Find sweet success with Bettys Cookery School
It was learning the baker’s craft that first provided the young orphan Frederick Belmont with a way to escape his harsh upbringing in Switzerland more than a century ago. But it was confectionery – the creative yet demanding art of making and decorating cakes, biscuits and chocolates – that was to prove his real passion, taking him to France, then to England and the opening of the first Bettys café.
Archive photographs show Frederick proudly displaying his sugarcraft skills, posing next to an intricately sculpted Swiss villa. As part of Bettys’ centenary celebrations in 2019, his work was painstakingly recreated by our present-day confectionery experts, upholding a tradition of technique and artistry that would have made him proud. And the same combination of high-quality ingredients and Swiss finesse go into every cake and biscuit made in our Craft Bakery, from our most spectacular wedding creations to each individually iced Fondant Fancy.
It would take years of training to master the skills behind every Bettys delight, but you can try your hand at some on a course at Bettys Cookery School. With two decoration courses currently on offer, you can elevate your icing skills, discover the secrets of sugar-based success and take a collection of sweet treats home with you at the end.
The full-day course The icing on the cake takes you through every stage of decorating a Genoese sponge cake. With the help of our friendly expert tutors you’ll learn how to apply buttercream beautifully, cover it with marzipan and smooth fondant, create delicate handmade sugar paste flowers, then add your own message in hand-piped royal icing, ready to take home. Whether you’re planning to decorate a cake for a special occasion or just want to impress friends and family, it’s the perfect way to lift your decoration to the next level.
Biscuits are the stars of our half-day course Iced to a Tea, where you’ll learn the skills needed to bake and decorate a batch inspired by our new Bettys Teatime Biscuit Selection. From stress-free rolling and cutting out to the delicate art of piping, our experts will guide your hand – although it’ll be up to you to resist snaffling the box of mouth-watering biscuits on your way home.
With a delicious cooked lunch provided as well as the chance to chat with your fellow attendees over tea and coffee, our Cookery School courses make a wonderful day out for kitchen novices and budding chefs alike. Each session is limited to a small group and there are only a few places left on our decoration courses – so book now if you’d like to treat yourself, or gift a unique experience to a cake and biscuit fan in your life.
To view our full range of Cookery School courses click here.