Classic Italian Desserts

This series covers all you need to know to create spectacular piped and hand-molded cake decorations. After completing the class, students will be able to design and create gorgeous cakes for friends and family. Courses in this series must be taken in sequence. Cake Decorating 1: Pastry bag and other decorating tool techniques; development of visual awareness and creativity in design; border design; decorative writing; pressure and control piping; chocolate molding; and making marzipan fruit.

Whether you're making a casual dinner or a gourmet multicourse meal. We'll cover techniques including poaching, sautéing, grilling and cooking risotto. Using your newly acquired skills, we'll make and dine on a complete meal of: grilled vegetable gratin; mushroom risotto; pan-seared steak with compound butter and mesclun salad with Dijon vinaigrette.

Nothing beats the rich flavor and perfectly al dente texture of handmade pasta. So let's practice making our own pastas by hand and concoct some rich fillings, learning how to stuff ravioli, tortellini and cannelloni. As we make these three heavenly pastas, we'll complete them with homemade sauces that are the perfect complement to each shape and filling. You'll handcraft: lemon ricotta ravioli with safe brown butter, roasted red pepper tortellini in fra diavolo sauce, and beef angolotti in brodo.

Enjoy Spain right here in New York as you feast on tapas --- one of the great pleasures of Spanish culture. You'll make merry with these classic and contemporary small plates featuring all the flavors of the Mediterranean. After we cook, the party begins. We'll enjoy: pan con tomate with salt-cured anchovies; patatas bravas with aioli and chives; jamón croquetas; gambas al ajillo; and red wine sangria.