfect you can almost see your reflection in it. Go on, tell me with a straight face that you wouldn’t want to learn the skills of a French pastry chef to make your own delectable éclairs. Good news is, you can, in a 2-hour French pastry class in Paris.
How Much Does A Pastry Class In Paris Cost?
While pricing for these types of hands-on cooking classes varies, expect to pay between 100-150 EUR per person.
Isn’t that a lot of money for a few éclairs or a batch of croissants? Sure, if you think of it like how much you’d spend at the bakery for the same items.
But consider the personal tuition from a professional, and the skills you’ll take away. Plus, this is one delicious activity for your Paris itinerary.
My choux pastry class in Paris was 135 EUR and was to last 2-2.5 hours. As it happens I was the only person in the class, so not only was I finished in less than 2-hours, but I had a one-on-one class with professional French pastry chef which was amazing.
Where Are Pastry Classes Held?
Most of the Paris pastry classes are in easy to get to, central locations. The one I took had a couple of locations, one only a few minutes from Notre Dame cathedral, and another in the Saint Germain district. Other classes can be found in Montmartre or other popular areas of the city.
The class I took with Maison Fleuret was behind a nondescript door in a small side street near Notre Dame. 3 Rue des Trois Portes did not have any indication anywhere outside that this was a cooking class location.
Luckily Google Maps were on my side, and at precisely the time they said to show up, someone opened the door and led me into a full service, beautiful kitchen workshop.
What Pastry Classes Can You Take
There’s something for everyone in Paris, whatever your favorite French pastry is. Here are some of the most popular pastry classes in Paris you can take:
Since I was shocked to find I was the only person in my choux pastry making class – and even more shocked that they continued the class with only one person – I asked if it was not a popular choice.
Apparently the most popular pastry class in Paris is macarons, followed by croissants. These quintessential French pastries are getting all the hype. While I would love to take those classes one day, my heart lies with the chocolate and choux pastry. An unbeatable combination.
The real selling point for me: chouquettes. These little airy balls of sugar dusted choux pastry are my favorite thing ever. When I discovered that these are typically made alongside éclairs in most classes, there was no other choice to make.
What Do You Need To Bring For A French Pastry Class
Nothing but yourself and your appetite. All equipment and ingredients will be provided for you by the pastry class. If there is anything you need to bring (unlikely) they will let you know in an email before the class.
You’ll be given an apron and the measuring/mixing equipment. All ingredients are usually pre-measured, and you’ll even be provided with recipes after the class. That’s if you can remember enough to actually recreate these masterpieces at home.
Taking A Pastry Class In Paris
While I can’t speak for all the other pastry classes that you can take in Paris, I will talk about my experience with the éclair and choux pastry class I took. There are three main parts of the class: making the pastry, the filling, and the topping/decoration.
Typically in these pastry workshops you will pair up with someone to share the mixing of the dough or other steps as it’s also easier to bake with a larger quantity of ingredients. Since I was the only person in my class, not only was I responsible for all of the mixing, but we had double the volume of ingredients.
My “partner” was the pastry chef teacher, who didn’t need any more pastries to take home, so the good news is I got more than my fair share at the end.
Amélie was my teacher, and she was amazing. Very patient, full of helpful tips, and fun to talk to as well. But what exactly does a pastry class entail?
THE CHOUX PASTRY
Choux pastry may seem intimidating to a non-baker, but you may be surprised at how easy it is to make. Having a qualified pastry chef at your side will always help, of course.
With pre-measured ingredients the speed of the class will be steady enough. Step by step you’ll mix the ingredients on and off of the heat until you end up with the wet pastry dough. Transferring it to a piping bag with nozzle, this is where you really test your skills.
To guide you there are usually stencils under the parchment paper. But piping choux pastry is still an art form. Confidence is needed. Not too slow, not too fast, not too thin, and remembering to finish off the éclair in the right way. Didn’t get it right? Scoop up the dough and try again.
I made 3 éclairs, and other than one being a bit wonky, I’d say it went pretty well. The remainder pastry can be made into little round blobs which are then dusted with rock sugar to become chouquettes. I made over 20 of them. Everything then goes in the oven to bake while you make the filling.
THE FILLING
Typically you’ll have a choice of filling, although different classes may offer different options. At my éclair class I had the choice of making chocolate, vanilla or coffee filling. I went with chocolate. Either way, the majority of the recipe is the same until the flavor addition.
Get your arms ready for a serious workout – this filling needs to be smooth! Heating the milk and the sugar, then mixing it with the cold ingredients, then heating again, all the time whisking. Adding in the chocolate, the flavor will start to make you really hungry.
If you’ve ever eaten an éclair you’ll know the filling is almost custard-like. Which means the filling has to be put in the freezer to cool before you can put it in the éclairs. When it’s cold, it’s time to whisk some more like your life depends on it. The French are very serious about their pastries – don’t let them down.
THE DECORATING
You may be surprised at how quickly your éclairs start coming together. The decadent chocolate filling. The perfectly browned, light as air, choux pastry. Time to get the piping bag out and fill them with the chocolatey goodness.
Filling the éclairs can be the most stressful part of the class as it all goes by feel. You create three small holes in the bottom of each éclair, filling the two ends first, then finishing off with the middle. You want the pastry filled, but not so full that it starts exploding. Oh, the pressure.
Since I was alone in the class I had so much filling left over that I even filled some of the little chouquettes. Did my favorite pastry just get even better? Gamechanger!
With éclairs now filled, the final step is to dip them into rich, melted dark chocolate. Et voilà, all done. Since this was my first time making something so delicate, and completely different to my usual baking attempts, I was pretty happy with the results.
THE EATING
Don’t pretend like this wouldn’t be your favorite part too. The proof is in the eating, right? 10/10 would make again. I was finished the class in less than two hours with such an incredible 1 on 1 experience. And I was so proud of what I made. They all tasted professionally made, if I do say so myself.
At the end of the class you will be able to box up your éclairs and chouquettes or whatever you end up making. Tasting a few in class of course, for obvious quality control reasons.
One thing to consider: If, like me, you are staying in a hotel with no fridge, remember that éclairs should really be refrigerated due to the filling so they won’t keep long.
For me, there was only one thing for it – I had to eat them all. No judgement, I did space them out. But was I also the one walking by Notre-Dame at night, stuffing glorious éclairs in my mouth? You bet. Now that’s Paris done right!
Is Taking A Pastry Class In Paris Worth It?
Choux pastry didn’t seem like something I would have attempted on my own. So already, I feel like I left this class with the confidence to try it again at home. That’s worth taking the class right there – learning a new skill that you can replicate.
At 100+ Euros a class, this isn’t a cheap activity. But for the cost I got to make more pastries than I could eat myself, had 2 hours with a professional pastry chef and the opportunity to ask anything during that time. Plus, it was a great experience and a fun activity to fill in an evening in Paris.
Evenings are often a challenge when traveling solo without just going to a bar alone, and you can’t see a show every night. So this is perfect for solo travelers. Of course the classes run multiple times a day, most days of the week, between all the different companies that offer them. I’m sure you’ll find a time and day that works best for your Paris itinerary.
One of my favorite things to do in Paris is visit all the wonderful boulangeries and patisseries. To get my fill of decadent desserts and sweet pastries. Being able to recreate some of your favorites, and realizing it’s not that difficult, is well worth taking a pastry class in Paris.
If you’ve enjoyed this post leave a comment or share using the social media buttons below. Have you taken a pastry class in Paris? What did you make?
Oh to be wandering around Paris filled with a box of pastry 😀 What a dream! It must have been so iconic plus you got a 1 on 1 session, too. 135€ is steep indeed but I guess it is Paris and you are now a trained French patisserie baker. From having read your blog for years, I also remember you are skilled in making tredelnik, so now let’s add eclairs and choux buns to the table….I bring the coffee, when can I come over?
Carolin | Solo Travel Story
I love this! What a fabulous experience to be able to have a private cooking class. I would choose the same class as I cannot resist an eclair, and the various baking shows I watch haven’t instilled enough confidence to try to make choux pastry on my own. I will absolutely look for a class on my next trip.