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Elegant French croissants and pastries arranged on marble surface with golden flaky layers
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BakingIntermediateAlmost Full

French Pastry Fundamentals

Laminated dough, precision technique, and the patience to make something extraordinary.

5(42 reviews)
· 4h· Max 6 students

About This Class

French pastry is the pinnacle of baking discipline — and it's more achievable than you think. In this intensive 4-hour session, you'll master the art of laminated dough, creating croissants and pain au chocolat with hundreds of buttery layers. Chef Marco will walk you through every fold, every chill, every detail that separates a great croissant from a mediocre one.

What You'll Learn

Make a proper détrempe (base dough) from scratch
Execute the butter block (beurrage) technique
Master the lamination process: 3 double folds
Cut, shape, and proof croissants correctly
Apply egg wash for the perfect golden finish
Understand how temperature affects lamination

Full Curriculum

4 sections
  • Flour selection and gluten development
  • Yeast activation and timing
  • Mixing to the right consistency
  • Hands-on: making the base dough
  • Choosing the right butter (fat content matters)
  • Temperature control — the critical variable
  • Encasing the butter without tearing
  • Hands-on: beurrage preparation
  • The letter fold explained
  • Resting between folds and why it matters
  • Counting layers: the math of lamination
  • Hands-on: three complete folds
  • Cutting triangles with precision
  • Rolling technique for tight, even spirals
  • Proofing: the jiggle test
  • Hands-on: baking and tasting your croissants

Your Instructor

Chef Marco Delacroix, a French man in his 40s in a white chef coat with a focused expression

Chef Marco Delacroix

Pastry Chef & Culinary Instructor

8

Classes

620

Students

5

Rating

Marco spent a decade in Paris patisseries before moving to New York to open his own teaching kitchen. His philosophy: French pastry isn't about perfection, it's about understanding. Once you understand why each step matters, the technique follows naturally. His classes are intimate, focused, and genuinely transformative.

Trained at École Ferrandi Paris
10 years in Parisian patisseries
Former pastry chef at Le Bernardin, NYC
James Beard Award nominee 2023

Student Reviews

5

42 reviews

Priya Mehta, a young South Asian woman with a warm smile

Priya Mehta

Verified

Brooklyn, NY · Feb 2026

"I came in not knowing the difference between a croissant and a Danish. Left making laminated dough like I'd done it for years. Chef Marco is incredibly patient and genuinely loves teaching. The croissants I brought home were gone in 20 minutes."

Thomas Beaumont, a man in his 40s with a thoughtful expression

Thomas Beaumont

Verified

Upper West Side, NY · Jan 2026

"I've taken pastry classes before and this is on another level. The class size of 6 means you get real feedback on your technique. Marco caught a mistake in my butter block that would have ruined everything. Invaluable."

R129per person

2 spots remaining

Choose a Date

Free cancellation up to 48 hours before

KitchenCraft Studio

142 West 26th St, New York, NY 10001

What's Included

  • All premium ingredients (European-style butter)
  • Croissants and pain au chocolat to take home
  • Lamination technique reference card
  • Chef Marco's recipe booklet
  • Champagne tasting during the session
  • Lifetime access to class notes

Secure Booking

Your payment is protected

Small Group

Max 6 students per session

5 Average Rating

From 42 verified reviews